Washing game bags

[kenaiphisher]

Time to wash my game bags from this year's moose and was curious what others do. I was thinking of a heavy soak for a few days in something like Oxy Clean, agitating it every 12 hours or son and then throwing then in the water alone.

What does everyone else do? Any tried and true tricks?

[Frostbitten]

I just run them through the washing machine a couple times.

[BrownBear]

Same here. Kinda like them with the old blood stains from years past.

[Tearbear]

I soak mine in a bucket of cold water for a day or so, and rinse them before they go into the washing machine. Turning them inside out first before soaking will reduce the amount of hairs, etc. in your washer. Nothing wrong with a few blood stains.

[bkmail]

Years ago I ran some bags through the house machine without the soak first to eliminate most of the blood, etc.... House stunk pretty badly and almost ruined a good washing machine.
Presoak, even hang them on the clothesline and hit with a hose first.
Or, run to the commercial laundry mat, he-he.
BK

[Meanderthal]

I have run them through top loading and front loading washers without any problems.

I start by removing chunks of stuff by hand if there is any. Once I had a layer of dried blood so thick that it would peel off like a fruit roll up. Then I turn them inside out and run them through a normal cycle with detergent but I also add the pre-wash and extra rinse options. After that I turn them right side in and run them again in a hot cycle with bleach. I have a "sanitary" cycle on my new washer that runs extra hot water so I use that.

I've never waited more than a day after removing dead critter from the bags before washing them. I also check the inside of the washer with a flashlight for filth and debris when done but I don't find much. So far it is working well but my bags are getting pretty worn so I need to bring a roll of duck tape to cover holes if bugs are a concern. They get nice and clean though.

[Daveintheburbs]

I soak them in a tub with cold water and corn starch for a day or so to remove the big chunks and blood. Then into the washer.

[Erik in AK]

I wash mine at the start of every season to ensure I don't introduce something like mold/mildew or bacteria to the meat. I use a half dose of dye/perfume free soap with a cup of bleach.

To remove blood, pre-soak with peroxide. Fill 5 gal bucket halfway with water, add 2 pints peroxide, then add bags until liquid reaches top of bucket.
Soak for a few hours and wash normally.

[mallardman]

I soak mine in a large rubbermaid with a cap full of bleach (after all chunks are removed). Then strait to the laundry mat . One time I walked in to see if any washers were available put my soap on top of one at the same time a cute girl claimed the one right next to me, we had some small talk then I went out and got my bag of bags (3 moose and 2 bou worth of bloody bags). When she saw what I was putting in the washer she retrived all her clothes from the washer and moved to the other side of the room. still makes me laugh.

[Doug in Alaska]

I soak mine in a 5 gallon bucket with cold water and a teaspoon or two of bleach for a day or two. They then go into the washing machine.

[Anythingalaska]

I use pillow cases for game bags, so I just throw them away when I'm done with them.

[Tearbear]

A pillow case is really kinda small for a moose game bag...I'd have to have at least a couple full size sheet sets if going that route.

[Hoyt-Hunter]

Yup. Full size sheet (white), folded once, sewn triple stitch on two sides, and add draw string to top.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Anythingalaska]

A pillow case is really kinda small for a moose game bag...I'd have to have at least a couple full size sheet sets if going that route.

Haha yeah, you're right I missed the moose part. I use them for blacktails and they're about perfect size.

[ruffle]

Pick chunks of scrap and hair out by hand. Place in washer on 'Heavy/Soiled' setting. Use ONLY cold water in the initial wash (as warm or hot water will help to solidify the stains, and cold works better for getting blood stains out). Use standard Clorox bleach in healthy amounts, along with UNSCENTED laundry detergent, and a non-Clorox, oxy-type powdered bleach. Wash the first time. If necessary, wash the second time, though the second time you may use warm or hot water if the stains are far enough gone to suit you. NEVER use a scented detergent, unless you like the smell or flavor of a chemical rose planation in your meat. For the unscented laundry detergent, we use All Free & Clear. Use the same for all our other laundry as well.

We recycle our game bags, primarily using only the heavier cotton (nearly canvas-like) bags. When they get holes, my wife patches them. When they get too shredded, we splice them together, making extra-long, heavy, more-durable-than-when-new game bags. I like the longer reinforced ones, and being able to draw the tops closed above the hocks, doubling the tops back over and wrapping them in para-cord, to even better eliminate the chance of flies of any type getting into the meat.

The cheesecloth bags? Excellent material for a gauze substitute in large quantity when you stab yourself while gutting the critter in the field. Other than that, I have yet to find any use for those things.. If you look closely, you can see a kazillion revolving doors in those things, with a neon light over every pore, calling out to the bugs with a brightly lit 'Entrance' sign.