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Reuse: can plastic bottles, bags be reused several times
It turns out that not all “disposable” items should be immediately put into the trash can. There are much more useful ways to use them. Wday.ru figured it out.
Our mothers and grandmothers always kept (and even now, it may be) at home the already legendary package with packages. Of course, in the era of scarcity, this was not surprising, but even now not every package should be thrown away immediately. Small transparent plastic bags, in which you, for example, bought fresh vegetables or fruits, sweets or cookies by weight, can be used one more time.
But if chilled meat, poultry or dairy products were in the bag, then they can become a breeding ground for microbes. These are really better to send in a bucket. Large bags can be used for garbage.
Of course, after baking a juicy piece of meat in foil, it is unlikely to do anything. But if you just wrapped a sandwich in foil or you have a small piece of unused material left, do not rush to throw it away right away. Firstly, using the foil, you can quickly and easily sharpen the scissors: just roll the piece several times and cut it. And with the help of foil, you can clean a baking sheet or frying pan as well as a metal sponge. Just roll it into a ball and wipe the dishes.
Perhaps everyone has heard that they can be used only once. But not everyone follows this rule. A plastic bottle can really be given a second life, but not as a drinking container.
The fact is that most types of plastic, when reused, especially if they contained carbonated water, can release toxic substances. The container on which there are certain markings is relatively safe: the number 5 and the inscription R.R. But since it is not cheap in production, store drinks are not poured into it. It’s safer to buy a reusable water bottle, which, by the way, also has an expiration date.
And from ordinary containers you can make, for example, a watering can for flowers or a glass for storing all sorts of little things. Well, if you have a summer residence, then there is room for imagination. Some craftsmen build whole greenhouses from PET bottles.
It is not known who first noticed this, but cardboard egg boxes perfectly act as a stand for a laptop, preventing it from overheating. In addition, many people store various little things in such boxes, for example, buttons.
5. Glass jars and bottles
Unlike plastic, they are easy to disinfect, and they do not emit any harmful substances. It is convenient to store spices in small jars, freeze chopped herbs or egg whites. Large ones can be used at your own discretion. And a glass bottle can replace a variety of kitchen utensils, from a rolling pin for dough to a kind of skewer that can be used to roast chicken in the oven.
It would seem why they might be needed? It turns out that there are a lot of options. They store wires and cables so that they do not get confused. Someone uses sleeves to store the notorious plastic bags: it is convenient, does not take up much space, and it is very easy to pull out one bag from there. Yarn is wound on the sleeves, seedlings are planted in them and even … used as a nozzle for a vacuum cleaner. After all, the cardboard tip can be easily bent in the right way so that it fits even in a narrow space.
Familiar situation: buying baking bags, and after use there are still a few clips left? Don’t put them in the trash can. They are very good at fastening wires from any equipment so that they do not get confused with each other.
Unlike bottles, plastic buckets for mayonnaise, processed cheese, pickles and other products are most often made from materials that can be used several times. For example, after thorough washing, you can store cereals in them. But still carefully check the labeling on the container.
Foil cardboard cans-tubes should not be thrown away immediately. They come in handy for a lot of things. For example, it is very convenient to store spaghetti in them (just perfect in length). Or pour dry animal food from a huge package there: it takes up little space and is convenient to pour into a bowl. And those who own the decoupage technique make incredible jars out of them for storing coffee and loose tea.
At least once, after thorough washing, such a bottle can easily replace a cooking syringe. It is convenient to pour batter for pancakes into the pan at least in portions from it, at least to decorate the cake with cream.
And five more things to give a second chance.
Styrofoam, which is generously poured into packaging boxes from household appliances, can be used as drainage. Break it into small pieces and place it on the bottom of the flower pot, and then sprinkle it in the earth.
Carton boxes will always come in handy in the house. By the way, this is the simplest life hack for quick cleaning. After all, each cleaning must begin with the arrangement of things in their places. To save time, you can take a box, throw everything unnecessary there and then walk around the apartment with it, laying everything on certain shelves along the way.
Old disposable razors Ideal for removing spools from clothing. A slightly dull blade will keep things from holes.
Old toothbrushes you can clean anything from tarnished silver to shoes.
А unnecessary newspapers can be used in any situation where odor or moisture needs to be absorbed. You can (and should) put the old press on the bottom of the trash can, on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, or wrap them around the food you want to defrost.