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10 Quick Re-Uses for a Plastic Bottle Plastic bottles accumulate in our landfills at a rate of 40 million per day.  That is an astonishing statistic.

I have quickly listed 10 things that you can re-use a plastic bottle for.  As I state all the time, re-using something keeps another item from entering the waste stream.  It also saves money.  We are all so addicted to having a particular item for a particular purpose that we have become a nation filled with unnecessary objects.

This is just a very quick list of things; some of them you may have already tried and a few might be new to you.  Mostly, this list is meant to get you thinking about re-using objects.  To start you looking at something and saying, "Well, I can use this for . . . ".
3 Plastic Bottles
Use as a Measuring Cup -  If you need to measure something that you would rather not put in the measuring cup you use for cooking, make your own!  Say you need one cup of a cleaning fluid.  Pour one cup of water into your regular measuring cup, then pour the water into the plastic bottle.  Mark the level of the water on the bottle with permanent marker. Pour the water out and you can now measure the cleaning fluid into the bottle.  I use one for algaecide in the pool.  Will work for anything.

  • A Funnel - Cut the top off of a plastic bottle and turn upside down to use as an instant funnel.

  • Pencil Holder - Use the bottom  of the bottle you cut for the funnel to let the kids make a pencil holder.  Use whatever you have around to decorate it, like fun foam, glitter, paint, sticker, etc for an instant rainy day craft.

  • Bank - Two liter soda bottles make a great bank for pennies, nickels and dimes.  If you want one that can hold quarters,too, than you are going to need to use a three liter version.  Again, you can let the kids decorate it however they want for another almost free craft.

  • Noise Makers - Use smaller bottles to show your team spirit.  Throw in pennies, washers, bead - anything that will make noise.  Decorate in team colors and you have an instant shaker.  Try some small bells for a really cool sound variation.

  • Paint Brush Well - Cut top off and use to hold rinse water for paint brushes when painting.  Can also be used to hold small amounts of paint for small projects, touch ups, trim, etc.

  • Feed & Water House Plants - Mix you house plant food and keep it in a plastic bottle for easy dispersing.  Again, you can measure off amounts and mark on bottle with permanent marker for easy mixing and dispersement.

  • Plant Incubators - When frost threatens in the spring, protect tender plants by cutting the top off a plastic bottle and placing over plants to protect them from the cold.  

  • Flower Pot Filler - If you have a very large planter, such as a half barrel, try throwing some smaller bottles in the bottom to fill space.  Most plants will not require the amount of soil and space in an oversized planter and you will save on expensive container mix.

  • Ice Packs - Fill about 3/4 of the way with water, put the cap back on and freeze.  Pack into coolers - works just as well as "blue ice".  Won't get your sandwiches soggy and will provide fresh, cold drinking water if needed.  Save on buying bags of ice to fill large coolers.  Great for cooling down bunnies and other small animals in hot weather, too.

    • Please remember to be careful when cutting bottles for any project.  Use tin snips or heavy duty scissors and wear gloves.  Always wash out with warm soapy water and rinse well.  












    Eco Facts

    A ton of recycled office paper saves 380 gallons of fuel.
    Yarn Earth

    82% of all of the items purchased by Americans are not in use within six months.