What do you do...?

[Grungedoll]

So here I am collecting up quite a few empty FO bottles now... because I haven't found the right place yet around here to dispose of them and don't want to just go throwing them in the garbage as I'm sure that isn't a good idea 😕. So my question to you is.. what do you do with empty bottles? do you store them up until you get up enough to make a trip somewhere to get rid of all of them worth it? and where do you take them to?

Thanks in advance!

[kandlekrazy]

Empty bottles can be thrown away.  I drain any bit of excess by turning the bottle upside down in a pan of wood shavings, can leave for days.  My wood shavings along with any fo I want to dispose of then get taken to hazmat disposal nearby.

[bfroberts]

We do not have any recycling options here, so I just throw mine in the household garbage.  Were I in an area that recycles, I would clean them out and put them in the appropriate recycling bin.  I clean out glass bottles and reuse those.

[Shari]

I clean them out and recycle plastic bottles.  Glass I clean and re-use to bottle EO that came in plastic .

[Grungedoll]

7 minutes ago, Shari said:

I clean them out and recycle plastic bottles.  Glass I clean and re-use to bottle EO that came in plastic .

How do you personally clean them out?

[Candybee]

I clean mine out first with warm soapy water then give them a vinegar rinse then a last cold water rinse. The vinegar is to neutralize any odor so I can reuse the bottles.

 

Empty bottles I don't recycle I just toss in the trash. But none, not even a drop, of fragrance gets wasted. I use it all!

[Candybee]

Wanted to add I also save and wash out any tops with a spigot. I always save and reuse those for new bottles I purchase that will fit the spigot top. I hate pouring FO from a bottle without a spigot top!

[franu61]

1 minute ago, Candybee said:

Wanted to add I also save and wash out any tops with a spigot. I always save and reuse those for new bottles I purchase that will fit the spigot top. I hate pouring FO from a bottle without a spigot top!

Same here!  But lately I have a whole bunch of spigots that won't fit my new bottles.

[Candybee]

18 minutes ago, franu61 said:

Same here!  But lately I have a whole bunch of spigots that won't fit my new bottles.

 

I hate when that happens. But I save them anyway because eventually I reuse them. Right now all my spigot tops are in use.

[Shari]

Yes, hot soapy water soak / rinse then vinegar soak and then rinse again. 

[kandlekrazy]

19 hours ago, Candybee said:

Wanted to add I also save and wash out any tops with a spigot. I always save and reuse those for new bottles I purchase that will fit the spigot top. I hate pouring FO from a bottle without a spigot top!

So the vinegar trick works on these spigots too??  I've got to try that because I've been tossing them and they are valuable!

[Candybee]

34 minutes ago, kandlekrazy said:

So the vinegar trick works on these spigots too??  I've got to try that because I've been tossing them and they are valuable!

 

It works very good! First I soak my bottles and tops in a tub or sink full of warm sudsy water. Then I rinse them out several times and if they still have some scent in them I put them in a vinegar bath, then rinse with cold water, let them drip dry, then store them in an open box to air on a shelf until I need them. Some scents are pretty strong and can leave trace scent in some plastic bottles but I find that it does not convey to the new FO I put in the bottle.

[kandlekrazy]

4 hours ago, Candybee said:

 

It works very good! First I soak my bottles and tops in a tub or sink full of warm sudsy water. Then I rinse them out several times and if they still have some scent in them I put them in a vinegar bath, then rinse with cold water, let them drip dry, then store them in an open box to air on a shelf until I need them. Some scents are pretty strong and can leave trace scent in some plastic bottles but I find that it does not convey to the new FO I put in the bottle.

Thanks, I wouldn't save plastic bottles but those spigot caps I will for sure now.

[Candybee]

Oh I save the plastic 1 lb bottles. I use them to pour my blends in. I have so many now I need all the empties I can get. Have never had a problem with plastic bottles, new or recycled.

[Grungedoll]

I’d been told that FOs shouldn’t at all be going down the sink drain so that’s why I’ve been leery about just washing them out and tossing the bottles. I try to use every drop that I can, shaking them and holding them over the pot the whole time I’m mixing, but honestly a few droplets maybe left behind as they cling to the bottle... is that really an issue to just throw that little bit in the bottle just into the trash? I also pour what I need out of larger bottles into little disposable medicine cups and I was actually told once I shouldn’t even be throwing those in the garbage with such a small trance of FOs in them... but I have. Haha. Too cautious...?

[Pam W]

I throw my empty bottles (after rinsing) into the recycle bin but I do keep a few on hand for blending experiments.

[birdcharm]

For plastic bottles, I do as others in rinsing them out after they're empty and put them in the recycling.  We have to take our recycling to a center, but I recycle all possible plastics.  Prior to rinsing, I turn the bottle upside-down and pour any contents into a smaller bottle, etc.  Of course, there is going to be a trace amount left, but I've always felt that it's okay to rinse that out, I typically use a degreaser type of dish soap.  Glass bottles are the ones I save for future mixing events and experiments.  :)