If You Take Your Plastic Shopping Bag Back to the Store to Be Used Again
Don't throw those shopping bags out. There are dozens of uses for plastic grocery bags !
Plastic or paper is a question often heard at the cheque out of the grocery store. Fifty-fifty though paper is better for the surround, I ordinarily choose plastic, considering I know that I will be reusing them.
Plastic grocery bags have then many more than uses than just bringing home the groceries.
Paradigm adapted from photo on Flickr Artistic Commons
So, at present we have the dilemma of saving the environment or using plastic but recycling them for other uses. (and saving money in the process.) A fairly fifty-fifty choice, in my opinion.
If you choose plastic and are wondering what to do with those plastic grocery numberless when you become dwelling, here are 48 interesting ideas for making the almost of the plastic bags.
Uses for plastic grocery numberless
The bags you bring home from your shopping trip are not just for groceries. There are dozens of ways to recycle shopping bags. Check them out!
1. Practice double duty
The simplest and most environmentally witting decision is to use them for the purpose that they were intended – to carry groceries. Just put them back in your car and take them to the store and reuse them to bring home the adjacent batch.
Now this is maxim that the store uses a decent quality of plastic bag. That seems to be slipping lately, like so many other things, but equally long as the quality is pretty good, they can exist used a few times before discarding them.
2. In the auto
Continue some plastic numberless in the auto for road trips. They tin can be stuffed in the glove compartment and won't take much room, and so just dragged out when you need to put some car litter into them.
Negates the need for a motorcar trash bin and tin can be discarded along the way neatly at any service station.
3. Equally trash can liners
I bought some material that matches the colors in my kitchen and sewed information technology into a long tube shape with elastic at both the top and the bottom. I only stuff the plastic bags into the top of it and elevate them out of the bottom when I am ready to use them every bit trash can liners.
I take not spent a cent on trash bin liners for decades. Reusing the plastic grocery store numberless has saved me endless hundreds of dollars over the years. (Just be sure not to save the ones with any holes in them, or they volition leak into your bin.)
4. For doggy poop
Our German Shepherd makes for a messy back yard and picking up domestic dog poop is not much fun. My husband does this chore with ii plastic grocery shop bags.
He has one for the "collection" and the other to reach downwards and selection upwards the poop…thereby keeping his hands clean. When washed, he combines the two in i handbag, ties it and disposes of it in the big trash bin. (best done shut to trash pick up time!)
You can besides take a plastic bag with you on a walk with your dog in case he "does his duty" on the walk fourth dimension.
5. Donate them
Local consignment stores and flea markets will be delighted to have your stash of plastic bags so that they do not take to purchase them new.
Exist certain to inquire outset to see if they will withal want them. (some may worry about bacteria, etc. and not desire them.)
6. For laundry
When I am traveling, I use plastic grocery numberless to store my apparel that are going to need laundering.
I just proceed the muddied clothes in the plastic bags in the trunk of my care and information technology keeps them split up from the withal to be worn clothes in my suitcase.
7. To line kitty litter bins
I detest cleaning a kitty litter box. Just detest it. Placing a plastic grocery handbag over the bottom of the kitty litter bin makes it piece of cake to dispose of the dirty litter and keeps the bin make clean and more germ-free.
8. Use them as packing textile.
When you are traveling, plastic bags can exist used to wrap up breakable souvenirs.
For moving, use them to wrap things that might intermission during the move, by wrapping modest breakables in their own bags and wrapping the backlog pocketbook to proceed the items from breaking.
ix. For soiled diapers
Nada is better for disposing of a soiled diaper on a twenty-four hour period trip than a plastic bag. Keep them in your diaper bag. But dump the whole diaper in contents and all and dispose of in a trash bin.
ten. As jar sealers
Nothing is worse than having the contents of a jar leak out in a suitcase. Use pieces of plastic grocery bags inside the chapeau of the jar to form a double seal to continue them from leaking.
They will close well and this trick works wonders!
