Comments on: How can I reuse or recycle old jars?

By: Melinda

Melinda — Thu, 07 Apr 2011 15:28:39 +0000

My Nova Scotia aunt-in-law uses them for preserving- just the ones with a pop-up bit on the lids. I’d hesitated using commercial jars for jams and such, but I’ve had good results with them, too. If the pop-up bit is down, the vacuum is still there. It usually goes down as the hot, freshly-filled jar cools. If it doesn’t go down, then use that bit right away, or re-cook it and try another jar. If the jar comes out of storage with the lid already popped up, discard it. The seal is broken. I’ve done this with jams, and tomatoes.

By: Quick Recycling Tip: How to Recycle Glass Finger Nail Polish Jars | Recycling Tip: How to Recycle Empty Glass Finger Nail Polish Jars | Easy Ways to Go Green

Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:42:34 +0000

[...] article on Recycle This UK talks about some clever ways to get a second use out of glass jars, and another post on [...]

By: Pencil stub insects, apple core cider, snow globe & jack-o-lantern jars

Pencil stub insects, apple core cider, snow globe & jack-o-lantern jars — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:52:33 +0000

[...] speaking of old jars, Jessie suggested using them to make reusable jack-o-lanterns for [...]

By: Pencil stub insects, apple core cider, snow globe & jack-o-lantern jars | green-zine.co.uk

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 15:16:55 +0000

[...] speaking of old jars, Jessie suggested using them to make reusable jack-o-lanterns for [...]

By: Pencil stub insects, apple core cider, snow globe & jack-o-lantern jars | How can I recycle this?

Fri, 01 Oct 2010 13:01:19 +0000

[...] speaking of old jars, Jessie suggested using them to make reusable jack-o-lanterns for [...]

By: Jessie

Jessie — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 19:03:23 +0000

You could use them as candle holders for tealight or votive candles.
You could paint the outside of the jar and have a candle on the inside. You could even make a vegan jack-o-lantern this way.

You cold melt leftover wax from old candles, buy a new wick and make your own jar candle.

Halloween!!
You could do the jack-o-lantern Idea above or you could make potion bottles!
Label them (choose a spooky font) with weird names like “bat wings” “fairy wings” “babies tears” and fill them with odds and ends from around the house (broken jewelry, beads, sand, dirt, rocks, glitter, broken cds, crinkled up vhs tape)

I use the jars in the fridge instead of plastic containers.
The other day I made a drink in one and took it with me because I didn’t have time to drink it at home, it was powdered “Instant Breakfast”.

By: Cyndall

Cyndall — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 22:46:53 +0000

I make infused vodka with left over bottles. They are great because I can make just enough to give as a gift and try different infusing methods in the same batch because the jars are smaller that the economy size vodka we buy for these projects.

I like to put a little piece of fabric over the top of the lid tied on with a piece of ribbon and then we use stick on labels to mark the infusion date and flavor.

Fun and upcycled!

By: Shorty

Shorty — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 01:36:25 +0000

Soak them for hours in hot water, then use WD-40 and a toothbrush on the sticky residue. Spray-paint the lids in a bright color that corresponds to what you’re keeping in them, and write the contents on the lid in sharpie marker. You can now store:
Spices
Nuts and bolts
Marbles
Sand art
Dry beans
Home-made dips or natural aloe vera to keep in the fridge
Paint

http://www.craftideas.info/html/recycled_jar_pumpkin_b.html
Cute pumpkin decoration

Paint them with glass paint for a great decoration.

By: angela

angela — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 09:35:16 +0000

If the label just won’t come off and there is printing that won’t wash off, here in the States we have stuff called “goof off” that removes both fairly easily. I reuse glass jars -sterilized- for my homemade bathsalts and sugar scrubs. I decorate the lids with nail polish, pictures and beads and I make my own labels and glue them on. I also add a recycled spoon from the thrift shop tied on with a recycled ribbon. Great presents and I sell them too.

By: Leslie

Leslie — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 17:20:17 +0000

If I am going to keep the jars, I put it in a bowl of water to soak. The label usually comes off on its own or I can use the Dobie scrub pad to get the rest off. Glass is a pretty easy surface to clean.

If you ever buy the Classico spaghetti mason jars, they are great for turning into glasses. A big glass of lemonade or cold water with ice cubes is perfect. Or you can use them as we do to make shakes in our blender. They are the same size as our blender blade unit and so you can put them right on the jar, saving you time…you don’t have to clean the blender glass and your shake is all ready to drink.

