Trying to live a low-waste lifestyle is an admirable goal, but some waste is inevitable. One Redditor started an idea-sharing conversation when asking how to reuse empty disinfectant wipe containers.
The zero waste community on Reddit is a place where people can share their tips, triumphs, and failures while trying to minimize their environmental impact. One person asked for advice, posting a photo of two disinfectant wipe tubes.
"Any ideas to reuse these?" the OP asked. While you may not think disinfectant wipes and zero waste go hand in hand, everyone has to start somewhere. Trying to make a perfect swap to a waste-free lifestyle can leave you feeling overwhelmed and burnt out.
In a study from 2021, more than half of the young people surveyed were very worried about the future of the planet. With so much eco-anxiety around the fate of the planet, it's important to remember that while your individual choices matter, this is a collective project. "The struggle to adapt your routine to zero-waste living and a minimal carbon footprint can take your eco-anxiety and turn it into eco-fatigue," Biofriendly Planet wrote.
Working to reduce your waste is good for the planet and has the potential to save you money. Swapping out something such as disinfectant wipes or paper towels for a reusable option may come with an upfront cost, but you will save money in the long run by eliminating future purchases.
Fortunately, the folks on r/ZeroWaste had lots of advice for how these containers could be reused.
"You can soak rags in hand disinfectant for reusable disinfectant wipes when you travel," one person suggested. "One box with fresh ones, one to store the used ones until you wash them."
Another added: "I've used it to roll up plastic bags and use it as a dispenser. No matter how much I try to cut them out of my life plastic grocery bags still appear so I do my best to reuse them and this helps keep them organized."
Someone else commented: "I use these to wash and store paint roller brushes. They're a good depth to pretty much submerge them and swish to clean and reuse them."
The OP was thrilled to learn so many ways to use these containers, writing, "Thanks for the ideas!"
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