Recycling and upcycling are like bread and butter to those who want to help out the planet. From turning jeans into a dress to repurposing parmesan shakers, there's a hack for nearly everything. A teacher and DIYer on TikTok has shared another great hack for your empty glass bottles.
The scoop
Mx. Rich (@mxrichmakes) is a creator on TikTok who shares DIYs, as well as their experiences on the job with students. In one clip, they show viewers how to repurpose certain types of glass bottles.
@mxrichmakes Come take a class with me! Link in Bio #diy #naturalcleaning #cleantok #reuserecycle #reuse #scrappy #scrappycooking ♬ Ever New - Beverly Glenn-Copeland
This particular TikTok shows them holding a Perrier water bottle and saying, "Did you know that you could take most regular old bottles and make them into spray bottles?"
They remove the cap of the bottle and screw on a spray top. They explain that if your spray bottle tube is too short to reach the bottom, you can simply swap out a regular plastic straw. Using a bendable straw will even give you "a little extender."
In the second half of the clip, Mx. Rich shows off a homemade fabric spray.
"I have been steeping this rubbing alcohol with orange peels and ginger scraps," they share.
They say to put it in your spray bottle and "mix it about 75-25 with distilled water" to create a nice-smelling fabric spray.
How it's helping
Tips like this are a great way to give your trash some new life. You can save money on containers for all types of things. According to TCD's guide, "If you repurpose even a quarter of the empties that an average person throws out, you can save up to $25 annually on new storage."
While these savings are not massive, every little bit adds up. Plus, cutting down on your waste can have a positive impact on the planet.
Curtailing your waste by reusing more of your items can help in several ways. Reducing the harvesting of new materials, saving energy, and eliminating planet-warming pollution are just a few of the positive impacts listed by the Environmental Protection Agency.
However, if you have old items that you want to get rid of and can't repurpose, there are other options than just tossing them in the dumpster. Some products can be recycled, while a number of organizations work to get previously loved goods into the hands of people who need them.
What everyone's saying
Commenters loved this simple tip. One person said, "The extender is brilliant with the bendy straw!
Someone else wrote, "This is such a cool idea!"
"Wonderful info! Mayo & PB caps fit ball jars too!" suggested someone else.
We love it when containers can be multipurpose. You check out a ton of other ways to use jars here.
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