The Secret to Saving Money: Don’t Toss That Old Cooking Oil!

20 October, 2024

Cooking oil is one of the essential ingredients in every household, indispensable in daily meals. Many families often opt for large bottles of cooking oil, not only for convenience in cooking but also to save costs, as a larger bottle is usually cheaper compared to buying multiple smaller ones.

When the cooking oil bottle is empty, many people tend to discard it immediately. Although recycling and reusing containers has become common, some still mistakenly believe that because the oil bottles are usually greasy, keeping them would serve no purpose. However, reusing them can open up many creative and environmentally friendly opportunities.

Reusing cooking oil bottles can lead to creative and eco-friendly solutions.

In reality, used cooking oil bottles are not simply trash, as many might assume. If thoroughly cleaned and utilized rationally, these empty bottles can become versatile tools, helping you save money and solve everyday problems.

Cleaning Cooking Oil Bottles

To make the most of cooking oil bottles, it’s crucial to ensure they are entirely empty and free of any residual oil. Therefore, cleaning them is the first and necessary step before recycling or reusing. This process is actually simple and doesn’t require much effort.

First, prepare two pieces of tissue paper, tear them into small pieces, and put them into the bottle. Then, add a handful of rice and pour in clean water to about one-fifth of the bottle’s volume. Tightly close the bottle and shake vigorously for about 3 to 4 minutes to wash away any remaining oil. Finally, pour out the entire mixture and rinse the bottle a few times with clean water until it’s completely clean and oil-free.

It’s important to ensure the bottle is entirely empty and free of oil residue.

Once cleaned, you can proceed to “transform” the oil bottle by cutting it into four parts. After cutting, wash the pieces again with clean water and dry them with a cloth. Note that the cut edges can be sharp, so be careful and trim them if necessary to avoid injuries.

You can cut the cleaned oil bottle into four useful parts.

Ways to Use Cooking Oil Bottles

Food Storage

After being cut into sections, cooking oil bottles can become handy tools for food storage in the refrigerator. A notable benefit is that you can easily stack these sections, not only helping to preserve food but also maximizing storage space. This is indeed a convenient solution, providing two advantages in one.

Apart from using them in the fridge, you can also employ this method to store food outside. The cut oil bottles can effectively prevent flies, mosquitoes, and other insects from contaminating your food, keeping it clean and safe.

Cut oil bottles can be used for food storage both inside and outside the refrigerator.

Paper Towel Dispenser

You can recycle the top part of an empty cooking oil bottle (the part with the handle) into a very convenient paper towel dispenser. First, make two symmetrical holes on either side of the top, just large enough for chopsticks. Next, insert a paper towel roll into the bottle and thread the chopsticks through the holes. With these two simple steps, you’ve created a useful paper towel holder.

Thanks to the handle design, you can easily hang the dispenser in necessary places like the bathroom or kitchen. With this dispenser, you have a neat, clean, and completely free solution for your paper towels.