Pretty bottles all in a row...

We’re somewhat of an “environmentally-conscious” family, with concerns about the environment and stuff like that.  I wouldn't say we are “eco-warriors” or anything, but it’s important to us that we at least make an attempt to limit the amount of damage we do to the environment.  One of the ways we do this is to cut down on the amount of rubbish we put out on Bin Day – stuff which ultimately ends up in a land-fill somewhere.  We recycle.  We have a composter for our organic material.  And we continually think up new ways to re-use what we have.  In other words, we upcycle.  

Upcycling is a whole lot of fun.  It is a great outlet for creativity, it invariably involves some degree of crafting, and it encourages you to “think outside the box” – a skill I am keen for my children to develop.  

To me, upcycling encompasses a wide range of activities.  From re-using something you would have otherwise thrown out, to repurposing an existing piece of furniture.  Thrifting fits in here nicely as well.  Buying someone else’s cast-offs, cleaning them up, and giving them a “second life”, as it were, is another way of limiting wastage, in my opinion.

Re-using glass bottles is probably one of the most basic ways to upcycle.  It makes a great “entry-level” activity for those just starting out.  

Jam jars, coffee bottles, pickle jars, even wine bottles can be re-used in a variety of creative ways – for storage in the kitchen, the office, the sewing room.  There is no way around it, glass jars and bottles are darn right handy.  You can stick vinyl or chalkboard labels on them to jazz them up a bit, you can paint or decoupage the lids.  There are a myriad of crafty ways to beautify them.  Whether you want to unleash your creativity on them, or simply use them as is, the first step is getting them naked (removing their labels).

This sounds easy enough, but time (and many, many bottles) have taught me that it can, in fact, be quite tricky.  So I thought I’d share my findings here.

The Soak-Off Method:
This seems like the easiest and most obvious way to remove a label from a bottle.  And in some cases, it is.  Soaking the bottle in really hot water often results in the label coming away from the glass effortlessly.  Like, hardly ever.  More often than not, only half the label comes away.  The rest clings to the glass and if you do manage to get it off with vigorous scrubbing there is always residual glue left behind on the bottle and no amount of wiping helps.  You just seem to chase around a sticky glue smear from one side of the glass to the other.  Not to mention the soggy lumps of label that float around in the water and have to be scooped out and thrown away.  Add to that, the fun of trying to peel off a label with wet (and scalded) hands.  No thank you!

The Pour-and-Peel method:
I have found this to be the quickest and easiest method BY FAR.  You fill the bottle / jar with boiling water from the kettle.  Waiting a minute or two allows the heat to melt and soften the glue from the other side of the glass.  Pick at a corner of the label and gently pull it away from the glass.  

Nine times out of ten, the label comes off in one piece.  Any residual glue can be washed off with soapy water.  You can use a dishcloth to hold the jar in one hand while you peel with the other (the glass gets hot).  Of course, not all labels are created equal and sometimes the glue can be a bit tougher to get off.  For small smears, I find that Mr Min (glass and furniture polish) gets rid of it.  For more stubborn glue, like this bad boy here 

a bit of benzene on an old cloth works like a dream.  I normally use this as a last resort as it STINKS! (you also need to make sure the bottle is dry.  Benzene and water do not mix well.)  

Sometimes, you come across labels that have been applied with some kind of super-strength glue and the Pour-and-Peel method just doesn't work.  You then have to soak them in water and take your chances. 

Here is my latest batch of bottles. 

I'm into green glass at the moment.  No idea why.  I just love the way the light catches them.  I intend to do something awesome with them. (not sure what at this stage)  And the brown sherry bottles were just a moment of madness - I thought they looked pretty cool.

Once you get into upcycling glass, it can become quite addictive.  I often find myself buying a product because I like the jar it comes in!  I wonder if it's just me....

Happy upcycling!