Game Bags not getting clean?

Joined
Aug 17, 2015
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Iowa
Had some meat in my game bags, and I can't seem to get them clean.. I rinsed a lot of the blood and stuff off with a hose, then soaked them in a bucket cold water overnight, soaked them in peroxide for 15 mins, and then washed them in the washing machine (delicate cycle) twice, and this is what they look like..

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What am I doing wrong? Or is this just how they look after they're used?
 
Joined
Aug 21, 2018
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Meh, pulling out pure white game bags is like showing up to the job with a new hardhat. I just make sure to hand scrub them with detergent and/or bleach, hang dry then pack em back up. Make sure to turn them inside out as well when scrubbing. The stains are just cosmetic.

Edit to add: synthetic bags are what I use exclusively, thanks for pointing this important detail out @Larry Bartlett
 
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Larry Bartlett

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Not all stains are cosmetic, as crazy as that sounds. Developing TAG Bags my early tests on spoilage bacteria on cotton game bags revealed active colonies of bacteria on samples taken from post-washed and dried game bags. Back then everyone used cotton game bags...i think that trend has tipped to synthetic bags. But bacteria are resilient and found everywhere. Just sayin.
 

pods8 (Rugged Stitching)

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Not all stains are cosmetic, as crazy as that sounds. Developing TAG Bags my early tests on spoilage bacteria on cotton game bags revealed active colonies of bacteria on samples taken from post-washed and dried game bags. Back then everyone used cotton game bags...i think that trend has tipped to synthetic bags. But bacteria are resilient and found everywhere. Just sayin.
I had black staining show up quickly/easily on a different brand's bags which I am certain was bacteria or mildew, I asked them suggestions and never heard a peep. I've moved on brands.

Larry, what thoughts do you have about meat in game bags in a cooler with ice/ice jugs for a duration? I feel like even though its cold that if the game bag aren't kept away/above the moisture they have an increased likelihood of getting funky eventually.
 
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i can't get my argali bags back to white either, have washed 2x with bleach, borax and detergent. my black ovis bags always clean up nice, but the materials are noticeably different.
 
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I spray off the big stuff with water hose, then soak in a container with water/dawn combo a few times. Replace water several times over a couple of days. Then do final soak with water/bleach for a couple days.
Then washing machine with bleach, then cycle with scent free detergent/baking soda, then cycle just hot water cycle. They are always good to go. Some don’t go back white but most do. I don’t do all these steps every time, depends on how the bags are looking.
 
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I spray off the big stuff with water hose, then soak in a container with water/dawn combo a few times. Replace water several times over a couple of days. Then do final soak with water/bleach for a couple days.
Then washing machine with bleach, then cycle with scent free detergent/baking soda, then cycle just hot water cycle. They are always good to go. Some don’t go back white but most do. I don’t do all these steps every time, depends on how the bags are looking.

What brand bags?
 

thinhorn_AK

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Jul 2, 2016
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Alaska
All of my game bags look like that. They are stained pink from blood but they don't smell and they don't seem to get any cleaner. I suppose I could bleach them but why?

I have bags fro TAG bags, Argali and Caribou Gear,
 
Joined
Jan 7, 2023
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I have black ovis bags that look the same. I've tried every which way to clean them also. I was honestly surprised how well they came clean for how gross they were, so that doesn't bother me much.
 
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Make a bleach solution, soak for a few hours. That’ll kill any bacteria. Anything else is cosmetic and I don’t worry about it. I’ve got TAG, Argali, and Black Ovis. All have some staining. I hand rinse them first, then machine wash them on cold. Then bleach.


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TaperPin

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I’ve always used king sized pillow cases - toss em out. I may have washed a game bag back in the early 90’s. . .
 
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Jan 9, 2023
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NV
Mine also don’t look perfect but I just make sure to follow my process and I trust they are good to go.

1. Pull out chunks and rinse
2. Scrub
4. Rinse again making sure to ring them out
3. Rinse one more time for good measure
4. Wash on hot with detergent
5. Soak in bleach solution for 8-24 hours
6. Rinse
7. Quick wash on rinse cycle
8. Air dry
9. Fold and Roll, put away no matter what they look like
10. Crack beer
 
OP
cornfedkiller
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Aug 17, 2015
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Iowa
Thanks for the suggestions guys. I guess I’m not that worried about what they look like as much as I was concerned they still smell a little.. not like anything rotten or anything, but they just kinda smell like meat.

And I wasn’t sure if bleach would damage them or not..
 
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