Get rid of your Mesh Orange Bags!

Photo of author
Written By Jim J Neal

Finally put those mesh fruit bags to use!

Food packaging is not exactly sustainable. After unloading your groceries, you’ve probably accumulated lots of plastic bags and stuck them inside another larger plastic bag. Until stores offer more sustainable packaging, the best thing we can do is cut down on single-use plastics as much as possible.

While it may not be possible to eliminate them completely, you can repurpose them and extend their life. For starters, put those mesh orange bags to good use and make a scrubbie out of them!

How to Make a Scrubbie at Home

You’ll need four empty mesh bags. Make your scrubbie after you’ve unloaded all your groceries, or save mesh bags over time until you have enough.

It’s OK if one is stringy or broken — just use that bag for the center. Make sure to save your finest mesh piece for the outer layer. Then:

  • Roll the messiest bag into a tight ball. This will be the center of your scrubbie.
  • Insert the balled mesh bag into another mesh bag. Roll it up to make it secure.
  • Repeat with another mesh bag.
  • Roll the mesh ball into your finest mesh bag. If this bag has a metal piece, turn it inside out first to prevent scratching.
  • Secure and use your scrubbie until it accumulates too much gunk.

What Can I Use This DIY Scrubbie for?

Use your “new” scrubbie anywhere you’d use a store-bought one. It’s especially helpful for scrubbing food residue out of dishes that can’t go in your dishwasher. Fun fact: Running your dishwasher is actually better for the environment than washing dishes by hand.

When the scrubbie gets dirty, simply soap it up and rinse it out. For a more sustainable approach, use a homemade cleaner or white vinegar.

While this trick gives your mesh orange bags a little more life, there are far better ways to reduce your plastic use. If you can, shop with reusable items like cotton produce bags.

Taste of HomeTaste of Home
Originally Published on Taste of Home

Sarra SedghiSarra Sedghi

Sarra Sedghi
Sarra Sedghi is a Birmingham-based writer and editor specializing in food, travel, and history. Her work has appeared in Allrecipes, Atlas Obscura, Eater, MyRecipes, Polygon, and Tasting Table. She excels at narrative writing, and received her MFA in Narrative Nonfiction from the University of Georgia in 2017.

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