11 Items To Keep Your Suitcase From Ruining Clothes

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13-05-2025

One of the great challenges of traveling is figuring out how to keep your clothes from ending up wrinkled, spilled on, linty or musty after spending long periods of time stuffed in a dark, cramped suitcase. This can be especially frustrating if you won't have access to laundry machines during your trip or have to pack nice outfits that you don't want wrinkled or ruined in the event of a work function or wedding.
If you're tired of unzipping your suitcase at your destination to find your things in a less-than-desirable state, we've rounded up some travel-friendly products that can prevent these woes. From a portable steamer that can zap wrinkles to storage solutions for keeping clean clothes clean, these travel essentials can make sure packing stays as stress-free as possible.
A multifunctional, portable iron steamer
Not much bigger than your average curling iron, this similar-looking handy gadget works as a wet and dry iron to get wrinkles out of your clothes. The water tank holds up to 50 milliliters, which can let you steam continuously for about six to eight minutes at a time. The 5.5 foot-long cord gives you some freedom of movement, but the whole product weighs only 1.16 pounds, so it won't take up much room in your suitcase. The steamer comes with an included measuring cup to add the water, and a storage bag.Note: Since this is corded, don't forget to pack the right travel adapter if you're going abroad!Promising review: "Finally got a portable iron that I travel with. Works very well on all fabrics I brought on my recent trip (cotton, linen, polyester). Works pretty fast even though it's compact and fits really well in a suitcase without taking up too much space/weight." —PatrickGet it from Amazon for $76.99.
A set of packing cubes to keep your clothes separated and secure
Not only does a packing cube set like this eight-piece one by Veken make it easier to find everything in your suitcase, but it can also act as a barrier to keep your clothes from shifting around too much during travel and prevent wrinkles. This one also comes with a shoe bag and laundry bag, so any dirty or smelly items can be kept away from the rest of your clothes.In addition to those two bags, this set has cubes of four different sizes, plus an accessories pouch and a cosmetics or toiletries bag with a hanging hook. The latter has a waterproof zippered pocket to prevent leakage. The set comes in 16 colors, so you can pick your favorite or match it to your suitcase.Promising review: "I was skeptical of packing cubes wondering how much of a difference can they actually make? Well...a huge difference!! I roll packing my clothes anyway, but using these bags were a game changer. I was able to pack so much more and they were compartmentalized so nicely and very few wrinkles. Will always use these now!" —MistyGet the set of eight from Amazon for $19.99+.
This Bagsmart toiletry bag with a near-perfect rating
4.8 stars across more than 58,000 reviews? Say less. This Bagsmart toiletry bag is water-resistant, spacious and convenient. It's also spill-proof to keep your clothes from getting wet or damaged — you can thank the plastic compartments and elastic straps designed to keep tubes upright for that. You can zip and unzip the compartments from top or bottom for quick access to your products, hang the bag up using a hook to see all the items at once and easily transport the bag with its handle. The bag is available in a range of solid colors and patterns, and two sizes.Promising review: "Used this for a recent trip and packed it in my checked luggage. One of my perfume bottles leaked and I was shocked to find that the toiletry bag contained the mess! It didn't leak into any of the other zippered compartments of the toiletry bag, nor the clothes in my suitcase. The hook is sturdy and hung over our hotel door with ease." —Gina ZGet it from Amazon for $11.99+.
A powerful handheld garment steamer with a longer cord
If the clip iron design isn't for you, or you just want a longer cord for less restriction, try out this HiLife portable handheld steamer with an 8.6-foot cord. This steamer also has a larger water tank capacity than the iron steamer: You can use up to 300 milliliters at a time for 20 minutes of continuous steaming. Enjoy both power (1100 watts of it) and user-friendly operation (there's just a single button to deal with, no bells and whistles), and then enjoy your wrinkle-free clothes. As an added plus, this bad boy comes in eight colors.Note: Like the other option, this is corded, so don't forget to pack the right travel adapter if you're going abroad so it's not unusable while you're away. Promising reviews: "Ok, so we're taking a trip out of state,12 HR drive. I know that when we get there our clothes will be smashed. So, I start reading reviews..found this steamer. I'm telling you that this little steamer is the best! EASY to use. Got the job done. I'm having too much fun..looking for some more wrinkled clothes! 🤩" —Wendy P.Get it from Amazon for $30.99+.
A leakproof travel soap case
Bar soap users, this one's for you. Packing up shower products at the end of a trip can be a struggle — it's like they're never actually as dry as they seem to be, and then water has leaked into your bag and potentially onto your clothes. But this silicone soap case can solve that problem with its unique ventilation and drainage features, including a vent valve and drainage layer to keep your soap dry. Reviewers confirm that this thing is air- and watertight, so even if you don't have a leakproof toiletry bag, you can rest easy without the imminent threat of water all over your stuff. Get the case in seven colors.Promising review: "I took this soap case with me on a two-month cruise to Japan. It performed perfectly. No leaking; the lid is secure. I was confident to toss it into my [suitcase] with my clothes, books, and papers. My only wish is that it came in a slightly larger size so I could also include the scrubby I use with my giant bar of soap. I would buy that!" —Stephen OrrGet it from Amazon for $11.99+.
