blood stained game bags

[NRA4LIFE]

My wife washes them for me in the washing machine.

 

[hunterjmj]

Soak in cold water to remove blood then have the wife wash them afterwards. They have some stains but who really cares.

 

[WV Mountaineer]

I just machine wash them. I don’t worry about the stains. But, I don’t live in grizz country either.

 

[TEF73]

I soak them in a thick mixture dawn blue detergent overnight with very limited cold water, then throw them in washing machine on cold. 100% every time on argali bags.

 

[Weldor]

Thanks guy for all the info. Update, I soaked them in hunters specialty soap for a day. I then machine washed in cold in with same soap. Did'nt want use regular laundry soap because of fragrance. They came out great.

 

[ktm450]

I have had really good luck with OxyClean for all blood related washing.

 

[Marshfly]

I just cleaned a pile last week. I have an extensive variety that hunters leave here each year.

This year had TAG, Kuiu, Caribou Gear, and Argali bags to clean. I rinse with hose, soak for a day in a bucket w/ Dawn; rinse again; washing machine with the natural Costco soap; flip inside out; wash machine a second time with no soap; air dry/volatilize outside for a couple days.

The Caribou/Argali bags always come out bright white. They’re clearly a different material. On a related note, quarters placed inside these bags retain moisture the longest and they took longest to air dry (they took twice as long to dry as others outside in the shade, 40 degrees and breezy). Kuiu bags wick moisture well and are well made, but whatever material they use will not clean up. My Kuiu bags have all maybe been used a couple times and look like crap. Doesn’t really matter, they work just as well stained. The TAG bags clean up well. They are a bit tinted from blood stains, but some have had a half dozen moose in them at this point. They dried the fastest in the 40 degree wind last week and always form the quickest crust on quarters.

I leave my game bags in a box in the garage so they continue to volatilize any smells from meat or cleaner throughout the year.

edit: based on the variety I see get used each year, buy the TAG bags if it wasn’t clear.

This is great feedback. Most people only get occasional data from one or two brands. Thanks.

 

[Carlin59]

One pro tip I picked up from a buddy. After getting my bags clean (wash in washer on hot with a bit of bleach to sanitize them) I fold them neatly, stack a pair of nitrile gloves and two sheets of paper towel on top... then put them in my vacuum sealer! This makes a nice, compact package that's airtight and ready to go for next season, and when I need to throw them in my pack next year they take less space that way. It seems so obvious but it's really handy.

I do something similar, but just use regular gallon zip lock bags instead. Then they serve double duty as heart/tenderloin bags (since those are the first things I’ll cut up so easier to grab in their own bag). Also, I do one gallon ziplock for just kill kit (gloves, knife, extra blades, pen, zip ties, carabiner, cord, paper towels). This is grab and go for any hunt. Then game bags in labeled ziplocks in sets of two so I can mix and match depending on the hunt. Works for me, had been copied by a few buddies.

 

[camelcluch]

I’m an ice water soak with peroxide and wash kind of guy. Soak for about 30 to 45 minutes. The peroxide reacts with the blood and then wash.

 

[def90]

Bring them to the local cleaners and say "Don't ask questions".

 

[NB7]

I just cleaned mine up. Argali bags after a two day soak in cold water with some Dawn suds. Rinsed off any little chunks left over and ran them through the washer. They came out looking new. FWIW Argali says don't use bleach as it may damage the synthetic material. I didn't use it and sure didn't need it. They were good and bloody and now look brand new

 

[bigloveystyle]

I just cleaned a pile last week. I have an extensive variety that hunters leave here each year.

This year had TAG, Kuiu, Caribou Gear, and Argali bags to clean. I rinse with hose, soak for a day in a bucket w/ Dawn; rinse again; washing machine with the natural Costco soap; flip inside out; wash machine a second time with no soap; air dry/volatilize outside for a couple days.

The Caribou/Argali bags always come out bright white. They’re clearly a different material. On a related note, quarters placed inside these bags retain moisture the longest and they took longest to air dry (they took twice as long to dry as others outside in the shade, 40 degrees and breezy). Kuiu bags wick moisture well and are well made, but whatever material they use will not clean up. My Kuiu bags have all maybe been used a couple times and look like crap. Doesn’t really matter, they work just as well stained. The TAG bags clean up well. They are a bit tinted from blood stains, but some have had a half dozen moose in them at this point. They dried the fastest in the 40 degree wind last week and always form the quickest crust on quarters.

I leave my game bags in a box in the garage so they continue to volatilize any smells from meat or cleaner throughout the year.

edit: based on the variety I see get used each year, buy the TAG bags if it wasn’t clear.

I was going to ask if anybody had issues with particular manufacturers. I have the MR game bags that have the handles stitched on the side - I love having those handles but the bags are kind of stiff/crunchy and they do not clean up well. I like my Allen bags much better and my hunting buddy has the Argali bags and those are great too.

 

[manitou1]

I soak them (Kuiu game bags) in a bit of detergent, Dawn, and Oxyclean... cold water. Warm water sets blood stains.
Soak in a plastic tub ouside for a couple days. If already freezing out, I soak them in the spare bathroom bath tub.

Rinse, ring, dry and re-pack into my pack.

After several uses (packed antelope, muley, elk and whitetail out this season alone in these bags) mine do have some dark (stain) spots but I am confident they are plenty clean.

 

[NorthernRed]

I buy new every time……

 

[BFR]

If I’m not using the throw always I just give them to my wife, getting them clean is above my pay grade, I get them back all clean, folded and in a ziplock bag ready for the next trip.

 

[lamarclark09]

Nice mate, well you can easily wash bags in machines.

 

[Scoot]

I buy new every time……

Me too. I use Alaskan Game bags and throw them when done. They are pretty cheap and work great. It's such a tiny expense, compared to all the rest of my hunting expenses, I don't really think twice about it.

 

[RCB]

Soak in a bucket for a day or so in dish soap and water. Might replace the water a few times. Then scrub with soap and water in a sink or tub. Basically the same as washing clothes by hand, if you've ever done that.

I ran them through the clothes washer once. I was very unpopular at home that week. So that doesn't happen anymore.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

They are game bags, there should be some blood stains on them.

 

[Deucebump]

I have the red ultralight bags from Black Ovis, cant see any blood stains. Lol! I just turn inside out hose off outside, hang dry, then throw them in the washing machine with sport wash. Tumble dry on low heat and like new. (Some still have a faint smell but nothing I worry about)