Using recyclable and reusable products is not an option anymore, it is a necessity. Sustainability is the only way to save mother nature for future generations. As a result, everyone has started using reusable cloth bags in Dubai and other cities, in their daily lives. It is a good practice, however many people tend to forget to wash their cloth bags.
Reusable grocery bags are frequently touched by hands and other objects. The majority of users admit to never washing their reusable grocery bags. Learning how to wash reusable and recyclable bags properly might protect you from hazardous bacteria.
Cross-contamination occurs when raw meats and produce come into contact with pre-cooked meals and other things in previously contaminated bags. Clean your reusable bag after each store visit to avoid cross-contamination. When shopping, double bag foods, especially potentially leaking items, with meat bags to protect both the products and your bags. As an added precaution, identify and mark bags that will be used regularly just for meat, fruit, dairy, dry items, and cleaning supplies.
Here are some tips to avoid contamination:
- Clean reusable shopping bags should not be placed in the unhygienic infant carrier of your grocery cart.
- Do not use reusable shopping bags to carry anything else, such as diapers, workout clothing, or beach stuff.
- Don't keep unclean bags in your car since the heat stimulates bacteria growth.
When carrying food, shopping bags used for meats, produce, and precooked items should be rinsed after each use, exactly like a kitchen towel. Here are some additional general cleaning tips:
- Before cleaning, remove the bottom insert from your reusable bag.
- Use a disinfectant spray cleaner to clean inserts, which are often cardboard or cardboard coated with vinyl or fabric.
- To ensure thorough cleaning, flip each bag inside out before washing.
- When hand-washing a bag, pay careful attention to the nooks and crevices around the seams.
Tips for cleaning canvas and fabric reusable bags
You may find instructions on how to protect your natural canvas shopping bags on the labels. If your canvas bag does not come with cleaning instructions, use the following methods:
- It should be washed in hot water with your regular detergent. To eliminate E. coli and other germs on the cloth, hot water is required.
- Dry a canvas bag in the dryer or on the line.
- A mesh, hand-knit, or crocheted shopping bag made of any material, including jute, should be hand-washed in hot water and air-dried.
- Bring a canvas or cotton bag to the store only when it is entirely dry; a wet atmosphere stimulates mould and mildew growth.
- Don't put it in the dryer to avoid cotton bags shrinking.
Tips for cleaning nylon reusable bags
Wash or hand-wash a reusable nylon bag (without insulation) in warm water. Here are some other tips :
- In the washing machine, use warm water and a moderate cycle.
- Try to use warm, soapy water while hand washing the bag.
- While washing by hand, take special care to clean the bag's corners, nooks, and creases.
- Nylon bags should be air-dried.
- Nylon bags should not be dried in the dryer because high temperatures might cause the material to melt, become deformed, or weaken.
Tips for cleaning insulated reusable bags
Insulated shopping bags or totes must be cleaned regularly, just like any other reusable grocery bag. They're composed of tough nylon and include waterproof cooler bag liners. Thin silver foil liners, PEVA (polyethylene vinyl acetate), or extra-durable heat-sealed PEVA are commonly used. As a result, you'll have to spray and wipe them down with disinfection treatments. If your bag or tote contains zippers, make sure to clean or spray those as well.
Indeed, many people might not have completely switched to cloth/reusable bags. So, here are some cleaning tips for them too.
Tips for cleaning plastic (Polypropylene) Reusable Bags
Hand-wash or use the gentle cycle on your washer with warm water for woven bags made of composite artificial fibres such as polypropylene and recycled PET (a form of plastic resin). Here are a few examples of dos and don'ts:
- If you don't have time to wash your bag, use an antibacterial wipe to disinfect it.
- Polypropylene bags should be air-dried.
- Chlorine bleach should not be used to clean reusable plastic bags since it will damage and weaken the fibres.
- Polypropylene bags should not be dried in the dryer because they may melt.
