Tips on Re-using Plastic Bags

Hi P.,

I use the Deb Myers bags too. I vaguely remember there being a warning about washing the bags. Maybe you can find your paperwork for them and double check. We don't want to wash out whatever it is that makes them work. Yes, the are pricey and we don't to discard before we have to. I rinse mine and if really necessary, have used soap as well. I just think we are not suppose to.

To your real question:
I place mine over a pop bottle to hold them open and they dry overnight. Also IF I have several and don't want them sitting around during the day, I have another silly thing I do. Silly, but it works. I have a window box fan handy, it's just in a closet all the time. I will bring it out and use clothes pins and clip the open bags to the grids of the fan. Turning it on low dries them out real fast. I check on it a half hour later, it's done and I put it away. Using towels is not consider health safe, so I figure the fan is a bit safer.

Here's another tip:
The bags are suppose to be used only for one product. So if you use it for lettuce, the bag should only be used for lettuce from now on. At the top, I mark the bag with what is suppose to be in that bag. Using lettuce as an example: When I run out of lettuce, if the bag is still clean, I just keep it in the refrigerator drawer anyway. It keeps the bacteria issue from being an issue longer.

Hope this answers your questions and helps you out.

C.

1 mom found this helpful

Hi P.,
When I dry my ziplock bags, I loop them over a pan lid rack or plate rack. It works great and they dry very well inside. Hope this helps.
E.

Hi P.,

When it comes to drying the plastice bags, I open them up and just hang them over where you would place your glasses on your dish drying rack. If I have too many I open a cupboard door and close part of it in the door upside down and let drip dry (place a towel under though). Also If I just have a couple I just stick a towel inside and dry. Hopefully this is a little helpful.

P.S
I am interested in knowing a little more about your custom party supply biz. Could you respond back to me and give me some info? Where are you located?

Thanks
S. S

Hi P.. I also have a 1 year old. At my baby shower I received a bottle dryer rack made by Munchkin in which I use to dry my plastic bags after I hand wash them. The bags usually dry over night. I believe you can get them at Walmart, Target, or other places like that and I believe they are very inexpensive. I also use it to dry my daughters sippy cups and lids.

Hi P.,
I usually just take a dry lint free dishtowel (or chamois cloth)and put it over my hand so that the front and back of my hand is covered and go back and forth inside the bag. The dishtowel works, but the chamois works better. Hope it helps. Have a great day! ~T.

www.gaiam.com use to sell 'spindle' racks to dry bags on. I love mine.

Good Luck,
J.

Techincally ziploc bags are not intended to be recycled. I'm pretty sure, because the chemical compound can break down over time and introduce your body to toxins that over time can cause possible illness.

I hang them over the back of my large knives or utensils while they're in the dish rack. I usually turn them inside out to be sure the inside dries, then I can rub a towel on the outside after its back outside in.

There are deocrative racks made to dry bags. check out Lakeside or LTD catalogs or online.

HI P.
I use a decorative basket as a dish drying rack. And push chop sticks into the holes woven along the edge, and hang the bags on them. The next day I turn them inside out, or dry with a towel. I reuse all our cereal, bread, rice bags at the produce market to cut down on trash.
A. H

i wash then hang upside down with a magnet on the fridge

Hi P.,

We have a bag dryer that we purchased from gaiam.com. We love it and use it every day. It's made of wood and holds quite a few bags at once. Here is a link:
http://www.gaiam.com/p2p/searchResults.do?method=view&amp...

If you prefer not to click on links, you can go to gaiam.com and in the search box in the upper right corner, type in bag dryer.

Enjoy!

C. : )

I have a wonderful book called the Tightwad Gazette, it recommends drying them on wooden spoons, or spatulas. In nice weather you could even dry them on your clothesline.

We use a clothes line and clothes pins. They're hanging above the washer and dryer. This works great for us.

I have a couple of things on my counter that hold utensils and a knife rack. I wash the bags out in dishwater, rinse, and drape them upside down over a utensil or knife. They dry fast. My grandson built his mom a drying rack out of tinker toys. The trick is to wash daily whatever you have so you don't have a whole bunch.

After I wash mine I rinse them in hot water and flip them upside down over my dish drainer(usually my silverware area) however I have seen something that someone made out of a wooden base and small dowl pins attached to it to hold the bags. It was designed specifically for bags and will hold a few of them. good luck

I just put them inside out on a towel-I did see in LTD commodoties that they have a bag dryer!!! I may purchase one for myself!

Hello,

I have been washing my ziplock bags for many years. I usually put wooden spoons or pots and pans in the strainer. I will use the handles on them to place the bags on them to dry. It usually dries overnight. Good luck!!!

M.

hey there,
try and hang them on a bottle dryer, I use mine for everything now that my son is on to sippy cups.

I wash and reuse my bags all the time. I wash the outside first in dishwater and turn them wrong side out. I now wash that side. When you dry it leave it wrong side out, make sure it is open and hang with a clothespin from your curtain or put a magnet on the back and hang from your fridge. That ensures that when you turn it back it will be dry.

I too hand wash mine and place them over wooden spoons or tongs.I had a question if one of the other responder can answer.When you wash them in the dishwasher how do you get them to stay down?

Vegitable bags are ok to wash. DO NOT wash and reuse bags that have been used to hold meat products or cheese. They carry too many bacteria. I hang mine in the cupboard door above my sink. That way they drip into the sink. If they don't dry completely, I do a quick wipe with a clean towel.