Housekeeping · Grocery-bag hygiene

How to wash reusable grocery bags and prevent cross-contamination

Keep raw meat separate from produce; wash cloth bags or hand-clean non-machine-washable bags and dry fully.

AI-edited · Human admin approved

Wikimedia Commons · TooHotToHandle at English Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0; original image, no modifications. · CC BY-SA 3.0 Unported ↗

Reusable shopping bags can carry residue from raw-food packages. Health Canada recommends separating raw meat, poultry and seafood from produce, washing cloth bags frequently and hand-cleaning non-machine-washable bags. A bag's care label still controls allowable washing temperatures and methods.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

0 / 6 done

Check each bag's care label; distinguish washable cloth, coated plastic and insulated materials.
At checkout, wrap raw meat, poultry and seafood to contain leaks and keep them in bags separate from produce and ready-to-eat foods.
Machine-wash cloth bags frequently if the care label allows it. Wash bags that had leaked food juices before reuse.
Hand-wash or wipe non-machine-washable bags inside and out with warm soapy water; follow special instructions for insulated bags or fitted components.
Clean seams and handles, rinse away any soap as appropriate to the material, and let bags dry completely.
Store dry bags in a cool, clean place; do not carry dirty shoes or gym clothes in bags dedicated to groceries.

Your try-it-at-home checklist

Further reading

You may also like

Six steps to rotate—not flip—a Sealy Posturepedic mattress

Six steps to clean Andersen sliding patio-door tracks and rollers

Six steps to reduce kitchen-sponge cross-contamination