11. In the garden
Stuff a couple of plastic grocery numberless in your pocket when you are out gardening. As you are gardening put leaves, weeds and other garden debris in them and so dispose of on the compost heap (minus the plastic bag, of course.)
12. With the vacuum cleaner
With a dog in my house, my purse-less vacuum cleaner needs emptying a few times as I vacuum. I use a plastic grocery purse as a container for the vacuum cleaner contents.
13. As a shoe form
Lightweight summer shoes not being worn in the winter time can be stuffed with plastic grocery numberless in the toe are to keep their shape during the cold months.
14. At the beach
Go along some plastic bags in your beach bag to store moisture towels in after a fun day at the embankment. Information technology will keep your car seats dry and your beach bag won't get all mildewy from the moisture in the wet embankment towels.
15. For the plunger
If you store your plunger in the bathroom closet, permit it sit down in a plastic bag. Information technology will keep the floor under it cleaner and can be discarded when it gets too muddied in side and replaced with a new one.
xvi. With the backyard mower
Tie one or 2 to the lawn mower, so that you tin can option upwardly litter and turn down every bit you lot mow the backyard. (slap-up for pino cones that you don't desire to run over!)
17. For simple car maintenance
Employ them equally hand protectors when you lot are doing things like checking the oil (can even wipe the dipstick off with them)
18. As a brand shift ice breast
When you do not take an ice libation handy, just dump ice cubes into a doubled plastic grocery bag. Doubling information technology will keep the water within as the ice starts to melt and it can be easily poured out as well.
xix. As stuffing for crafts
Fiberfill and plastic beans can get expensive. Plastic grocery store numberless tin can be used as stuffing for many arts and crafts projects, such as blimp animals.
Even habitation made pillows can be blimp with them.
More uses for plastic grocery bags
We aren't done yet. Become a cup of coffee and cheque out these creative means to recycle shopping numberless.
20. Equally paint guards
Open the bags up with scissors and utilise them under furniture when you lot are painting every bit a splatter guard for the paint.
21. Every bit plaster casts
When y'all have a broken leg or arm, wrap the plastic bags around the bandage to protect it when you are taking a shower.
22. For clothes pins
If you have an outside clothes line, tie plastic grocery bags to the clothes line to concur dress pins as you pin the clothing to the lines.
23. For chiliad sales
Save them for the fourth dimension that you volition have a yard or garage sale as ways for people to take home their purchases.
24. Every bit party toys
Fill the bags two/3 full with h2o and utilize equally water balloons. Be responsible and don't drib these on animals of people!
25. As constitute protectors
When the forecast calls for a light frost, use plastic grocery numberless around plants in small planters to protect them overnight from the frost.
26. To protect counters and fridge shelves
When defrosting meat place, the bundle into a plastic grocery bag to keep your counter or fridge shelf clean from the messy juice that defrosted meats make.
27. Equally wiper protectors
If your auto is kept outside, identify plastic bags around the wiper blades to protect them from the snow and ice buildup.
28. Every bit a not stick surface
When rolling dough, use a plastic grocery bag on the counter top as a non stick surface. Only discard information technology when the dough has been rolled out.
Much less messy than on the cutting board or counter summit.
29. To coat meat
Place flour and spices in a plastic grocery bag and add craven, beef or other meats to information technology. Hold the height and milk shake well and the meat will be well coated.
And so much cheaper than using nothing lock numberless.
thirty. For bread crumbs and crackers
Place biscuits, stale breadstuff or graham crackers in plastic grocery bags and tie the top with a twist tie. Use a rolling pin to crush into crumbs.
**I asked the fans of the Gardening Cook on Facebook if they had another uses for plastic grocery shop bags. These are some of the things they came upwards with for answers.
31. Foot protection
Freada says "My mom put them on her anxiety within her snowfall boots or as she phone call them her safety boots. To go on them dry out."'
