As our society is adapting and changing from using plastic bags in grocery stores and other shopping and lifestyle uses, the need for reusable and sustainable bags is greater than ever. The organic cotton bag and organic cotton tote bags are a smart choice for everyday use because of their ability to be used in a large variety of ways. Yet, they also get dirty and must be cleaned properly to ensure the integrity of the cotton and to keep the bag usable for a long time. Cotton Tote bags are one of the easiest types of bags to clean and yet, there are some things that people don’t realize they should do or shouldn’t do when cleaning them. The most important thing is to making sure making sure the organic cotton bag you have is washable by looking its tag. Here are a few things to keep in mind.
Prior to Washing
There are a few things that need to be done to the organic cotton bag before they are washed. Turning the bag inside out can help clean the cotton fibers better and allow you to use less detergent or soap. Inspect the bag to see if there are any stains or items you can pull off before washing such as sticks, hairs, crumbs, etc. This will make it easier and less of a headache when you are washing to find those items still inside the bag not only after washing but when drying as well.
Machine Wash
Machine washing your organic cotton bags or organic cotton tote bags is one of the easiest and quickest methods but also can be one of the biggest ways to ruin the cotton tote bags.
- Hot or Cold – The temperature of the water can factor into how successful using a washing machine is for cleaning a cotton tote bag. If you use hot water, it will help clean the bag, but can also weaken the fibers of the cotton, which weakens the overall structure of the bag. Using cold water is preferred as it not only will clean but will keep the cotton from unraveling and weakening from continued washing and use.
- Detergent or Soap– You can use most any detergent or soap when cleaning organic cotton bags as long as you remember to use cold water. There are a few things to watch out for and the biggest is bleach. Sure, bleach is nice to use but it can also break down cotton fibers.
One thing to note when washing using a washing machine, it is best to wash the cotton bags with other things as the other items will help keep them from being banged around inside the machine by themselves.
Hand Washing
While this can be a bit tedious and more work than machine washing, this is one of the best ways to ensure the bag will remain the longevity it has and serve its purpose for years.
- Water Temperature – When hand washing, using cold or warm water is best as that can help get rid of the dirt and grime that cotton tote bags will catch after a lot of use. If you use warm water, try to use water that is no warmer than what you can put your hand into for the duration of scrubbing. If it’s too hot, then you risk the chance of breaking the fibers of the cotton down.
- Soap – Hand soap such as liquid soap is best when hand washing organic cotton bags. Gently rub in a circle and overlap the area you are working in. You might need to change out your water a few times so that you are working with clean water instead of trying to clean the organic cotton tote bag in dirty water.
Drying
Machine Dry – When drying the bag, you can use a dryer, but you will want to set it a low setting and let it tumble dry. Drying it at higher temperature can not only damage the bag but can burn it as well.
Hang Dry– The preferred method of drying would be hanging the bags up. This should be done in a good spot using a hanger or any other means to keep things off the ground. Air drying allows for the bags to dry naturally.
Years of Use
Cotton bags and reusable bags are the future we all want and need. Having a good quality bag will make it easier to carry things, move things and provide us with something sustainable. Keeping the bags clean not only makes them usable at any time but also makes whatever we are transporting in them remain clean as well.