By: Nikki

Nikki — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 16:09:52 +0000

You could make your own Jam’s and Chutneys. If the lid is ugly it could be covered with some twee material and an elastic band.

Or paint the Jars and put small candles inside. If you attach some old wire (maybe from a coat hanger) they would make great garden lights. The same could apply as plant pots.

They could be used as ‘Gift Jars’ paint them up and decorate imaginatively and in pops the gift!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 15:32:44 +0000

I use baby food jars to store the last bit of butter on a stick, instead of having a slippery bit of butter in a crinkled piece of wax paper. I also use them to store granola because I always make a huge batch. Ditto for noodles, rice, sugar, baking soda, and pretty much anything that is an open container once you use it for the first time. It’s also great for things that are bought in bulk at the store. Prettier and stores easier than piles of bags of stuff all over the place.

By: LizD

LizD — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 13:06:46 +0000

I make jewellery & keep all the various stones, beads etc in jars.
A pen holder, elastic bands, paperclips storage etc to keep the office tidy.
Use them to store peanuts, cashew nuts etc for cooking or eating.

Also, like my old school days, I stick paper round the jar if I fancy something looking a bit different!

By: Rivka

Rivka — Sun, 03 Feb 2008 22:33:17 +0000

Organize your pantry by keeping beans and pasta in neat, matching jars. Neater and prettier than piles of plastic packages.

By: Sarah

Sarah — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 01:03:42 +0000

You can use just the lids for a saucer for bottles that leak over your cupboard shelves, like olive oil. Means you don’t have olive oil over the bottoms of everything, don’t have to wipe the shelves all the time and you can wash the lids easily.

By: Anteater

Anteater — Wed, 17 Jan 2007 21:05:33 +0000

After you’ve soaked the label off, if sticky stuff remains (glue I guess) you can rub it off with peanut butter.

By: miko

miko — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 12:16:10 +0000

forgot to say the best way to get most labels off is to leave the jar soaking in boiling water until the paper slides off. the baby oil thing can be used for any which don’t come off in the boiling water.

i tend to soak the lids as well, and most of the smell comes out that way. i have heard you can pour hot vinegar or lemon juice into the lid, leave standing until it cools, then rinse to get rid of any lingering smells (not tried that one though).

By: miko

miko — Sat, 16 Dec 2006 12:13:16 +0000

if you want a less toxic way to remove sticky labels that won’t budge, use a bit of baby oil – or even olive oil – with a metal scrubber

By: Rachel

Rachel — Mon, 04 Dec 2006 21:15:31 +0000

The best way to get a label, a sticky price tag, or any adhesive ick off of a hard surface is with acetate nail polish remover.

By: Cadan ap Tomos

Cadan ap Tomos — Wed, 27 Sep 2006 17:46:00 +0000

My grandmother uses the Nescafe ones to keep homemade pickled onions in. Btw they taste lovely…

By: smileygirl

smileygirl — Wed, 19 Jul 2006 08:41:54 +0000

go and make a great gift for someone who always say : i want nothing !

http://www.craftbits.com/viewProject.do?projectID=1087

By: anykey

anykey — Tue, 09 May 2006 12:58:45 +0000

well done louisa – I like it :O)

By: louisa

louisa — Tue, 09 May 2006 12:27:00 +0000

Ooh, great idea anykey. I saw someone doing this a few years ago but never got around to doing it myself. Now, two olive jars and four screws later, see how neat and tidy our fuse/battery/bits cupboard is now! see!

(sorry about the quality of the photo – it turns out it’s quite difficult to take photographs inside cupboards)

By: anykey

anykey — Mon, 08 May 2006 19:54:23 +0000

keep yer screws n’nails in ‘em.

store the jars *under* the shelf in the garage, by screwing the lid to the under part of the shelf.

Twist the jar on/off the lid. easy :O)

By: mark

mark — Sat, 06 May 2006 15:31:51 +0000

i use cans of olives for cooking becayse thye’re cheaper but i rarely use a whole can, just like a quarter of the can at a time, so i use a clean old olive jar to keep the rest, in the fridge. i find it easier to judge hjow many i have left when they’re in a jar rather than a tupperware tub.

By: Matthew

Matthew — Fri, 05 May 2006 19:39:53 +0000

Pick fruit. Make jam.

Mmmmmm… Jaaammmm…

By: snapper

snapper — Thu, 04 May 2006 17:14:39 +0000

i remeber the days when labeles used to come off really easily with just a bit of hot water. now i have to used WD40 and elbow grease on the blighters.

and with deisgns and logos on the lids too like in the pictrue, it’s really hard to annoymise them to use again.