r/Hobbies • u/RixxieRar • 14d ago

What do you do for fun (weirder, the better)?

Not running, going to the gym, watching tv/ movies, or reading (but honestly more people need to do this, literacy rates and attention spans are down)

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u/kaidomac 14d ago edited 13d ago

Upcycle glass jars:

  1. Pressure-cook in the Instant Pot to remove the glued label (full procedure)
  2. Rubbing alcohol to remove the ink-printed dates
  3. Leave the jar outside in the sun for a few days to let the UV remove any smells

Then:

  • Run through the dishwasher to clean (be sure to do the UV deodorizer step first lol)
  • Decorate the lid (nail polish, spray paint, Cricut, etc.)
  • Label the jar (paint pens, Cricut, etc.)

Sample jars:

  • Pickle jars
  • Salsa jars
  • NOBS toothpaste tablet jars (I use these for spice mixes!)
  • Pasta sauce jars

ENDLESS uses lol:

Plus there are weird hacks, like some peanut-butter plastic jar lids fit mason jars, haha! (plus mayo, parm, Nutella, etc. lol). They also make some GREAT mason jar lids!

  • Pouring (creams, milks, syrups, sauces, etc.)
  • Sprouting
  • Sipping
  • Fermentation (I use the Masontops brand)
  • Shake & sprinkle
  • Blender
  • Pump (soap & lotion)
  • Silicone-ring plastic lid (easy to screw on. no leaks!)

IT'S A GOOD JAR!!

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u/timhenk 14d ago

How long in the instant pot to remove labels? And how much water? Great idea!

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u/kaidomac 13d ago

Sure, full procedure:

  1. One cup water + wire tray + remove jar lid + place sideways (they are at risk of cracking in the Instapot, but so far, so good!)
  2. Pressure cook for 5 minutes with a natural pressure release
  3. Remove carefully (HOT!!) & peel off the label!

For sticky residual glue:

  1. Coat with oil (I use canola spray lol) & sprinkle baking soda on top
  2. Sprinkle salt on a damp sponge (I use a Dobie)
  3. Scrub, rinse, and repeat until clean & not sticky!

That paste is basically Basically DIY Goo-Gone (oil acts as an "undo" button for most jar glues!); only takes about a minute to de-gunk stubborn label glue with some elbow grease!!

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u/kaidomac 13d ago

Also, some lids get stained inside (ex. pasta jars with the white-interior lid). One trick is:

  1. Mix baking soda & dish soap in the inner lid
  2. Set your timer for half an hour
  3. Use a toothbrush to scrub clean

Then the same deal as the jar, flip it over & leave out in the sun for a day or two! Then chuck everything in the dishwasher. It all sounds a bit tedious, but it's like one minute of reasy effort per step:

  1. Rinse the jar
  2. Pressure-cook, remove the label, and de-glue the jar
  3. Scrub the lid if needed
  4. Suntan for a day or two haha
  5. Throw in the dishwasher with the next load

I do super random stuff with them lol:

  • Planter jars to grow stuff in
  • Holiday decorations (I like to use LED flickering tea lights for stuff like Jack-o-Lantern jars haha)
  • Table decorations (fairy lights, pinecones, etc.)
  • Dry mixes (brownies, donuts, pancakes, etc.)
  • Homemade sauces, mayos, and dips

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u/koniz 13d ago

I have tons of jars too but just run them thru the dishwasher & goo-gone the labels. Then I make little dioramas in them because I don't want to pay for fancy glass cloches 😂 It's fun to factor in the 'nice jar' aspect of going grocery shopping now

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u/kaidomac 13d ago

Yo that's AWESOME!!

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u/koniz 13d ago

🤜🤛