Like many people, you probably drink a lot of bottled water and soda. This means you have a lot of leftover plastic bottles. Instead of throwing your plastic bottles in the trash, use them for a better recycling purpose. Whether you believe it or not, plastic bottles are useful for many spaces around the house. Here are some great uses for plastic bottles that you may not think of.
1. Storage containers
For this method, start by cutting the bottom of two plastic bottles. Attach a zipper to the top edge of one of the bottle bottoms. Attach the remaining half of the zipper to the top edge of the other bottle bottom. Close the zipper and use the container to hold small items. You can also cut one bottle in half, attach half of the zipper to one of the two edges, and use it to store longer items.
2. Foam toy
Cut off the bottom 3cm of an unused child’s sock. Slide the sock up onto the top half of the bottle with the cut-off bottom. Mix a solution of shampoo and water, and dip the sock into the soapy solution. Blow through the mouth of the bottle to create foam. This is a great toy idea for your active kids at home.
Cut and remove the middle part of a bottle, leaving one third of the top and one third of the bottom. Insert the top part into the bottom part of the bottle and cut four 1cm diameter holes evenly around the top part. Attach the mouth of other bottles onto the holes. Now you can place your toothbrushes and toothpaste into these holes.
4. Water filter
Cut the mouth and cap off a 1-liter plastic bottle. Pour sand into the bottom and set it aside. Cut the bottle in half and cut a hole at the top. This top part is the one you cut the mouth off and insert it upside down into the bottom half of the bottle. Cut a 1cm hole at the top of the bottom half and attach the mouth of the bottle onto the hole. Add a mini filter set and pour water into the filter. Now you have instant purified water.
5. DIY fruit press
For this recycling item, you’ll need a 1.5-liter plastic bottle and a larger plastic bottle. Rotate the top half of the 1.5-liter bottle upside down into the bottom of the larger bottle. Place two square rods at a right angle to each other through the bottles to secure the smaller bottle firmly. The bottom of the 1.5-liter bottle is the contact surface with the fruit for juice pressing. The squeezed juice from the fruit will flow straight into the large bottle for a larger area.
6. Lampshade
Divide the plastic bottle by one-third. Cut off the top third. Poke one hole in the bottle cap and thread it out, placing a slot from the hole to one side of the cap. Spray the inside of the cap with white paint, and use the same or a different color on the outside. Paint the cap the same color, or a contrasting bold color. Tape around the bottom edge of the bottle top with electrical tape. Insert a lamp socket with a wire through the slot you cut into the cap and replace the cap. Screw in a light bulb and plug it in. Place it wherever you need lighting in your home.
7. Plastic cup
This recycling item requires a plastic bottle, a permanent marker, cutting tools, and a pair of scissors. Mark where you need to cut on the bottle with a permanent marker, making sure to cut off the bottom third of the bottle while leaving a 4cm long and 1cm wide piece extending along the length of the bottle. At the top, cut out a 1cm wide piece around the circumference of the bottle.
Bend the long piece into a handle and attach it to the bottom half of the bottle. Now you have a cup to use for drinking water.
Source: homehacks