You may have noticed over the past few years that reusable shopping bags are becoming more and more common. This is a great thing! By encouraging the use of reusable shopping bags, you can prevent the use of billions of plastic bags going to landfills. Not to mention you get to have your own favorite bag that you can bring with you every time you go out. But cleaning it can be tricky. How do you wash reusable shopping bags?
This question often concerns our custom printed bags customers the most. But we have the answers.
The last time you went shopping with your reusable bag, you ended up spilling something inside of it. Now it smells like produce and chips, and it might not be the cleanest thing to put new foods in.
Thankfully, there are several ways that you can easily wash your bags. Stay clean, avoid cross-contamination, and save the planet while you’re at it; these tips below will help you stay on the winning side of this win-win situation!
Method 1: Cleaning Plastic Shopping Bags
Some of the most common reusable bags you’ll find at the store are made with a material known as polypropylene and recycled PET, which are both human-made materials. Since they don’t biodegrade, there are certain cleaning methods you can use to wash them without running the fabric.
We recommend that you hand-wash your plastic shopping bags with soap and warm water. You can also run it through a gentle warm water cycle in your washing machine. It’s best to let them air-dry, as the heat from a dryer can melt the plastic. You also don’t want to use chemicals like bleach or chlorine, as it can weaken the material and damage the bag altogether.
Method 2: Cleaning Canvas Bags
From tote bags to laundry bags, canvas bags are some of the most popular reusable bags around. When going grocery shopping, your canvas can become prone to spills and stains. There are a few good ways to clean it up:
First, you want to wash the canvas bag in hot water with a fabric-friendly detergent. You need hot water because it will kill harmful bacteria that may be lingering on your bag after your last trip to the store.
Dry it on a low setting or hang it up to dry, and make sure not to use it until all of the moisture gone. But take caution: placing canvas bags in the dryer will cause them to shrink!
Method 3: Reusable Insulated Bags
When we asked our experts at Aplasticbag.com which type of reusable bag they liked the most, they mentioned insulated reusable bags. These nifty bags are lined with heavy-duty cooler bag materials surrounded by nylon. This makes it so much easier to carry around any cold or frozen items you may get at the store, and they won’t be all melted by the time you reach home.
Cleaning it is simpler than you may think. There are several disinfectant sprays you can purchase that will work well on the surface of your bag; make sure to spray it everywhere. You may need to take some soap and water to the cooling liners if they get a spill. Otherwise, keeping an eye on the disinfectant is key.
Enjoy Your Reusable Bags Time and Time Again!
Knowing how to wash reusable shopping bags is a great way to start having less of a negative impact on our planet. Instead of throwing tons of plastic bags (literally) into landfills each year, we can do our part to reduce waste by frequently washing and reusing our favorite bags. We have a huge collection of reusable bags with size and customization options that will make it your favorite bag yet.
If you have more questions about cleaning your reusable bags, or you want to place an order, don’t hesitate to contact us online. You can also call us at (877) 992-2247!
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