Dryer sheets to keep your suitcase smelling fresh
Life hack: If you're worried about your suitcase and clothing getting smelly over time, the solution can be as simple as tossing in a dryer sheet to keep things fresh (this is a Reddit-approved tip). We're not sure we've ever seen a higher-rated product than these sheets by Bounce, which have 4.8 stars and more than 106,000 reviews on Amazon. One box comes with 240 "outdoor fresh"-scented sheets, so these can last you many trips and laundry cycles.Promising review: "It's Bounce for Pete's sake! Makes great scents for drawers and putting away summer clothing in "Space Bags" or in drawers or in suitcases. They make everything smell delicious. They're not just for dryers anymore!" —JeMicheSunshineGet them from Amazon for $8.24.
A travel-size bottle of wrinkle release spray if you can't bring a steamer
We get it: Sometimes, you just don't have room in your luggage for any appliances. Or maybe you're traveling on a cruise, or internationally, and aren't sure what type of outlets you'll have if any. In any case, you can still get rid of wrinkles without a plug-in steamer using a wrinkle release spray like Downy's. All you have to do is spray, tug and smooth out your clothes' wrinkles. The spray has a light scent that also gets rid of unpleasant odors for a two-in-one product.Promising review: "Perfect size for travel. I bought these to take on our cruise since they don't allow you to bring steamers on board and there's no irons in the room. It's not important enough for me to send something to laundry to be ironed. These were the perfect travel size and worked great." —L. CookGet a two-pack from Amazon for $7.99.
A 4-pack of reviewer-beloved miniature lint rollers
These travel-size lint rollers are technically designed for pet owners to pick up pet hair, but multiple reviews assure that they're well worth the buy even if you don't have pets. Having earned 4,000 5-star reviews and counting, this four-pack comes with 120 easy-tear and easy-peel sticky sheets to pick up lint, debris, dust, dirt and more. These are small enough to fit in a purse, carry-on bag or the glove compartment of your car for a road trip so your clothes can stay clean on the go.Promising review: "Ordered these for my mom, who was visiting my sister (a certified animal hoarder.) These travel rollers fit in her bag perfectly and she said they removed all the pet hair from her clothes and suitcase on her trip! Now she has a few extra to keep around the house or in the car for any hair and lint." —KatyGet the four-pack from Amazon for $8.99.
These laundry bags to keep your worn clothes from dirtying your clean ones
Dirty laundry is a hotbed of odor and germs, so the more you can keep your clean and dirty clothes separate throughout your travels (as in, please don't just throw them into the same suitcase compartment nilly-willy), the better.Laundry bags like these by JHX are all you need: The bags fold down flat and to about the length of a cell phone when not in use, so you can easily chuck them in your luggage. They can hold up to 22 pounds of clothing and have helpful features like a drawstring slider, carrying handles, carabiners to clip onto another bag, an outer pocket for detergent or other items and a nylon material that is itself machine-washable, so you can truly throw everything into the machine as needed. You can buy a single or two-pack (pictured here) in gray or black.Promising review: "These bags are great! The amount of clothes that fit in the bags is way more than I expected. I ordered these while on a two week vacation to take back new clothes I bought as well as dirty laundry. The handles on the bags are super helpful, all the other ones I looked at only had the drawstring. Highly recommend these!" —Jamie MunseyGet it from Amazon for $7.19+.
A portable, retractable clothesline you can hook on anywhere
Whether you want to air your clothes out to get rid of odors from your suitcase or dry off wet swimsuits and just-washed laundry, a travel clothesline can come in handy. Equipped with an elastic line that can stretch up to 10 feet and 12 clothespins, plus stoppers in between each one that prevent sliding, the clothesline can be hooked onto a balcony, your hotel bathroom or anywhere else you might want to hang your clothes. Promising review: "When you travel outside the US, many rental properties will have a washer but not a dryer. On our recent trip to the UK, we used this travel clothesline multiple times, and it worked great! The end hooks made it super easy to install, and we were surprised by how much weight it held (wet blue jeans). The clips that keep the clothespins from sliding were a brilliant addition to this product. It takes up so little space in my bag, and I'm planning to take it with me every time I travel." —Kelly GlazeGet it from Amazon for $7.99+ (available in four colors).
A 3-pack of deodorizers that can eliminate odors for up to 60 days
Like the concept of the dryer sheet hack we mentioned above, but you'd rather use something less disposable? These baking soda odor eliminators by Arm & Hammer are just as easy to fit in a suitcase at less than 2 inches tall, and work to keep your stuff smelling fresh for up to 60 days, so you don't have to change them out nearly as often. They're also similarly affordable. You can choose between a range of scents that includes calming lavender, white linen, forest pine and more.Promising review: "I bought these for my luggage when I had to go visit family for over a week. As soon as I opened my suitcase, it smelled so good! I put one in my car, and another in my dad's car. They're pretty neat. Just buy them. If you're here looking at them, just give in already!" —Your Friend Down the RoadGet the three-pack from Amazon for $5.98+.