This Travel Hack From TikTok Can Help Your Rolling Luggage Last A Lifetime

It's no secret that travel expenses can add up quickly, especially when it comes to purchasing new luggage. Travel luggage goes through a lot. From the moment you leave your home, to traveling to the airport, through security, over cobblestone streets, down flights of stairs, and through who knows what else on the streets, having good quality luggage is a must-have for any traveler. Luckily, this travel hack, picked up from flight attendants, has been circulating on TikTok. It involves wrapping electrical tape around your luggage wheels, which can help your rolling luggage last longer and keep germs out of your home.

The trend has taken TikTok by storm, with several videos sharing what they've learned to show just how easy it is to wrap their luggage wheels to ensure longevity and cleanliness. In many, creators are shown wrapping their luggage wheels with black electrical tape, before cutting and smoothing it out to help keep the wheels from wearing down.

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♬ APT. – ROSÉ & Bruno Mars

Just as travelers have different opinions of what the most exciting European destinations to visit are, what classifies as the best luggage for each type of traveler varies per person as well. Even if you've followed simple packing tips for traveling with just a carry-on, your luggage is one of the most important purchases you'll make as a traveler. In today's economy, people want their purchases to last longer, and with even a quality carry-on costing upwards of nearly $300, it needs to last.

TikTok users are eager to voice their thoughts on the helpful hack. One TikTok video's comment section is also applauding the hack, saying, "Useful tip," and "omg I've really never thought about this." In another video, one viewer mentions that they "Could have used that wheel tip in Japan." This hack is also useful for fighting germs, as you can simply remove or clean the tape when you get home. 

Did you know that our luggage carries way more bacteria than we may think after traveling? A 2025 study by InsureandGo found that luggage carries approximately 58 times more bacteria than a public toilet seat, while luggage wheels tend to have the most bacteria and fungi, making them a breeding ground for various types of grime, such as skin bacteria and mold. Gross, right? These facts should be enough to make you think twice before placing your luggage on top of your hotel bed to unpack when you check in.

In addition to the tape hack, there are other practical ways to keep your luggage germ-free and clean. The best way to keep your hotel room, or home, germ-free after traveling or being in transit is to never place your luggage on your bed. You can also clean the exterior case and the wheels with an anti-bacterial wet wipe when you arrive home, and be wary of what you drag your luggage through while walking on the streets.