How to Clean a Nut Milk Bag: A Guide to Cleaning the Makeshift Strainer

Embarking on making your nut milk at home can be a rewarding experience, but the cleanup process, especially regarding the nut milk bag, may seem less appealing. However, regularly cleaning your nut milk bag is advised to prevent bacteria or mold from growing, and you can do so in five easy steps.

A nut milk bag has a pouch-like construction and a function similar to a filter. The bag can come in various fabrics but has tiny holes that drain liquids — often milk — such as water and juices from solids. Nut milk bags can also have other functions, such as making a cold-brew concentrate or homemade yogurt.

As the bag is often drenched in whatever liquid you are trying to strain and filled with the particles of the solids trapped inside, you must clean your nut milk bag thoroughly and regularly.

How to Clean a Nut Milk Bag

There are various ways to wash a nut milk bag, but one of the easiest ways requires little effort and products, and you can do so in five simple steps. Find out more about how to clean a nut milk bag below:

What You'll Need:

• A kitchen sink or basin
• Bleach (optional)
• Scentless soap (optional)

Directions:

1. First, remove any pulp left in the nut milk bag. You can throw this away or store it if you have any use for it. Naturally, debris and residue from the pulp will still be in the bag.

2. Turn the nut milk bag inside out and run the bag under warm water.

3. If you use the nut milk bag to strain anything with high oil content, you should use a scentless soap and bleach to clean the bag thoroughly.

4. Whether or not you've used soap and bleach, gently wash the nut milk bag under the warm running water, working the water through the holes to clean away any leftover pulp.

5. Inspect your nut milk bag to ensure you've washed away any residue, repeat the process until you are satisfied, and you're done.

Once you've correctly cleaned your nut milk bag, hang it to dry to allow air circulation. Store your nut milk bag upside down or in a sealed container to prevent odors from transferring to nearby foods.

Ensure you wash the pouch after every use and consider replacing it every 6-12 months, depending on usage. For more cleaning how-tos, here is a guide on How to Wash a Bonnet.