Cleaning narrow bottles and jars can be frustrating, especially when you can't reach those bottom nooks and crannies. However, thanks to this mind-blowing hack that will have you wondering why you hadn't thought of it before, you can clean those hard-to-reach areas once and for all.
Zero-waste sustainability influencer Kathryn Kellogg (@goingzerowaste_) shares an easy DIY method for cleaning and reusing your plastic bottles.
The scoop
For this hack, all you need is rice and water. Simply add a handful of dry rice to your bottle before partially filling the jar with water.
@goingzerowaste_ This is the hack you need to upcycle hard to clean bottles! I saw this hack on TT last year, and I don't remember who posted about it. But, I squirreled away this little nugget to try next time I needed a hand. Because of high oil content in lotion, getting the bottles clean can be tough even with a wider neck bottle. The rice worked SO well as a scourging agent. So next time you need help cleaning some hard to reach places you have to give this a try! #zerowaste #ecofriendly #sustainable #greenclean #greencleaningtips #ecocleaning #refillshop #refillrevolution #sustainableshopping ♬ Dance You Outta My Head - Cat Janice
Shake the mixture of rice and water for a few seconds or until all the stubborn grime comes off the sides of the bottle.
The rice acts as a scrubbing agent that will leave your jar squeaky clean.
"I cannot believe this works," Kathryn says. "This is the hack you need to upcycle hard-to-clean bottles!"
Once your bottle is clean, you can compost the rice and refill your bottle.
How it's helping
Kathryn's bottle-cleaning hack is helping internet users across the globe recycle and reuse their plastic containers. This simple hack is a great way to save money and reduce your plastic usage at home. Instead of throwing out dirty jars, Kathryn is teaching consumers how to properly clean and reuse the items they already have.
One way to reuse plastic jars is to store your own natural cleaning agents. When you make your own cleaning solutions, you ensure the ingredients are safe and non-toxic. By switching just half of your cleaning products to DIY natural solutions, you can save $90 each year.
Plastic waste has become a global crisis, threatening wildlife populations around the world. According to the U.N. Environment Programme, the world produces 400 million tons of plastic waste each year. Finding ways to reuse plastic items at home helps prevent unnecessary waste from polluting the environment.
What everyone's saying
TikTokers were impressed with the results of the hack and discussed the need for adding eco-friendly refill stores across the United States.
"That's genius," one user wrote.
"Refill store," another TikToker commented. "I wish we had those."
"More definitely need to start popping up!" Kathryn agreed.
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