32. Head protection
Sharon says " Put it on my caput for a pelting lid when i forget my umbrella… "
33. As floor protectors
Beth says " I make my son put them on when he walks in the door over his dirty work shoes . "
34. For hanging baskets
Kay has a great proffer – " I have used them to line my hanging baskets in the garden… "
35. For garden harvests
Jane says " I keep a supply on mitt to employ when sharing fresh veggies from the garden! "
36. For mailing packing
Kim suggests "S ave a bunch (inside one of the bags) to use every bit packing material when mailing something. Useful, cushiony, and someone can use them on the other finish as well!"
37. Christmas ornament protection
Mary has two great suggestions – " I use them along with flyers to wrap up my Christmas ornaments when I pack them away in blue bins.. I also utilize when I need a weed barrier in my minor gardens."
38. Mousetrap help
Donna has a super tip. She says " ok – put your hand within the pocketbook, like a glove – grab the mousetrap with the fastened victim , utilize your other hand to pull your hand, trap and bag inside out, manipulate without touching trap or victim to loosen said victim and remove the trap
All of this tin can exist done without actually touching It. necktie the bag shut and toss in garbage. I've been known to throw information technology all away if it is unwilling to be separated!"
39. Motorcar protection for potted plants
Connie uses hers " in the auto, at the nursery, when buying potted plants so they don't get the car dirty or wet.
40. Equally lunch bags
Heather has a simple i. She " packs my husband's lunch in 1 every solar day." This would salvage a ton of money on newspaper lunch numberless.
41. For braided rugs
Stephanie has a tip for those who love to craft. She says that y'all can "cutting them in strips and brand braided rag rugs."
42. For the arts and crafts room
Lynda is also a crafter. She " uses them in her craft room for various odds due north ends hung by sewing table."
43. For stored appliances
Deborah uses hers to " comprehend appliances for storage with them."
44. For kitchen prep
Donna uses hers when she is prepping food. She "keeps one in the sink when cleaning and prepping vegetables, then takes the scraps out to her chickens."
45. For drafty windows
Robin uses her plastic bags for " Insulating effectually window air conditioners or drafty windows."
The list is growing, thanks to some slap-up tips from readers of the weblog! Here are a few more:
46. For car mirrors
Web log reader Dena suggested this swell tip. She says "I slip a plastic handbag over the outside mirrors of my motorcar in snowy or icy weather, or when I know information technology's going to rain and freeze. Necktie the purse shut.
When I'm ready to bulldoze, I take them off and my mirrors are clean. I proceed several in the auto for this purpose." Cheers for sharing this great tip Dena!
47. For book covers
Blog reader Jan suggested this tip. She makes book covers with them this style:
Layer the numberless between two sheets of waxed paper and rub a warm iron over the stack.
The plastic bags will shrink and fuse together forming a tough, flexible sheet of plastic that you tin can u.s., or whatever your imagination tin can think of.
Do a Google search and y'all'll find a lot of ideas.
48. To make outdoor mats
Jan also suggested cutting the numberless into strips and crocheting them into outdoor mats (could likewise do a braided mat.) She says they are lightweight and roll upward into minor sizes.
Can y'all retrieve of other ideas for using plastic grocery numberless?
That'south it folks. My list of 48 uses for plastic grocery store bags. I'1000 sure you will have some ideas that I have non mentioned in my list. Delight leave your comments below.
And think, when the checkout operator says "plastic or paper", you volition be able to say plastic without worrying quite so much about the surroundings, knowing you volition be reusing or recycling them.
Pin these uses for plastic grocery numberless for later
Would you lot like a reminder of these ways to recycle shopping bags? Just pivot this image to 1 of your household boards on Pinterest so that you tin easily find it after.
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are "affiliate links." This means if yous click on the link and purchase the item, I volition receive a small commission from the auction, but the price is the aforementioned for y'all. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission'due south 16 CFR, Role 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertizement."
Source: https://thegardeningcook.com/uses-for-plastic-grocery-store-bags/
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