How to Wash Cornhole Bags (5 Easy Steps)

Learning how to wash cornhole bags can prove invaluable in helping to keep them in tip-top condition for longer.

Fail to keep them clean, and those bags eventually become dirty, grass-stained, and grubby, hardly an attractive look when you invite friends and family over for an afternoon of fun and games.

Sure, you could always buy a new set of cornhole bags when your current set starts looking worse for wear, but let’s be honest:

That’s hardly a very cost-effective approach when it takes only a few everyday essentials and a little time to get those bags looking as good as new.

Making matters a little trickier is that the majority of bags that come with even the best cornhole boards around are simply not machine-washable.

Throw them in the laundry, and chances are those bags will simply rip apart at the seams, causing an explosion of bag-filling all over your machine (and possibly the rest of your laundry too!).

With that in mind then, here’s a quick, simple, and effective way to wash your cornhole bags.

Related: Cornhole Rules | How Far Apart Should Cornhole Boards Be

How to Wash Cornhole Bags The Easy Way.

Forget special equipment or super-expensive cleaning agents, cleaning cornhole bags is as simple as following this easy five-step process.

1. Prepare Soap and Hot Water

First up, grab a bowl big enough to hold all of your cornhole and fill it with hot water and the kind of standard, everyday dish soap you’re likely to already have around the home. 

If you don’t have a bowl, filling the kitchen sink will do just fine. 

2. Let the Bags Soak

Place your cornhole bags in the soapy water and leave them to soak.

Ideally, you’ll want to leave them overnight, but if you’re short on time, a few hours should do the trick.

3. Scrub the Cornhole Bags

Enough time spent in the hot, soapy water should mean that most of the dirt and gunk has been dislodged from your cornhole bags. 

Even still, you may find it helpful to grab a scrubbing brush and give them a light scrub down to get rid of any stubborn dirt or stains.

4. Rinse 

With that done, you can run each bag under the cold tap and give them a thorough rinsing out to ensure all of the soap is gone.

5. Dry

If it’s a nice day, you’ll benefit from hanging your bags out to dry outside simply by using clothes pegs and attaching them to your clothesline.

If not, find a place inside where you can safely hang them out to dry.

Top Tip for Drying Cornhole Bags

As quick as it might be, avoid putting your cornhole bags in the tumble dryer as this can have the same damaging impact as putting them in the washing machine.

Likewise, if you put them on a radiator or right next to a hot air vent, there’s a possibility that the excess heat will melt the bag filling.

That’s not to say you can’t put them near such devices, but at least put them at a safe distance to avoid any damage.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cleaning Cornhole Bags

How do you get rid of the smell of a cornhole bag?

Whether your bags have that newly bought chemical spell or they’ve picked up odors from outside, the best approach is to air them outside for a few days.

Alternatively, you can pour baking soda onto them as this is also an effective odor-eater.

Can you put cornhole bags in the dryer?

It’s not a good idea to put cornhole bags in the washing machine or tumble dryer as they could rip open at the seams. 

Can you wash cornhole bags in the dishwasher?

Technically yes, but if you wash cornhole bags in the dishwasher, be careful to set it on a low heat as too much will damage your bags.

Washing Your Cornhole Bags: The Final Word

Cornhole bags may not be the most expensive things on the planet, but that doesn’t mean you should simply replace them every time they get a little grubby.

With a little TLC and nothing more than regular dish soap, you can keep those bags looking fresh and new for longer, ensuring they always look their best when friends come over to play this all-time classic game.

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Read all the articles (9) written by Chris Skoyles