Remember if you use ziplock bags and wash them, wash them very well in very hot water and they have to air dry completely to be safer for reuse. I had to take a class course one time and we had to do several different experiments on food safety. There was a class of 22 of us and we were paired in two's. Everyone had different ones to do, then we had to do bacteria tests on each one. The reuse of the ziplock bag was not good.

I saw a couple at the store once that had bags made of a sheer material for their produce. I thought that was so smart. Very easy to throw them in the wash when you get home. I am becoming convinced that everyone will be getting handmade cloth bags for gifts this year:)

i bought shopping bags when i was working in England and in Germany. Not sure what they are made out of but i've tossed them in the washer many times. i do air dry them since they have a nylon or rubberized inside lining.

I saw a news report several years ago (might have been Sixty Minutes but I am not sure) regarding womens purses. It showed that the bottom of the purses were highly contaminated with bacteria, inluding E-coli. One of the places, were a lot of the women were getting the germs, was in public restrooms. Apparently many women set their purses on the floor when they are using the restrooms. Yuck! Also, remember that when you set your purse, or bags, in a shopping cart seat that you pick up whatever germs the last person left when they set theirs purse or bags in there. Don't forget to wipe the seat, along with the handle, with the wipes that most stores provide these days.

Usually the dirtiest things in the grocery stores are the little hand carry baskets. I lift out several looking for the cleaner one. The shopping carts may not look dirty but I always clean the handle if wipes are available and never put my groceries in the baby seat. Think who was sitting there (in diapers). I wish stores had to clean the carts often.

My grocery store has antibacterial wipes at the door where you get your carts. I never put my purse on the floor. I also do not hang my purse on the door of the restroom stall. People can reach over and grab your purse and be gone in a flash.

If there is no hook or shelf in the restroom stall, where do you put your purse? Is it small enough to balance on your lap? What do you ladies do who are yourselves too unsteady to hold your purse on your lap?

This is exactly what I do for the meat and the produce...and of course bags go in the wash with the towels, which get a little bleach added!

That's what I was wondering too.

I hang mine around my neck if there is no hook. Also, I read one time that if there is a double hook on the door (one lower that the other) to always hang it on the lower one. It is harder for someone to reach over the door the grab your purse. Terrible how we can't even use the restroom without worring about someone taking your purse.