How to Wash Cornhole Bags Without Ruining Them
Before you do anything, figure out what is inside your bags, because that one fact decides everything. Traditional regulation bags are filled with whole corn or feed corn. All-weather bags are filled with resin or plastic pellets. Corn-filled bags cannot get wet. All-weather bags can. Mix those two up and you will wreck a good set of bags.
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Before you do anything, figure out what is inside your bags, because that one fact decides everything. Traditional regulation bags are filled with whole corn or feed corn. All-weather bags are filled with resin or plastic pellets. Corn-filled bags cannot get wet. All-weather bags can. Mix those two up and you will wreck a good set of bags.
Most of the time bags do not need a real wash at all. They need the dirt brushed off and the slick side wiped down so they slide right again. I will walk you through both kinds, plus how to dry and store them so they last a couple of seasons instead of a couple of weeks.
Step by step
- Identify your bag fill Squeeze a bag and feel the fill. Corn-filled bags feel soft and a little uneven, and you can hear the kernels shift. All-weather bags feel like they are packed with tiny round pellets, smooth and uniform. If you bought a duck-cloth set off a regulation board, it is almost certainly corn. If the tag or listing said all-weather or suede, it is resin. Check the tag if you have it, because this is the one thing you cannot afford to guess wrong.
- Spot-clean corn-filled bags Never machine wash these and never soak them. Start by brushing or knocking off the dry dirt with a stiff brush. For a stain, dab it with a barely-damp cloth and a tiny bit of mild soap, working only the spot and not the whole bag. Wipe the soap off with a clean damp cloth, then let the bag air dry all the way. If a corn bag smells or gets buggy, water will not save it. The fix is to open a seam and re-fill it with fresh corn.
- Hand or machine wash all-weather bags Resin bags are the ones you can actually wash. Hand wash them in cool water with a little mild soap and rub out the dirt with your fingers. If you want to use the machine, drop them in a mesh laundry bag or an old pillowcase and run a gentle cold cycle. Skip the fabric softener and skip the bleach, since both can leave a film or break down the fabric. Rinse until the water runs clear.
- Air dry completely Lay every bag flat on a towel and let it air dry all the way through, both kinds. Never put cornhole bags in a hot dryer. Heat can warp the resin fill in all-weather bags and stiffen or shrink the fabric on either type. Press a finger into the middle to make sure no dampness is hiding in the fill before you call it dry. A bag that goes into storage even a little damp will mildew.
- Restore the slick side Cornhole bags have a slick side and a sticky side, and the slick side is what lets you slide a bag up the board. Over time that side picks up grit and stops gliding. Wipe it with a dry or barely-damp cloth to bring the slide back. Some players lightly scuff the slick side with fine sandpaper or rub in a pinch of cornstarch to smooth it out. Never use wax or oil, because that gunks up the surface and kills the slide for good.
- Store them dry Keep your bags in a breathable bag or a small tote with the lid cracked, not sealed inside a zip-top plastic bag where moisture has nowhere to go. Make sure they are bone dry first. Never leave bags out in the rain, and never let them ride in a wet car trunk or a damp garage corner. A dry, breathable home is the whole reason a set lasts.
Why you can't wash corn-filled bags
Corn is a seed, and seeds drink water. The second you soak a corn-filled bag, the kernels swell up, push the fabric tight, and the bag loses the loose, broken-in feel that made it throw well. Worse, damp corn sitting inside a closed bag is exactly what mold and bugs want. Within a few days you get a musty smell and a bag that is basically compost.
There is no drying it back to normal either. Even if you spread the bag out, the corn inside has already taken on water and started to rot in the middle where air never reaches. That is why the rule is spot clean only, and why a stinky corn bag gets re-filled with fresh corn rather than washed.
When to just replace your bags
Some bags are past saving. If a corn bag has gone soft and lumpy, smells musty no matter what you do, or the corn has turned to powder inside, re-fill it or retire it. If the seams are splitting, the fabric has worn thin and slick on both sides, or the bag will not hold its shape, it is time for a new set.
Good bags are cheap enough that fighting a worn-out set is not worth your evening. A fresh pair throws cleaner, slides truer, and honestly makes the whole game feel better. When yours are done, grab a new set and keep the old ones around as backups for the kids.
Time for fresh bags?
If your bags are lumpy, musty, or splitting at the seams, they are past cleaning and it is time for a new set. Here are the bags and sets I would buy.
Tailgating Pros dual-sided cornhole bags
Vetted by the commissioner and ready to play out of the box.
GoSports regulation size wooden cornhole set
Vetted by the commissioner and ready to play out of the box.
Victory Tailgate all-weather cornhole set
Vetted by the commissioner and ready to play out of the box.
Wash Cornhole Bags Without Ruining Them FAQ
Can you wash cornhole bags?
It depends on the fill. All-weather bags filled with resin or plastic pellets can be washed by hand or on a gentle cold machine cycle. Corn-filled bags cannot. Those you only spot clean, because soaking corn makes it swell, mold, and rot. So check what is inside before you reach for the sink.
Can you machine wash corn-filled cornhole bags?
No. Never machine wash or soak corn-filled bags. The water gets trapped in the corn, the kernels swell and rot, and the bag is ruined within days. Brush off dry dirt, dab stains with a barely-damp cloth and a little mild soap, then air dry fully. If a corn bag smells, re-fill it with fresh corn instead of washing it.
How do you clean all-weather cornhole bags?
Hand wash all-weather bags in cool water with a little mild soap, or run them on a gentle cold machine cycle inside a mesh bag or pillowcase. Skip the fabric softener and bleach. Then lay them flat to air dry. Keep them out of a hot dryer, since heat can warp the resin fill and stiffen the fabric.
How do you make cornhole bags slide better?
The slick side of the bag is what slides, and it stops gliding once it picks up grit. Wipe that side with a dry or barely-damp cloth to bring the slide back. Some players lightly scuff it with fine sandpaper or work in a pinch of cornstarch. Never use wax or oil, which gunk up the surface and kill the slide.
How do you store cornhole bags so they last?
Store them fully dry in a breathable bag or a tote with the lid cracked, not sealed in plastic where moisture gets trapped and mildew starts. Never leave bags out in the rain or in a wet car trunk. Drying them all the way before storage is the single biggest thing you can do to make a set last.