I'm ready to start washing ziplock bags...

[Guest Virginia Dawn]

Especially freezer bags. The problem is I've never done this before and feel sortof incompetent. :001_huh:

 

Some basic instructions would be appreciated.

 

What if they are greasy? and what is the best way to dry them?

 

Thanks!

[WTMindy]

I turn them inside out and wash them with soap and water. Then I prop them up and let them dry. If they are too greasy, I just toss them. The funny thing is one day I remember trying to wash one that had had cheese in it. It smelled of cheese and I said to dh, "We are really NOT this poor!" and I threw it away! :001_smile: He teased me about my wanton waste!

[sdWTMer]

Could you turn them inside out and put them in the top rack of the dishwasher? Just wonderin'!

[orangeblossom]

This is what I do...I also toss any that have had meat in them. When you turn them inside out, be careful not to split the sides right by the opening. I tend to do that often!

[sdWTMer]

When you turn them inside out, be careful not to split the sides right by the opening.

 

Good advice.

[Nicole M]

http://www.gaiam.com/p2p/searchResults.do?method=view&search=basic&keyword=bag+dryer&sortby=bestSellers&page=1

 

Do you have one of these?

 

I do the same as Mindy. But first I fill the bag with soapy water, skoosh around, and then turn inside out.

 

I also use waxed paper bags for sandwiches in an emergency, if the tupperware type of container is too big to pack. I hate washing little sandwich bags.

[myfunnybunch]

I bought a letter holder at Target--it's mesh with dividers.

 

This thing: http://tiny.cc/V3Oc6

 

It looks like a rack for drying plastic bags, lol.

 

I toss them if they're really greasy too.

 

I'm so glad I'm not the only one. Dh makes fun of me a little. ;-)

 

Cat

[lovemyboys]

What if they are greasy? and what is the best way to dry them?

 

 

I only reuse the ones that have had dry goods, produce, precooked meats, etc. Dh and I decided it wasn't worth the water/soap resources to try to get bags clean that have had raw meats and other messy foods in them.

 

Same goes for recycling materials. We figured to use alot of water and send dishsoap into the water treatment system to scour out dog food cans and things like that just for a few cans a month was wasteful of our water resources.

 

One df had a special little rack that looked like a small wooden tree with branches that she used for her bags. I think she found it at a dollar tree type store.

[milovany]

Good for you, lol! I always cringe when I'm somewhere at my sister's and I see a perfectly good bag used once for lettuce or some such thing and then tossed.

 

The only thing I'll add to the above is that I toss it if it was used for *raw* meat not necessarily cooked. But I do the same as all the others, turn inside out and wash in hot soapy water then stand up or stick over silverware or cups in the dish drying area to dry.

[tlcmom]

one of those fragrance oil stick thingies. You could easily make your own with either bamboo skewers or chopsticks in a pretty jar. :001_smile:

[Nicole M]

one of those fragrance oil stick thingies. You could easily make your own with either bamboo skewers or chopsticks in a pretty jar. :001_smile:

 

Yeah, there are lots of different ways to improvise a dry rack. A little block with holes drilled in it and dowling works, too. That's a fun project for kids. I know a little boy who sells them at a local farmer's market.

 

I was shocked to see how much that Gaiam dryer costs now. I bought mine 15 years ago, and it was half that. And the funny thing is that a big selling point is that it's collapsible so you can store it easily. I'm dead sure that there has not been even one minute in the last 15 years that that thing has not been on my counter, with a bag on it.

[TraceyS/FL]

OK, i've been pondering doing this - but about the only thing i keep in mine IS raw meat. I'm trying to not use it for other stuff. I did make some biscuits and put them in a bag. I saved that this morning to put more in.

 

So, what else can i do with the raw meat from Costco i have to divide up?

[Doran]

Ours is about the same number of years old as Nicole's, and I don't recall it being anywhere near the price of the one linked above. It is, however, very useful, never ever in collapsed mode because it's always full of something drying. I use mine for drying inverted plastic water bottles as well as plastic bags. Another cheap option is a bunch of chopsticks in a glass jar. Oh, aren't we an inventive lot?!

 

As for washing, I guess I'm the only one who doesn't turn my bag inside out. Just don't see the point of that, really, and it's hard on the bags. I fill my bags with a little soapy water (if they even need soap) and swish them back and forth, zipped together so I can rub them vigorously if needed. Rinse, shake open, and hang to dry.

 

I rarely have raw meat in Ziplocs so there's little need to toss most of the ones I use. Everything else - from produce to dry goods to cheese to packaged sandwich meat, gets the soap, rinse, dry, repeat treatment. Most of the time, mine don't get tossed until they develop a small leak which I discover when we're using one for an ice pack! :001_huh:

 

 

 

Yeah, there are lots of different ways to improvise a dry rack. A little block with holes drilled in it and dowling works, too. That's a fun project for kids. I know a little boy who sells them at a local farmer's market.

 

I was shocked to see how much that Gaiam dryer costs now. I bought mine 15 years ago, and it was half that. And the funny thing is that a big selling point is that it's collapsible so you can store it easily. I'm dead sure that there has not been even one minute in the last 15 years that that thing has not been on my counter, with a bag on it.

[milovany]

So, what else can i do with the raw meat from Costco i have to divide up?

 

Use the Ziploc bags for this (raw meat). I can't think of a different/better way to freeze extra raw meat. And toss the bags when you're done.

 

Other uses for ours: freezer meals. When you are making something for dinner that would freeze well, double the recipe and freeze half. I love having extra meals in the freezer!!!

[milovany]

Same goes for recycling materials. We figured to use alot of water and send dishsoap into the water treatment system to scour out dog food cans and things like that just for a few cans a month was wasteful of our water resources.

 

Just wanted to mention that we don't have to superclean our recyclables anymore. A quick rinse out and they're happy (the recycle company). We also don't have to sort anymore -- cans, plastic and glass all go in the same bin. They didn't announce these changes, I just heard about them and called to verify. So you might call your recycle company to see if any of your rules have changed.

 

HTH!

[Nicole M]

As for washing, I guess I'm the only one who doesn't turn my bag inside out. Just don't see the point of that, really, and it's hard on the bags. :001_huh:

 

Ah, well, the only reason I turn mine inside out is because they stay open better on the rack, the sides don't stick together, like when they are right-side out.

 

My! Another little thing we have in common. This makes me happy because I can tell my boys, who, you will remember, are going to marry your girls, that I am not the only one!

[Nestof3]

If they've had meat in them, I toss them.

 

I wash with a sponge -- just scrubbing the inside. I hang mine with clothespins from the curtain which hangs above my sink.

[sfernb]

We wash ours as others have described - and also toss them if they had meat in them. In nice weather, we hang them outside on the line to dry. :-) Haven't tried this, but we have a friend who washes them in her washer with kitchen towels and cloths.

[KS_]

I may be in the minority, but I wash even the ones that have had raw meat in them. If you wash them well, I don't see much of a difference between washing the bags or washing another plastic container (or cutting board) that's had raw meat in it. . .I will throw away really greasy ones that have had chicken with the skin on in them, just because it's harder to get all the grease off.

 

I turn them inside out, making sure the corners are out, and lay them flat on the bottom of the sink and wash each side well, and then rinse and set them upside down to dry on a towel.

[TraceyS/FL]

OK, then i'm doomed to toss 99% of the ones i use! LOL!!