I wash and reuse plastic freezer bags. It’s something I thought everyone did until a friend came over and asked why my sink was filled with them. Apparently she isn’t wise to the vast array of ways to reuse Ziploc bags. Allow me to enlighten her, and you!
1. Replace plastic gloves. For those last minute tub scrubs, hair dying sessions or food preps, wrap your hands in plastic bags as stand-in rubber gloves.
2. Pipe frosting. Snip off a tiny corner to use a Ziploc as a pastry bag.
3. Store board game pieces. Bag each play piece to your favorite games for easy access when it’s go time.
4. Dispose of cooking oil. Pour used cooking oil into a large freezer bag to throw away, instead of pouring it down the sink.
5. Start seedlings. Instead of purchasing starter pots, poke a few holes in the bottom of bags, fill them with soil, and place in a dish or tray until it’s time to transport.
6. Store homemade soup. Fill up bags, then lay them flat in the freezer. When the bags of soup freeze flat, you’ll be able to pile them up like stacked books for easy, space-saving storage.
7. Clean your closet. Tired of looking for matching bathing suit tops and bottoms or pairs of socks? Store sets in zip lock bags for easy organization.
8. Ice an injury. Fill a bag with ice cubes to create a cold compress.
9. Keep valuables waterproof. Heading out on the boat? Zip your cell phone, keys and money in a bag filled with air for floatable, sealed storage.
10. Head to the gym: Bring a Ziploc to the gym to throw smelly socks and gear into for the ride home.
11. Send gifts safely. No bubble wrap? Slip a straw into the top of a nearly closed Ziploc bag and inflate. Remove the straw and seal to make a cushion of air.
12. Remove spills and stains. Gently rub gum or wax with a Ziploc bag filled with ice cubes until the substance hardens. Shatter gum with a blunt object, then vacuum up the chips. Carefully peel off frozen wax with a plastic spatula.
13. Travel with aromatherapy. Place cotton balls sprinkled with an essential oil in a Ziplock bag. If you are feeling nauseous, anxious or tired, open bag and inhale the healing scents.
14. Make soap. Drop leftover soap in a bag until you have enough for a full bar. Place bag in in a bowl of warm water until cool. Scraps will merge into one piece of soap!
15. Bring a bath pillow. Throw a freezer bag in your luggage to blow up and lay against while you soak in that beautiful hotel tub.
16. Clean up your car. Keep loose receipts, stamps, pens, maps and coupons in easy to grab bags in the glove compartment.
17. Pack your suitcase: Roll pants and shirts in larger bags for less wrinkles and more suitcase space, then place dirty clothes back in them until you get home. Pack shoes inside Ziploc bags to prevent the bottoms from dirtying clean clothes. Place dirty clothes until you get home.
18. Store homemade wipes: Make your own wipes with a Ziploc bag, a roll of paper towels (remove tube and flatten) and homemade cleaning solutions. For diaper wipes, use just water or baby oil. For window cleaner, rubbing alcohol and water. For kitchen and bath cleaner, combine vinegar and water. For a pleasant fragrance, add a drop of your favorite essential oil.
19. DIY funnel: Similar to the piping bag. Snip a corner, tuck in into your container and pour into the large open end.
20. Unclog the shower: Have a clogged showerhead? Fill a Ziploc bag with white vinegar, submerge the showerhead in it, and use rubber bands or string to hold it on overnight. Remove in the morning for a clear stream.
21. Make ice cream. Make homemade ice cream in a freezer bag with this easy recipe.
What uses for freezer bags did I miss?
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Judy says
When I buy chips, bakery items, crackers, etc. I take out of their boxes and put in the freezer bags. They stay fresh longer and you can see through the bag to see how much is left.
Bargain Babe says
@Judy Nice! I never thought of that. But do you find the chips, crackers, get broken more easily without a box to shield them a bit?
Susan says
I use ziploc bags to store my sons lego sets. In each bag I place the instructions and pieces. Then all the bags get stored easily in a plastic storage bin.
Bargain Babe says
@Susan How incredibly organized! I use bins and plastic see-through containers to store our children’s toys. Right now they are very young so the toys are all fairly large. When they get older and move onto smaller piece toys, I’ll keep your tip in mind!
Bargain Babe says
@Megan Love this post! Your ideas are novel – especially No. 3, 11, 14, 16, and 20. It never occurred to me that plastic bags could solve these problems!
One thing to add – plastic bags can be reused several times until they get a whole or the seal stops working. Just wash them with soap and warm water. The only time I throw them out after one use is if I put meat in the bags (raw or cooked).