Instead of watching my outdoor upholstered pillows on my many chairs become faded and mildewed, I decided to stuff them into recycled pet food bags!
I simply used the waterproof bags like giant pillowcases and filled them with my aging, faded outdoor pillows, older bed pillows or blankets. I taped up the tops but if you are more energetic than I you could always whip stitch them closed pretty easily.
Great if you have any big waterproof bags from animal feeds or even grass seed bags!
This page contains the following solutions.
I always keep newspaper under the litter boxes in case of "accidents". I found by cutting off the bottoms of the food bags, washing them and laying them flat; that they work well under the newspaper to keep any moisture away for the flooring.
If you buy pet food, feed, or flour/sugar/salt in large bags, save those bags when empty. They are just the right size for a kitchen trash can and are very sturdy - more so than the plastic trash bags.
Sew a few bags together to make a 3 1/2' x 6' rectangle. It can be used as a moisture barrier under bedrolls or sleeping bags.
I use our empty, large dog food bags to hold our cardboard recycling such as pizza boxes, pop/soda cartons, cereal boxes, etc., anything that comes in cardboard. This saves space in my recycling bin, plus the bag gets recycled as well.
I am a volunteer taking care of stray cats, so I buy 12 bags or 18 lbs of cat food a week. I use all the empty bags to build shelters and food stations.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
What are some uses for cat and dog pet food bags? I used some pet food and litter bags this week as weed blocking plastic. I just pulled the bulk of the weeds, laid down the bags (with the bottoms cut out and opened) and covered with mulch.
Do you have any other ideas for using pet food bags?
Hardiness Zone: 6b
By Chris from USA
Those bags are great because they are so sturdy. I have used them in the past when pruning rose bushes-just carefully put your cuttings into the bag and they won't cut through.
I agree about using the bags for garden cleanup. Our recent rains gave me an excellent crop of weeds and I used the bags to collect them. Too bad weeds are not a cash crop, I would be rich, lol. I always use the bags to collect my dogs' droppings. I put one in a trash can and use an old broom and a long handled dust pan. It makes cleanup easy.
Pat
I use them in my big freezer to store food for longer periods of time, particularly when we are gone for 4 months during the winter. It adds extra protection for all my frozen foods, and I can get tons in the big 40 to 50 pound bags.
I use empty cat food bags to put wet cat litter in when I clean out the litter boxes. Every time I add more litter to the bag I sprinkle it with baking soda.
What can I do with the empty dry dog food bags?
By Joy from FL
I use mine for particularly heavy trash items such as kitty litter. It will not break like most trash bags will break.
Blessings, Robyn
Use as tall kitchen garbage bags. Fill and staple shut. You just saved money on garbage bags!
Place card board products you are going to recycle like pop cases, cereal boxes, pizza boxes, etc. in bag.
Sew several bags together to make a "sheet" to go under a dog's bed clothes. Often animals lay on blankets that can get wet from the ground, etc.
Ever since Purina began using of the large size polypropylene "DuraWeave" bags I have been saving them, certain a good use would arise and they would not go to waste. In particular, my first thought had been how well these might be used for sandbagging in flood situations, or passed out to victims of tornado or other disaster for salvage/clean-up efforts.
I now have roughly 500 of these, mostly the 16-18lb cat food size, but also a number of 25-33lb as well, and to my surprise, as yet have found no one interested in them. I have even contacted Purina in regard to this, and they knew of no outlets except that of their being a #5 recyclable material. Unfortunately in my location I have found no options unless I wished to pay for them to be taken for recycling. Anyone here have any good ideas along these lines?
By David
Have you tried Craig's list or freecycle! Either of these may have someone interested in the bags. Good luck!
Donate some to a local girl scout troop to make Sit-Upons.
Check terracycle.com to see if they are interested in them.
A scout troop can use them. Turn the edge over and install a drawstring. Very handy to keep camping stuff and firewood dry.
Insert an old bed pillow; baste closed. Put into and old pillowcase for a pet bed. Rescue organizations can use these in cages and kennels.
How do you make a purse out of a dog food bag?
Tammy from Crescent Springs, KY
If the bag is made of two layers (paper on the outside, waxed paper on the inside) I would separate the two layers and discard the inside layer. Then use clear Contact paper to laminate the paper. Now look on ThriftyFun or Google for a pattern using Capri Sun drink packets. Hope this helps.
Are the pet food totes machine washable? Thanks.
By Debbie from OH
Debbie, I would suspect these bags are washable since they are made of plastic, though I would be careful how you wash them maybe on gentle with warm or cold water or just use a wet cloth and air dry.
I am looking for empty pet food bags to make recycled totes in the SE part of Wisconsin. I am especially looking for large Pro Plan bags. Any suggestions?
There are plenty of feed mills in Wisconsin. Go to www.yellowpages.com.
You can ask your local animal shelter to save them for you or put a flyer up at veterinarian office.
I have atleast a dozen Purina pro plan and true instinct dog food bags. Maybe more in the attic. Let me know if you're still looking for some.
Pet Supplies Plus in Greenfield, WI is collecting them for donation to a group who makes items out of them. I have many birdseed bags I'm donating because I don't want them going in a landfill. Check if they will let you collect them there as well.
Check out these photos.
Recycle a small cat food sack into a cold sack. Cat food bags are plastic coated and have multiple layers. Turn them inside out, wash by hand and you have a cold sack that really works great.
This is a page about making a tote bag from a dog food bag. Use the woven fabric from bulk pet food to make sturdy totes.
This is a page about making a dog food bag rug. Heavy duty dog food bags are the perfect material for making a rug.
This is a page about making an organizer from pet food bags. You can make organizers for storing a wide variety of supplies from empty pet food bags.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
I buy dog food in 25-40 lb bags. When they are empty I use them as garbage sacks. I also reuse the small plastic grocery bags to line small trash cans around the house.
