How do you clean your Civita bags?

I machine wash mine on gentle. It's been through the wash several times and comes out great.

While I don't actually own one, I have touched them ... ;-)
It's the type of fabric that I would put in the washing machine, probably in a mesh bag to keep the straps from getting caught on the agitator, with warm but not hot water.
And I would air dry it, not put it through the dryer.
I have done this many times with my healthy back/Ameribag bags and they have come out just fine.

I do have one and have done as Sharyn suggested. I wash in cold and hang to dry. My husband uses his 10+ year old bag almost daily and it's still like new.

I wash on gentle and hang to drip dry.

Wow, that's impressive that some of your bags have held up so well! I am on my second one and it already has a rip on a seam and the strap came off. I hope the latest batch is more durable! (I am not trying to discourage anyone from buying it, as it's a great pack. I've just had bad luck!)

I also wash mine in washer, in a (big!) mesh bag and hang to dry. Mine are several years old and have held up very well through several trips to Europe and beyond.

The bags have a lifetime guarantee. I think the older ones were made better. I have a friend who has gone through two of them. My little used bag had one of the toggles on the mesh side pocket break. I need to contact RSE to have them end me a replacement. If you have any damaged products you can contact them for a replacement. Unfortunately being dirty doesn't count!

Same as SharYn suggests. I use mine daily in Europe or the US and am on my third one over 15 years. I buy a new one when they go on sale.

Thanks, everyone, for your replies -- it makes me feel less chary of putting the bag in the washing machine,
but why do you suppose the labels from the RS Shop say to spot clean only?

Maybe they say spot clean so that if your not real great with washing machines, for example like my husband, it is considered your own fault for ruining it. I put mine in the washer too, and it will be going on the RS England tour next month with an aunt and uncle, and next year with me to England and Wales.

My husband and I both got ours in 2005. They still look new. He usually washes them on return from travel. He just drops them, along with the sticky money belts, in our washer, no special bag. He does allow them to air dry. They have always come out clean, fresh, looking like new, ready for the next adventure.

I wash it in the sink with a bit of hand soap, squeeze it dry between a towell, and hang it up in the shower. It dries over night ;)