Clean Glass Jars to Use Again

I don't care if it's one-half empty or half full; the glass is here to stay. Glass jar, that is.

In a world full of single-use plastic bottles, glass jars experience are a two-fold care for. While the jar's original contents are bound to run out, the vessel itself is the gift that keeps on giving. Inherently sustainable, glass jars are refillable, reusable, and recyclable (non to mention upcyclable - if that wasn't a discussion before, it is now).

They have helped me tremendously reduce waste and have been pivotal in optimizing my household for greener living.

How I reuse glass bottles and jars

While drinking glass jars have inspired me to make my ain dazzler/health products and brave a few dwelling decor adventures, I detect I more often than not reuse drinking glass bottles and jars for food storage and kitchen shenanigans. I honey that I tin easily shop my nutrient and cleaning products in a way that is like shooting fish in a barrel to discern, visually appealing, and aligned with my selection to shop from zero-waste product stores.

As a clean freak, I really feel peace of heed knowing my food is being kept in the safest and about hygienic material food can be stored in.

Though drinking glass is a safe, sustainable, and multi-purpose storage container, these vessels need a little TLC from time to time. Suppose the glass jar is fresh from the store. In that instance, washing will crave characterization removal, while general maintenance and regular cleaning ensure your drinking glass bottles and mason jars stay aseptic and odorless for maximum cleanliness.

I've whipped up a petty how-to so that you're clued upward and ready for a pantry as squeaky-clean as it is sustainable.

What yous'll need to clean a glass jar for reuse:

Eco-friendly dish soap
Gloves (if preferred)
Hot h2o
Bottlebrush/sponge
Steel wool
Removal assist: Vegetable oil, peanut butter, or lemon essential oil
Smell control: baking soda or vinegar

Stride 1 - Soaking

Yous'll want to soak the jars for a few hours or get out overnight hot h2o. This footstep is to get the fastened labels saturated and easier for you to remove.

Why remove the labels, yous might ask? Well, the labels are much of a muchness. I prefer to remove them as, more often than not, they're added to the drinking glass with toxic, super sticky adhesives that fade over time and tin can be quite the eyesore when it comes to pantry organization.

Step 2 - Label Removal

Now, here'south where things can become one of two means: pure luck might see you scrape the presoaked label (with your nails or steel wool) off the glass OR you could become the dreaded clingers, every bit I like to call them. For stubborn labels that get out a viscous residue, apply vegetable oil, peanut butter, or lemon essential oil and leave for xxx minutes.

Step iii - Stubborn Labels

After thirty minutes, revisit the label with your nails or steel wool and scrub/scrape until all gum has been removed. You'll need a little patience and elbow grease in some cases and so, if the sticky substance is putting up a fight, repeat stages 1-3 including the hot water soak.

Step four - Scrub and Soak

Now that we're like a millennial couple afraid of commitment and have removed the characterization, yous'll want to give the jar a good ol' scrub with more focus on the within of the jar this time. Prepare warm water and your cleaning liquid of option. Split the jar from its lid, identify each piece into your soapy water, and soak for 5-10 minutes.

Step 5 - Final Scrub

Once you've soaked your jar and hat, scrub the entire inside of the jar with your cleaning tool of choice (while a regular cleaning sponge will do, a bottle castor or steel wool will work perfectly too, if not ameliorate. Once yous've thoroughly cleaned the within of the jar, scrub the outside, and don't forget the bottom! Your final launder will be the lids - nutrient rest and odors tin cling to the chapeau's lip, so be certain to give the circumference fold extra attention.

Pace 6 - Rinse

Rinse with warm water and reuse nevertheless you lot choose fit.

Bonus Tips

If, afterwards cleaning drinking glass bottles and jars, some continue to smell like the previously-stored contents, you can place the jar and lid in sunlight outside or on a window sill for a few hours. If the jar in one case stored pickled or pungent items and y'all're still getting whiffs, add baking soda, vinegar, or a paste combining both to the within and lid of the jar, and let information technology sit for a few 2-3 hours before rinsing with warm water.

Disclaimer: In some instances, odors will exist impossible to remove. In these cases, yous tin either recycle the lids and use the jar as a drinking glass or plant holder or seal the jar with malleable silicone lids. I dearest the ones from Earth Hero.

FAQ

How tin I reuse glass jars?

What you choose to practise with your freshly-cleaned jar is upwards to you. I've radically improved my pantry with glass jars and utilize them to store staples like spices, legumes, and cleaning products. I've seen many nothing-waste matter bloggers reuse glass bottles and jars when making their own beauty and household products, likewise every bit repurposing them for DIY arts and crafts and decor projects.

Is information technology safe to reuse drinking glass food jars?

Glass is safety in that information technology is hygienic but hazardous in that glass is delicate and can be easily cleaved. It's of import to handle drinking glass throughout the washing process advisedly or wear gloves for added protection.

How many times can you reuse a glass bottle?

Equally long equally your glass bottle isn't cracked and y'all aren't washing information technology in hot water (the expansion caused past heating and absurd will brand glass bottles more than fragile over time), then yous can clean glass bottles and reuse them for equally long every bit you lot want.

Can drinking glass jars get in the dishwasher?

Past nature, glass jars are made with thicker drinking glass that can withstand the h2o pressure level of a dishwasher.

Concluding Thoughts

There's no debate about information technology: if it's on my shopping list and comes in a drinking glass jar, it'due south coming home with me. With improved eco-friendly storage, maximized aesthetics and hygiene, and a habitation more aligned with plastic-free living, glass jars are a null-waste matter staple. It just takes a few items hands found effectually the house to make clean a glass jar for reuse and enjoy years more than of use before popping it in recycling.

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Source: https://go-go-eco.com/clean-glass-jars/