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Don't throw away disposable piping bags

Nowadays, it's fairly easy to find what professionals use as piping bags, i.e. disposable or "single-use" plastic ones.

They're practical, functional and inexpensive, but disposable? That's debatable...

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Last modified on: May 28^th 2024

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Don't throw away disposable piping bags

Their use

These pouches are bought in boxes of 100, and for each use, you're supposed to fill them up, poach the contents, then throw them away, and the next time, take a new one, and so on. You'll tell me that this is a disposable principle, of course, but the real shame is that these pouches are of excellent quality and can, in practice, be reused many times.

poches neuves et usagées

In this photo, you can see a new pouch coming out of the box (red arrow) at the bottom and a second-hand pouch (green arrow) at the top.
Not much difference, you'll agree.
Of course, the used one is a bit crumpled, but it still works very well - so well, in fact, that I think it's got at least 10 years' use left in it, without exaggerating.

So don't hesitate: you can reuse a disposable piping bag many times over, simply by washing and drying it, which is both more ecological and more economical.

Let's wash them

Washing a piping bag is something that professionals don't do, or don't do much of, because their time is limited, and throwing it away is much quicker than washing it.
On the other hand, for amateurs in the kitchen, a little extra washing-up isn't a big deal: all we have to do is wash it after use, and we'll be able to reuse our piping bag the next time.
To wash it, we can proceed in the traditional way: turn the bag inside out, like a glove or a sock, then wash it in the dishwasher.

But there's a quicker way:
lavage poche étape 1

Pour a drop of washing-up liquid into the bag after use, fill it halfway with hot water and pinch the pointed side so that the water stays inside.

lavage poche étape 2

Also close the other side of the bag to lock the hot soapy water inside.

lavage poche étape 3

Shake the closed bag from right to left for a few seconds.

lavage poche étape 4

Release the pointed side to let the water out completely.

lavage poche étape 5

Rinse the pouch, then let it dry, or wipe it with a cloth if you're in a hurry.

Your (disposable) pouch is ready for use again.

In short: Don't throw your disposable pouches away, just wash them, and you'll be able to use them again and again.

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