Reusable shopping bags are used by a lot of people to help save and protect the environment by reducing plastic waste. So obviously, they’re a good thing to use. But did you ever stop to think about how clean your reusable shopping bags are–especially on the inside? It’s one of those things you just don’t think about as often as you should. Today’s post is all about how to clean and care for your reusable shopping bags. Don’t worry–it’s really easy!
Studies show that as many as 97% of people who use reusable shopping bags rarely {if ever} wash them. That’s quite an alarming statistic, isn’t it? Especially when you consider that unwashed bags were tested and some pretty nasty bacteria were found inside. We’re talking the really nasty E. Coli and Coliform. YUCK!
The good news is that those same researchers found that washing the bags is effective, and pretty much wipes out all the bacteria. So how do you do it?
Cloth bags, with no plastic lining, can be thrown into your washing machine and washed with regular detergent. Dry them in the dryer, but you can air dry them if you prefer.
Bags with a plastic lining need to be scrubbed with hot soapy water and air dried.
Before storing your bags, they must be thoroughly dry to keep mold and mildew from growing.
To prevent future bacteria growth inside your bags, be sure to bag all meat purchases in a disposable plastic bag. This contains any of the meat juices and keeps them from cross-contaminating any of the other foods inside your bag–particularly fresh produce. And it goes without saying, never reuse the plastic bags that were used to store meat or poultry products! Throw them away as soon as you put away your groceries.
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