Canvas bagsThese are, by far, the easiest to clean. Just toss them in the washingmachine and wash in hot water with detergent. Then, run them throughthe dryer. Recycled plastic bagsYou should wash anything made from recycled plastics (a.k.a.polypropylene bags) by hand in warm soapy water and air dry it. Don'tforget about the inner and outer seams, where crud can hide and collect. Insulated shopping bagsSince you're probably transporting raw meat in these bags, wipe themwith a disinfecting wipe after each use. When you're ready wash them byhand with warm soapy water. Nylon bagsFlip them inside out and wash them by hand in warm soapy water. If youprefer to machine wash them, use the gentlest cycle to prevent the bagfrom coming apart. Then, allow them to air dry. Stinky bags? Prevent musty odors from developing by making sure bags are completelydry before using them. Also, you should never store reusable bags,especially unclean ones, in the back of your car or the trunk betweenuses. Excessive heat can cause bacteria to grow even faster.

Maintaining Your Reusable Bags

Using reusable bags is great for the environment, but it’s important toremember that shopping bags should be washed after every use, especially for

bags used for meats, produce, and precooked foods.  

Here are some tips for keeping your bags clean and safe:

*Adapted from www.goodhousekeeping.com