As I play more and more cornhole, or bean bag toss outside in the yard, I notice that I am hitting the ground a lot and my bags just keep getting dirty.

No matter whether you have a homemade or store bought set of bags, there is a surefire way to get them cleaned up just in time for the next game with your fellow cornholers this weekend.

If you want to make sure your bags look nice and new for the next game, you need to pay attention to several details, so you do not mess up your bags in any way.

Most resin filled cornhole bags can be washed by soaking them in water and scrubbing them after about a half hour. Corn filled bean bags require a little more care to keep the corn filling from getting wet and deteriorating.

There is a pretty easy to follow process to wash either type of bag, and I made sure to go over it in detail below.

Just remember that you don’t want to end up with and soggy set of corn bags, so I would recommend opting for the resin filled kind like this awesome set over at Amazon.

It has tons of color combinations and is made of premium duck cloth. If you choose another set, make sure you get 8 bags because that is the regulation amount needed for cornhole and if you are not up to snuff on your cornhole rules, then check out this comprehensive quick start guide I wrote. 

Can Bean Bags Get Wet?

Yes, bean bags get wet. Resin filled bean bags can be soaked in water and then scrubbed afterward due to the nature of the plastic resin inside being water resistant. 

You do need to take extra care when cleaning your corn filled bags because getting the corn wet will eventually cause it to start softening and will start to break down the corn.

This can cause the bag to lose its shape and cause it to not fly or slide correctly on the boards. Not only this, it can start to mold and just become nasty.

In that case, you would have to break the stitching and thoroughly clean the inside of the bags to remove the mold and ensuing smells. At that point it would be worth it to just buy a new set of cornhole bags.

Here is a quick video on the difference between corn and resin filled bags.

How Do I Clean A Corn Filled Bag?

Corn filled bags are a bit trickier to clean than their resin filled counterparts because, as stated earlier, you don’t want to get the corn on the inside wet.

If you are going to be cleaning corn filled bags then just take a soft brush like similar to a shoe or boot brush and use some light soap. Make sure you brush the outside of the bag and try not to get too much water on the bags.

Carefully wipe off the soap with a clean, damp cloth and your bags should be just as good as new. If one coat doesn’t do it, let the bags dry, and repeat the process.

How To Clean Your Cornhole Bags (Resin or Plastic Filled)

If you want to know the RIGHT way to clean your cornhole bags, then the following steps will help you easily accomplish this without damaging your lovely bags. 

Supplies Needed for cleaning cornhole bags

• A Bucket Or Bowl Large Enough For Your Bags
• Dish Soap
• Plastic Bristle Brush
• Dish Strainer or Rack

Cleaning Your Bags in 5 steps

• The first thing you need to do is prepare your soap and water solution for the bags. Fill the bucket with warm, soapy water, enough for all your bags to be submerged.

• Once you have your solution made, dump all your bags into the water and let them soak. Some people suggest leaving the bags soaking overnight, but I personally think that is overkill. Let them soak for about an hour and that should be plenty of time.
• Take your cornhole bags out, one at a time, and scrub them. Don’t scrub too vigorously but pay attention to the nooks and crannies in the seam areas where dirt and grime can cake up. 
• Be sure to thoroughly rinse your bags with clean water to get all the soap and leftover dirt off of the bag and out of the inside as well. Do this for each bag individually.
• After you rinse each cornhole bag, give it a little squeeze to get the excess water out and place it in your dish strainer, dishwashing rack, or even in your dishwasher to dry.

Can You Put Bean Bags In The Dryer And Washer?

Placing cornhole bags in your washer and dryer is not ideal and can cause a mess or even damage if the bags happen to bust inside your machine due to the rough nature of machine washing and drying but many people claim that they have no problems using these methods to clean their cornhole bags.

There are even ways to salvage corn filled bags that have gotten wet too much and the corn has broken down. check out these techniques on using a washer and dryer to clean your bags.

Technique #1 (Corn Filled Bags Got Too Wet)

You can leave your bags out in the sun to slowly get dry, but the method that works better is putting them in your machine dryer on the lowest setting and letting them dry out.

Your filling, be it corn, or beans, or rice, should dry within one cycle but it has probably broken down enough from being wet to not be as effective anymore.

So, once the drying cycle has been completed, cut a small hole in the bags allowing the filling to be poured out and discarded.

Once you have just the bags and no filling, throw the cornhole bags in the washer on a gentle cycle, then run them through the dryer again to completely dry the cloth.

Alternatively, you can use a hair dryer to dry each bag if you would prefer that method. Using a hair dryer keeps the bags from being tumbled too much in the machine dryer.

Some people even have suggested to put their bags inside the microwave for 30 seconds at a time until dry but that is not the method I want to try.

Refill your bag with whatever type of filling you want. Right now would be a great time to replace the corn filling with a resin filling to avoid having to do this in the future.

Make sure your bag is somewhere between 14-16 ounces in weight and stitch the holes back up. Now you have a fresh clean set of cornhole bags ready for your next big game.

Technique #2 (Use A Small Mesh Bag)

Some people claim to just throw their store bought resin filled bags into the washer and dryer inside a small mesh bag and it will wash and dry the bags like a normal load of laundry and be perfectly fine.

I have not personally tried this method but I can’t really argue with the logic because the mesh bag will keep anything that may bust inside the bag and not make a mess. 

FAQs about how to clean cornhole bags

How do I clean a corn filled bag?

To clean a corn-filled bag:

1. Fill a tub or sink with warm water and add a small amount of mild soap.
2. Soak the bag for 10-15 minutes, then scrub it gently with a soft brush.
3. Rinse the bag thoroughly with clean water and dry it completely with a clean towel.

Are corn bags washable?

Yes, corn bags are washable, but with caution. The main concern is that the corn filling can become moldy or mildew if it is not dried properly. It is also important to avoid overwashing the bag, as this can cause the fabric to fade and wear out.

Final Talk About how to clean cornhole bags:

There are many ways to clean cornhole bags of all types but the best and safest method I have found is just to handwash and dry them in order to keep them new and fresh as long as possible.