Living a minimalist lifestyle feels great. Keeping glass jars to reuse them is one of my favorite ways to limit my ecological footprint. However, no one tells you the real horror of collecting and reusing glass jars. No one tells you about the labels that have an insane hold on the jars, as if they are a barnacle hanging onto the bottom of a boat. Well I am here to tell you about a simple solution to get those labels off without the tears and second guessing of "is it worth it?"
Here is what you will need:
Vinegar
Baking Soda
Oil (I use whatever oil I have on hand)
Instructions:
Fill sink or bucket with hot water
Add a splash of vinegar to the water. This helps deodorize any jars that had strong smelling items in them, like salsa jars.
Peel easy labels off.
Rinse jars with warm water. This is where you will learn which jars are your problem jars.
Take equal parts of baking soda and oil in a small bowl. Mix well to create a paste.
Take a little of the paste and place it on the stubborn glue or label.
Let it sit for a at least 5-10 minutes.
Using a scrub brush or steel wool scrubber, scrub the paste around to start to take the glue off. If the label/glue is extra tough, you may have to do one more round of paste, letting it sit and then scrubbing.
Wash with soap and warm water.
Dry and watch the sparkle of a brand new looking label-free jar.
Ways to reuse Glass Jars:
Hold whole spices and spice blends. If using a clear glass jar, make sure to keep it out of direct sunlight. Otherwise, you could loose the flavor of your spices.
Holding Food or Leftovers: Yogurt Parfaits, Breakfast Quinoa, Jam, Salsa, Etc.
To hold silverware for hosting gatherings at your home.
To hold plants, herbs or to start seeds.
Making candles.
Create vinegar infusions to use as a natural all-purpose cleaner around the house.
Create alcohol infusions to enjoy with friends and family.
Make a spell/blessing jar.