Toss the Totes in the Wash

Reusable bags are the latest trend. And with good reason. They are inexpensive and eliminate the big pile of plastic bags that’s stuffed in the closet. Tote bags are used as grocery bags, to hold gym clothes and laundry, and maybe even to take a towel and a book to the beach. But studies have shown that most people rarely, if ever, wash these bags, no matter how often or what they are used for. Enter the bacteria. Yes, reusable bags have sparked a rather surprising amount of controversy, especially over the deadly bacteria issue. And yes, it has to some degree been blown out of proportion. But not completely.

The Danger

Our bags are not something that we tend to wash until they are noticeably dirty or start to develop an unpleasant odor. But when the bags that carry raw meat and veggies and other food products all sit together in the bag, which sits in the dirty car—before you know it all the germs from the environment have mixed with the bacteria from the food and suddenly your environmentally friendly bag has formed an environment of its very own. The pathogens that can form in the bag can be dangerous to your health, but are simply the result of cross-contamination and lack of proper sanitary precautions.

The Solution

This doesn’t mean you should stop using your reusable totes. Not at all. What it means is that you should be a bit more careful, and run the bag through the washing machine now and again—after every use would be ideal, but that would be a bit excessive. Just spray it down with a bleach-type mixture after a trip to the grocery store, and don’t use the same bag that you use for groceries as a gym or laundry bag. The tote bags at CYMA are both durable and inexpensive, so you can afford to have an eco-happy tote for every outing. Plus they are sold online and in many retail and grocery stores across the country, so there is no reason not to buy all the bags you need.

Reusable bags make a difference to the environment and a more comfortable shopping trip. Paper and plastic bags are inconvenient to carry, and there’s always that chance that the bag will suddenly break and leave you running around the parking lot chasing your purchases. CYMA canvas shopping bags are sturdy and built to last so that you never have to worry about that again. All it takes to keep your family and the environment healthy and happy is a little cleaning after use.