Opening your page…
Contact Support
Contact Support
Opening your page…
Liners that slip into the can or split on the way to the dumpster cost more than the right bag. Size and material are the two decisions.
The easiest way to choose a liner is by container capacity in gallons, which is how most bags are labeled. If the capacity is not printed on the can, measure it. A liner that matches the gallon size should open fully and fold over the rim without stretching.
Measurement gives a better fit than a label. For a round can, the bag width should be roughly half the circumference of the can. For a square or rectangular can, add the four side widths and divide by two. Bag length should equal the can height plus about half the diameter, plus a few inches for overhang so the bag can be secured at the rim.
Most commercial liners are made from one of two polyethylene resins, and they fail in different ways.
High density (HDPE) bags are thin, crinkly and strong for their weight. They resist tearing from wet, heavy waste such as paper towels and food scraps, but they puncture more easily on sharp objects.
Linear low density (LLDPE) bags are softer and stretch before they break. They handle sharp or irregular trash such as boxes, broken items and construction debris.
HDPE thickness is usually listed in microns, while LLDPE thickness is usually listed in mils. The numbers are not directly comparable across materials, because a thin HDPE liner can carry a similar wet load to a thicker LLDPE liner. Compare thickness within the same material, and consider the heaviest realistic load rather than the average.
Contractor bags sit at the heavy end of the range and are meant for debris, yard waste and cleanup work. They are generally oversized for an office wastebasket.
Flat-top liners are the most common in commercial settings. Drawstring bags make tying and carrying easier for staff who empty many cans. Clear or tinted liners help separate recycling from trash and allow quick visual checks, while black liners conceal contents. Follow your hauler or building rules for which colors go where.
Commercial liners often come on coreless rolls or interleaved, packed many to a case. Check the bag count, the dimensions and the thickness on the product page and compare cost per bag, not just per case. A case of slightly thicker bags can be cheaper overall if it stops double bagging.
Walk the building and list every container, its location, its gallon size and what it usually holds. You will often find that three or four liner sizes cover the whole site. Standardize on those, label storage shelves by size and keep a written chart with the janitorial closet so the right bag goes in the right can.
Double bagging is the most expensive habit in janitorial supply. It usually means the liner material does not match the waste, not that the bag needs to be twice as thick. Switching heavy wet areas to HDPE or sharp-waste areas to LLDPE often removes the need entirely.
Oversized liners are the second habit. Excess plastic bunches in the bottom of the can, wastes material and can be pulled into the trash. Undersized liners slip into the can when they fill. Both problems go away when bags are chosen from container measurements rather than a single all-purpose size.
List each container on site with its gallon size and typical waste.
Pick HDPE or LLDPE by waste type, then compare bag counts per case.
Save the liner sizes to a list for repeat orders.
Enable JavaScript for cart, account and checkout tools.