Monday, December 31, 2018

Removing Labels from Jars

File this under {useless? crazy? may need it at some point?} interesting things I have learned. Or may never need again?

I recently purchased spaghetti sauce in nice jars.  (Thanks to a tip from a coupon site they were inexpensive!).

I then decided to recycle the jars and fill them with homemade bath salts. The problem was ~ how to get the labels off the jars!

A quick internet search yielded Arm and Hammer Washing soap.  Two problems.  #1. I didn't have any and this would require me to run to the store to get some.  #2. It apparently needs to be handled with care and I didn't feel like dealing with it. (Hmmmm, I'm starting to sound lazy.)

I found another solution via an internet search.  A simple solution. And I'm all about simple!
Soaking in oil and baking soda

Oil {as in vegetable, canola, etc. any cooking kind} and baking soda.

Now this I had at home!  I took the jars, put them in a dishpan (the oil does make a greasy mess) and added the baking soda and hot water.

I let the jars sit for a few minutes and came back. The labels peeled off easily.  I then let them sit for a little longer. The total time was about 30 minutes.  I took a cloth and scrubbed the labels off. (It did not take much effort, but I wanted them to be clean.)  And it worked!

Incidentally, I had forgotten one jar. I had it soaking and it was then put in the dishwasher. I figured the label would come right off since it had been soaking for quite a while. However, to my dismay it did not. It may have been re-glued on with the heat of the dishwasher.  I had to resoak it again! It then came off easily.


After just few minutes you can see the label peeled off easily.  

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