How to use a nut milk bag
Put the bag over a bowl or jug, pour in your prepared mixture, then lift and squeeze gently. The Nut Sack holds back the pulp while the liquid strains through. Afterwards, empty it, rinse it and let it dry properly. That is really the whole magnificent operation.
The quick version
Prepare whatever you are straining. Open the bag over a suitable container. Pour slowly. Lift it up. Squeeze gently. Empty the pulp. Rinse the bag and dry it completely before putting it away. No machinery. No app. No degree in sack management.
How to use The Nut Sack
The same basic method works whenever you need to pour a mixture through the bag, keep the solids inside and collect the liquid underneath.
Prepare your mixture
Get the mixture you want to strain ready first. If you are making plant milk, do the soaking and blending before the sack becomes involved. Chaos is not an ingredient.
Place the bag
Open The Nut Sack over a large bowl, jug or pan. Give yourself enough room to pour without trying to balance six things at once.
Pour it in slowly
Pour the mixture into the open bag in a steady, controlled way. Slow is good. Slow keeps most of the contents in the intended part of the kitchen.
Lift and squeeze
Lift the bag clear of the collected liquid and squeeze gently from the top down. Your hands do the squeezing; the sack keeps the bits under control. Do not wring it like it owes you money.
Empty the pulp
Turn out whatever has been left behind. Depending on what you strained, the pulp may be useful elsewhere or it can go into your compost rather than being abandoned inside the bag.
Rinse and dry
Rinse the bag promptly, wash it gently when needed, then hang it open until it is completely dry. The last part matters. Damp sacks are not the dream.
Firm enough. Not furious.
Once most of the liquid has drained naturally, gather the top of the bag and work downwards with your hands. A steady squeeze is normally all that is required.
Crushing, twisting and heroic acts of violence are unnecessary. The aim is to separate the liquid from the pulp, not establish dominance over a piece of hemp.
Clean your sack properly
Hemp is wonderfully practical, but old dried pulp is still old dried pulp. Deal with the bag while everything is fresh and life becomes considerably easier.
Remove the pulp as soon as you have finished straining rather than leaving it packed against the fabric.
Turn the bag inside out and rinse away the remaining particles under clean running water.
Wash gently when needed and rinse thoroughly so there is no soap or old food residue waiting for your next experiment.
Hang the bag open somewhere with good airflow and leave it until the fabric is properly dry.
Do not store it damp.
This is the big care rule. Clean it promptly and let it dry fully before it goes into a cupboard or drawer. Do not leave pulp sitting inside it, do not bundle it up wet, and do not create a tiny organic-hemp swamp in the back of your kitchen.
We have a page for that
Keep this page about using the bag. Recipes and the stranger things you can strain have their own homes.
Want to make nut milk?
Get the ingredients, blending and homemade plant-milk method on the dedicated recipe guide.
Want to strain something else?
See the dedicated uses guide for the other jobs a reusable straining bag can get up to.
Useful answers
How hard should I squeeze a nut milk bag?
Gently and steadily. Start at the top of the filled bag and work downwards with your hands. You want enough pressure to release the liquid without aggressively twisting or wringing the fabric.
Should I rinse The Nut Sack straight after using it?
Yes. Empty the pulp promptly and rinse the bag before residue has time to dry into the fabric. Turn it inside out so trapped pieces are easier to remove.
Can I put The Nut Sack away while it is still damp?
No. Let it dry completely first. Store it clean and dry rather than folding a damp bag into a cupboard and hoping for the best.
Can I use the same method for oat milk?
Yes, the basic pour-and-strain method is the same, although the preparation and blending technique can differ. See our nut milk making guide for the recipe side rather than duplicating it here.
Need a sack to squeeze?
The Nut Sack is sold through Save Some Green. Buying and checkout happen over there; the ridiculous name comes as standard.