So now that you’ve hopped on to the eco-friendly bag train, you can’t help but wonder: can I wash my reusable grocery bags? The answer to that is a resounding yes; everybody should be washing their produce bags, and regularly! These are high-touch items, which means they come into contact with several hands, and hundreds of different types of food and lifestyle items, all of which carry a plethora of germs that you need to get rid of to stay healthy.
Here are a few tips on how to wash and maintain hygiene with your reusable shopping bags:
- Tote bags made from natural fibres like canvas and jute can be thrown into your washing machine. Make sure the temperature is hot enough to kill off all that pesky bacteria.
- Wash them separately from your clothes and delicates to make sure there is no mixing or passing on of bacteria to your body through clothing.
- Make sure your reusable bags have completely dried before carrying them to your next grocery run. A damp bag encourages the growth of mold, fungus and mildew which is a strict no-no as these could affect your produce.
- Store your washed grocery bags in your home in a designated spot – keeping them in the trunk of your car or a baby seat only invites and incubates more germs.
- Keep separate market bags for different types of produce. For example, don’t mix your bags for meats with your bag for toiletries or veggies to avoid cross contamination.
- However, if your jute or canvas bags features a PP or LDPE coating, it cannot be washed, and only needs to be wiped clean. It’s always advisable to ask the retailer about the TLC your bag needs when purchasing it.
Reusable produce bags are the call of the hour, and by following these simple hygiene practices on a weekly basis, you can make sure that yours are spanking clean and good for your health, too.
Head to http://earthbags.com to pick from a variety of reusable bags today.
