Reuse glass

Do you have some jars and bottles lying around at home and you’re wondering what to do with them? 

Besides being an endlessly recyclable (Stazione Sperimentale del Vetro, 2016),glass also has many health benefits[MT1]  that make it suitable for reuse. One of its key feature is its inertness, which means that glass acts as strong barrier against external influences, keeping the contents inside safe and protected (Dieter Schrenk, 2014). 

So, whether you want to give your jar a new life by recycling or reusing it, you know that you can do so safely. Here, we’ll explain the ins and outs of reusing glass. 

Is all glass reusable? 

While many types of glass, such as those used for bottles and containers, can be easily recycled or reused, certain types of glass used for industrial applications, like tempered glass, may not be suitable for standard reuse processes. 

But for the typical containers, as glass is a permanent material that doesn’t degrade over time, it can be safely reused without losing its quality or core properties. 

How to reuse glass? 

From old spirits bottles to perfume and jam jars, glass comes in a variety of designs, shapes, and colours, giving creative minds plenty of room for ideas on how to reuse them. 

Perhaps you want to brighten up your living room with a new décor or give your plants a new pot to grow in, or simply reuse your jars to store the season’s homemade jam. One thing’s for sure: the possibilities are endless. 

Getting your jars ready: cleaning and sterilising 

First, you want to start by thoroughly cleaning and sterilising your jars to remove labels, glue, and any food residue. To make the task easier, you can soak the containers in hot water for 5 minutes before washing (some suggest applying a mixture of baking soda and citrus oils for extra effectiveness). While removing the labels can be a little tricky, it’s nothing a bit of scrubbing and scraping can’t solve. 

Once you’ve removed the labels, you can soak the containers and lids in warm, soapy water for another 5-10 minutes, preferably with a natural soap. You can also sterilise your containers and bottles by boiling them in hot water and letting them dry completely before using. Now, onto the exciting part!

Repurposing glass for canning and preserving food 

Old sauce jars and containers are the perfect solution for preserving fruit, vegetables, jam and pickles. Why? Because glass is free from toxic chemicals or additional plastic linings, making it one of the safest food contact materials when it comes to chemical detection. That also means glass keeps our food fresher for longer. 

Before filling your jars with homemade treats, make sure to follow the steps above for cleaning and sterilisation. Seal the containers tightly with a lid and label them with the contents and date so you always know what’s inside and how long it’s been preserved for. The transparency of glass also helps you to keep an eye on your food and prevent it from spoiling or going to waste. 

Reusing glass for storage solutions 

Imagine your dream pantry organisation. What do you see? We see neatly organised products, carefully sorted by colour and type, all with the help of glass. Its design is not only aesthetically pleasing but is also an incredibly functional way to organise your pantry. Whether it’s for storing grains, nuts, seeds or spices, glass is the perfect ally for maintaining a tidy pantry. 

From the kitchen to the bathroom, to kids’ rooms and the home office, glass can also serve as a practical and versatile storage solution. You can reuse it to organise office supplies, toiletries, batteries, nails, sewing materials, small toys, and much more – it’s entirely up to you and your imagination! 

Reusing glass for plants 

They say home is where your heart is; we say home is where your plants are. If you want to expand your garden indoors or even outdoors, why not turn your old jars and bottles into stunning vases? 

Glass containers make excellent homes for a variety of plants, from small succulents to herbs, and they can even be used for plant propagation. 

You might want to create your own herb garden by planting basil, mint or rosemary in jars. If you’re looking for something low maintenance, you can also try making a homemade terrarium to bring a touch of nature into any room. 

Are you ready to unleash your green thumb with glass? Check out our blog for lots of ideas on how to reuse glass jars to add a hint of green into your home. 

Now that you have lots of ideas on how to reuse your jars and bottles at home, all you have to do is get started. If you are still not feeling creative or don’t know what to do with your jars, you can always recycle them. While recycling guidelines might vary from city to city, glass is infinitely recyclable and recycling it helps the industry save energy, raw materials and carbon emissions.