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Karen ([personal profile] karen2205) wrote2008-03-17 12:28 pm

Reuseable bags

This may appear to be a silly question, but it's the biggest reason why I don't use reuseable bags more often.

What do you do with milk/yoghurts/other food that's likely to make a mess if it spills into the reuseable bag? I currently put all of that sort of food into disposable plastic bags in order to avoid having my nice reuseable bags covered in spilled stuff.

Does lining reuseable bags with PVC work? Can hessian bags be washed?

I'm actually considering stocking up on bog standard plastic bags while they're still 'free' as there are lots of things I use them for (wrapping up food in the fridge, putting dirty boots/clothes in, rubbish bags for the living room/bedroom/bathroom bins etc.)

[identity profile] cultureofdoubt.livejournal.com 2008-03-17 12:48 pm (UTC)(link)
I figure hessian ones are washable. PVC ones can probably be cleaned out too but would be awkward to dry.

What I'm wondering is what to use for a binliner if I don't use my old disposable bags. But I guess the answer to that is to take the whole bin to the larger bin for emptying, and wash the bin out every time.

[identity profile] arkady.livejournal.com 2008-03-17 01:00 pm (UTC)(link)
You can buy biodegradeable bin liners that are made of a polymer derived from corn husks; they break down completely within about 30 days - it's the same stuff they use for biodegradeable disposable nappies.

[identity profile] cultureofdoubt.livejournal.com 2008-03-17 01:04 pm (UTC)(link)
Ah great tip. I can use up my stock and switch over then. It's surprisingly and annoyingly hard to find out about these things.

I can't help thinking I should just stop using binliners outright anyway, but there's bound to be a few cases where I don't quite manage to do that.

[identity profile] valkyriekaren.livejournal.com 2008-03-17 12:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Just wash them? I wouldn't necessarily recommend putting hessian or the waxed/plastic kind of bags in the machine, but washing them out with soap and hot water in the sink should do the trick. The cotton sort of bags will be fine to go in the washing machine, and you can even bleach them if they get particularly manky - just like you would with sheets, towels etc.

[identity profile] arkady.livejournal.com 2008-03-17 12:58 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm just very careful how I stack such things in the bag. If something leaks anyway, I chuck the bag in the washing machine; all my shopping bags are canvas or other washable fabrics.

[identity profile] shreena.livejournal.com 2008-03-17 01:24 pm (UTC)(link)
I just use cotton bags and wash them periodically.

[identity profile] ixwin.livejournal.com 2008-03-17 02:18 pm (UTC)(link)
Personally, I just take a large canvas bag, with a couple of standard plastic bags inside it. Then I put the squishable/messy stuff in the plastic bags & the rest in the canvas one.
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[personal profile] ludy 2008-03-17 10:53 pm (UTC)(link)
my stndard re-useable bag is cotton and machine washable precisely because of this. Hessian is (usually hand) washable but it will smell horrible when wet - it'll be ok again when it's dry so it's not a big problem just someting to be aware of

[identity profile] pinkdormouse.livejournal.com 2008-03-17 11:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I use bags that can be washed. End of problem.
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[personal profile] shermarama 2008-03-18 12:47 am (UTC)(link)
I must admit that this has never occured to me, because in all the time I've been using reusable bags (plastic bag for life types) I've never spilt anything in them.