Homeowner shares clever hack using empty medicine bottle: 'Great tip'

Paint can turn boring walls into a reflection of your personality — but over time, scuffs and scratches turn those bright colors into an eyesore.

TikToker Toothy & Tall (@kelleejoann) came up with a clever way to keep walls looking fresh using something you probably already have around the house — empty pill bottles.

@kelleejoann ✨Life hack alert!✨ Save a little wall paint in an empty pill bottle & when scuffs pop up, just dab it with your finger. No brush, no mess… total game changer! 🎨🙌 #paintingtips #househack #lifestyletips ♬ original sound - Toothy & Tall

The scoop

In her video, Kelleejoann shows how she repurposes old pill bottles for quick paint touch-ups. She fills each bottle with leftover wall paint, closes the lid, and gives it a good shake. As she explains, the shaking coats the inside of the lid with paint, which she then uses to dab over minor scratches and marks.

"And then you just take your finger, and use that to tap areas," she says while demonstrating how easy it is to cover wall blemishes. She quickly moves around her home, giving walls a seamless refresh — no messy paint trays or brushes needed.

How it's helping

This hack saves time and money by letting you skip pulling out a full can of paint and cleaning brushes for small touch-ups. It also keeps your leftover paint organized and ready to go whenever you notice a scratch — which means your walls can stay looking freshly painted for years without the cost of a full repaint.

Repurposing pill bottles for this purpose keeps them out of the trash and gives them a second life. Small steps like this help reduce plastic waste, which keeps our landfills from overflowing and protects our oceans from pollution. Plastics can take hundreds of years to break down, so reusing them whenever possible makes a real difference.

Keeping small amounts of leftover paint in bottles also frees up valuable storage space by allowing you to discard bulky cans you no longer need. Less clutter means a tidier garage or closet, making it easier to stay organized and find what you actually use.

When it's time to part with things you no longer need, local recycling programs can make responsible disposal simple — and some stores even offer credit when you trade in unused items.

What everyone's saying

Viewers loved the simplicity of the hack. "Oh my god, I love this," one TikTok user wrote. Another chimed in, "Great tip!" A third offered a variation: "I have a small mason jar for every paint color in my home! I use a Q-tip."

It's a small but smart way to keep your home looking its best — while giving old containers a second life and keeping unnecessary waste out of the trash.

What do you currently do with your old pill and vitamin containers? Throw them away 🗑️ Recycle them ♻️ Use them for something new 🧠 Donate them to charity 🙏 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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