It’s a good idea to prevent lint from going down the laundry-sink drain. You can get lint traps that attach to the end of your washing machine’s discharge hose. They cost around a dollar each, if you buy them at your local grocery store, hardware store, or big-box home improvement store.
However, you can get them a lot cheaper (per unit) if you buy them in bulk (e.g., dozens) from a big online retailer. That’s by far the best way to do it. They’re a good value and worth using, considering that you’re likely to have a clogged drain if you don’t.
I’ve used the store-bought lint traps for many years and been pretty happy with them. Recently I had one that was completely filled with lint, ready for the garbage, but I didn’t have any new ones in the house. I wondered if I could create a DIY substitute out of something I had on hand and I though of the mesh produce bags that onions and oranges (etc.) are packaged in.
I noticed that the mesh pattern of the produce bags is more widely spaced than that of the typical lint trap, so I doubled up by putting one mesh bag inside another. Instead of using a cable tie to attach my improvised lint trap to the discharge hose, I cut a strip off the top of the mesh bag itself and twisted it into a cord, then used that to tie the bag to the hose. You could also use a screw-type hose clamp and keep re-using it indefinitely.
The results: The DIY produce-bag lint probably doesn’t catch as much lint as a purpose-made lint trap. It might work better if it were tripled or quadrupled with three or even four bags. On the other hand, it’s free. Overall, I think it’s probably best to buy lint traps in quantity and get them for a good price. In a pinch, though, the DIY version is definitely better than nothing.
Btw, check the internet: there are lots of DIY projects that use mesh produce bags. I am certainly not the first person who has looked for re-uses for them.
