Woman shares shockingly simple hack for reusing old food containers: 'Such a great tip'

Recycling does not always mean throwing recyclables in the right bin — it can also be as simple as saving glass jars from things like pasta sauce to reuse as drink cups or alternative storage containers. 

However, savers often struggle to get the sauce smell out of the lid. No matter how much rinsing or scrubbing, the odor can linger.

The scoop

One TikTok user, Kaylah Du_Cane (@kaylahdu_cane), found and shared a solution to this smelly situation.

@kaylahdu_cane #ecofriendlyhome #sustainableliving #sustainability #reusable #reuse #reuserecycle #glassjars #composting101 #imperfectenvironmentalist #composting #ecofriendlytips #ecofriendlytiktok ♬ original sound - Kaylah Du_Cane

"Do you hate it when you find a really great glass jar to repurpose, like to turn into a drink bottle, but then the lid still tastes like pasta sauce?" she asks.

All there is to do about this problem is to set the lids out in the sun. "It will remove any smells that are left on there," she says. 

According to The Kitchn, leaving anything from laundry to a wooden cutting board out in the sun can clean and deodorize it. The sun's ultraviolet rays have germicidal properties, so says eco-friendly cleaning product seller Plantiful. 

Because of this, leaving lids out to sunbathe really does neutralize odors while also killing bacteria. 

How it's helping

Glass bottles and jars can have a long lifespan in the household when used for household organization, in the kitchen, or on the go. Their reusability can save consumers money, keeping them from making new purchases when they already have usable glass containers. 

When consumers reuse rather than dump, they hold back from adding more unnecessary waste to the United States' already overflowing landfills. According to a Global Citizen article, the country is set to run out of room in landfills — which have already taken thousands of acres of land away from wildlife — in 2036. 

Overflowing landfills can push waste into the oceans, harming wildlife and the natural ecosystem, according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency. 

Do you worry about the quality of the air inside your home? Yes — often 😬 Yes — but only sometimes 😕 Only when it's bad outside 😮‍💨 No — I never do 😌 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

While reusing glass jars will not solve these problems on its own, it can make a big difference both for the state of our polluting landfills and for consumers' finances. 

What everyone's saying

"Such a great tip!" one TikToker commented. "Reusing bottles is great for reducing plastic use and sun exposure does help with deodorizing."

Another suggested another way to use the sun as a cleaning agent: "Works great for white clothes too!"

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