5 Tips for Reusing Plastic Grocery Bags

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5 Tips for Reusing Plastic Grocery Bags

Staff Writer · Apr 27, 2010

Reusing plastic grocery bags is part of a less wasteful lifestyle that’s better for the environment, but it can also save you some cash and make tasks more convenient, so you can see the rewards of conservation directly. When you get plastic bags, reuse them in any of the following ways:

1 – As Trash Bags

Stores sell small-sized trash bags for the majority of wastebaskets that you keep in your home, but plastic grocery bags work just as well. Plastic bags are perfectly sized for any small- to medium-sized wastebaskets and easily stay in place if you tug the handles over the side of the wastebaskets. Mess-free disposal is also simple. Just unfurl the handles, pull out the bag and tie the handles together. The plastic used in grocery bags also tends to be a bit thicker than the plastic used in trash bags, making it easier to trap odors and less likely to tear. Not buying trash bags saves you a considerable amount of money over time.

2 – To Clean Up Messes

Anyone with pets and children knows that messes around the home are unavoidable, but even adults living on their own can spill dirt from plants, crumbs from food and more. Pets may have accidents and leave waste on the apartment floor. You can more sanitarily clean these messes by turning plastic grocery bags inside out, grabbing the mess with the bag and then turning the bag right side out again, tying the handles to seal away the mess in one smooth move.

3 – For Damp and Soiled Clothing

When going on trips, you’ll inevitably have soiled clothing that needs to be laundered. You may also have towels and swimsuits that remain damp even as they begin to dry. Packing up all of the damp and soiled clothing side by side with the clean clothing makes both your clean clothing and suitcase dirty. Bring along a pile of plastic grocery bags and put soiled and damp clothing in them to keep them separate from the surrounding clothes and suitcase.

4 – For Dirty and Wet Shoes

You can use plastic bags to transport dirty and wet shoes without messes both while on trips and even at home. After you or your children go to a park, walk or play in the snow or walk on the beach, your shoes will track mud, water and sand into your car and home. Keep spare shoes in the car and put the dirty shoes in plastic bags to keep them from dirtying your car before you’re able to get home and clean or dry them.

5 – Easier Cooking

Cooking makes messes and you won’t always have a garbage disposal in which to place egg shells, fish scales, vegetable peels, excess meat fat and the like. Tossing these items into your kitchen garbage can, which you probably won’t change until full, means that these sloppy food scraps and odor will remain in your kitchen for days. Instead, line a bucket with a plastic bag and toss the food scraps into the bag. Tie the bag and dispose, locking the odor and mess away.

With all of these tips for reusing plastic grocery bags, you’ll never have to just toss a plastic bag again-nor will they accumulate annoyingly in a closet or cupboard. Of course, if you want to avoid getting plastic bags to begin with, consider shopping with a reusable tote bag instead.

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