Easily Clean Labels Off Of Glass Jars Using Nothing But Water

Got an empty jar of pasta sauce waiting to be tossed in the bin? Before you get rid of it, consider reusing it in your home. Glass jars are incredibly versatile. You can use old jars to declutter and organize your pantry, transform them into planters, candle holders, or art supply containers. To enhance its aesthetic appeal, most people remove the label that the jar came with — as much as we love Alfredo sauce, it doesn't need to be part of our home decor. However, the glue can be quite stubborn and leave a sticky residue on the jar that is difficult to remove. A TikTok video by @livingplanetfriendly shows the easy trick to removing glass jar labels without chemicals or mess simply by submerging it in hot water. 

Reusing your glass jars has a bigger environmental impact than you may realize. It's commonly believed that glass is more eco-friendly than plastic and other forms of packaging, but that's not necessarily the case. Though glass is technically recyclable, it is no longer accepted as a recyclable product in some places because it ends up in broken pieces, which makes it harmful and difficult to sort. Often, glass is simply sent to the landfill. In fact, Recycle Across America says that 28 billion glass bottles and jars make it to landfills every year, the same as filling two Empire State Buildings to the brim every three weeks. Reusing your jar will not only divert potential landfill waste, but also prevent the CO2 emissions and save energy that would be otherwise used to process it.

For this easy trick, all you need is hot water and a container that is larger than your jar. Place the glass jar inside of the container and fill both the jar and the container with hot water. The hot water will melt the glue and make the label easier to peel off. Do not use boiling water as glass is sensitive to rapid temperature changes and could break. Let the water sit for five minutes, and then pour it out or reuse it. According to the video, the label will come off easily without residue left behind. The TikToker uses a steel wool pad to scrub off the extra sticky bits. If you don't have one, try blotting some nail polish onto a cloth to remove the remnants.

One of the downsides of reusing a glass jar is the leftover smell of the contents that was previously inside. Be it pickles, salsa, or pasta sauce, the aroma of leftover ingredients may not be ideal if you plan to reuse old glass jars around the house. Thankfully, you can easily deodorize it with dish soap, baking soda, or coarse salt. After washing the jar thoroughly with soap and letting it dry, fill the contents with a small amount of baking soda and water.  Screw the jar lid on and shake the mixture around, then scrub the inside with a dishwashing brush, empty, and rinse.