Trader Joe's Employees Wish You'd Start Doing This With Your Reusable Bags BEFORE Shopping

As the viral Trader Joe's tote bags return to stores and people line up to purchase them, now is a good time to remind you to wash your reusable bags. Unless you're buying these TJ's bags to sell on eBay for absurd amounts of money instead of using them. On Reddit, Trader Joe's employees were asked by a fellow employee about their biggest pet peeves and wild stories — one of the most common answers was unwashed reusable bags.

Multiple people commented that they found bugs (living roaches, spiders, and dead bed bugs!) in the bags. Others have encountered bags with mold or rotting food. "Ma'am, how do you not SEE OR SMELL that black mold?!?!" one commenter cried out. Another employee who works at a TJ's next to a gym reported that they are commonly given a bag containing used workout gear to pack groceries into. They have some good advice: "Get a separate bag and don't subject me to that, please!!!"

Using the same bag for groceries and gym clothes could expose you to community-acquired MRSA. The practice of having a separate bag for your gym clothes will eliminate this risk. Luckily, if you're willing to wait in a long line at Trader Joe's for the tote, the bags are affordable at just $2.99, so you can stock up. Buy two different colors — one for the gym and one for groceries — and you'll be set.

A plastic bag provided by the store will be bacteria-free, but that doesn't mean it's the best option. While studies funded by the plastics industry point to the danger of cross-contamination from yeast, mold, and bacteria, the simple fact remains that tossing it in your washing machine will kill over 99.9% of the bacteria. It's easy to shop with reusable bags the right way with a little bit of planning and cleaning. As long as you aren't carrying anything that commonly spills in the bag, tossing it in with your weekly laundry is enough. In fact, produce at the supermarket is already potentially exposed to harmful bacteria during growing and handling, so no matter what bag you use, washing your purchases when you get home is good practice.