Finally found a use for all those glass pasta sauce jars after 3 months
I've been hoarding these things since February thinking I'd find some clever use for them, but they just kept piling up in my basement. Finally last week I got around to using them as bulk food storage for my pantry. I buy rice and oats from the bulk bin at the co-op, and these jars are perfect for keeping bugs out and stuff fresh. The hardest part was getting the labels off honestly, I soaked them in hot water and vinegar for like 2 days before they peeled clean. Now I've got 15 jars all lined up looking neat and I don't have to buy any plastic containers. Has anyone else found a trick for removing stubborn glue residue on glass jars that doesn't involve harsh chemicals?
The hot water and vinegar trick works fine, but it takes forever for that sticky glue to give up. A little dab of cooking oil or peanut butter rubbed into the residue can break it down faster than you'd think. Just let it sit for five minutes then scrub with a sponge, no harsh chemicals needed. Actually, the glass jars are better than plastic for bulk storage since glass doesn't hold onto smells from past contents.
Wait, peanut butter? That won't make the jars smell like peanut butter for the next 20 years? I accidentally stored garlic in a jar that had pickle smell once and ruined a whole batch of rice.