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I thought I could repurpose some baby food jars (some from spices, one that contained chocolate topping...) from when I had my teeth extracted to hold buttons or other craft supplies. The problem - despite being run through the dishwasher multiple times and soaking in soapy water for hours - they still smell like their original contents. I think it might be the lids? I don't want my buttons smelling like baby peaches, LOL.
Any thoughts anyone? Have anyone else successfully repurposed baby food jars r other glass containers with lids?
How about if you try soaking them in a solution of vinegar and water - it might work. I'd use about a cup of vinegar (white or cider) to about a 1/2 sink full of water.
Crafty Math Chick.....As Post #2 says, soak in vinegar (white), but first take out the inner part of the lids. They are usually a soft material of some sort. You may need to scrap or carefully cut it out. That would be the part that would hold the smell.
I have a baby food jar carosol/lazy susan. It is perfect for holding buttons! I have mine all seperated by color. They also hold all kinds of embellishments! Love repurposing baby food jars. My jars were so old the smell had finally worn out of them, but just before I used them for my crafts, I ran them through the dishwasher again. The lids I had in a drawer and didn't use for years. (hoarder)? LOL! But now they are put to good use.
Vinegar is strong smelling at first, but then if fades away rather quickly and leaves a no-scent smell and is very clean! I am falling in love with Vinegar all over again for many purposes. It also gets rid of ants!! This spring I had those tiny ants come in from somewhere by my kitchen window. I went to a website and at www.thefrugallife.com I found an excellent no-chemical way to get rid of ants! Spray a solution of vinegar and water along the counter edges and window edges--the vinegar does something to the ants "radar system" the instinct they have to go back and forth from their food source to their ant homes. They get lost. Then they don't come back!
Anyway vinegar is a great way to get rid of odors!
Hmmmm... I peeled the liner out of one of the baby food jars - this also removed the ridges needed to secure the top in place, so when I turned the jar upside down, the lid just fell right off. Not good for storage. :(
My husband says to just recycle the glass on base and buy new bottles (but then I am throwing out the lids, I can't recycle them on base, and I hve noidea where to purchase empty small bottles nearby).
I will go out and get some white vinegar and try half the bottles & lids that way and the other half with Val's newspaper and see which works. I wonder how long you have to soak or stuff to get the scent out? Ideas ladies?
I second the newspaper idea. During one of our cross-country moves, we stuffed our empty refrigerator with newspaper before putting it on the moving truck. It took us 3 days for the move, and when we got there, and put the fridge in the house, it didn't smell like they usually do after sitting empty for a few days. So it does work. The other thing you can do (but it costs more) is to use vanilla (the real stuff). It will not only remove the offensive odor, but make your jars smell really good. Just put a tablespoon in the bottom of each jar and put the lid on and leave it for a couple of days. Then rinse and let dry. I reuse canning jars to hold ribbon and such in my craft room, and eventually the smell does go away. But really, I enjoyed the smell of strawberry jam every time I opened the jar. I guess I'm just weird. LOL
Would soaking the jars & lids with a solution of baking soda and water work? I always keep a box of baking soda in the refrig. I also put a box in the microwave so my microwave oven never smells like popcorn or whatever food was heated in it. (My daughter laughs at me but it works!)
Crafty Math Chick....If you take a small paring knife you can remove just the inner part of the lid (flat part) without removing the screw part on the sides.
Before going the above route, just try soaking the lids in vinegar. Then wash the lids in the dishwasher to get rid of residual vinegar odor.
Time is the best factor in this. Eventually that smell will go away! I haven't noticed a baby food smell in my jars, but my jars are old. When I store old jars, I always keep the lids separate because of the smell factor. That includes canning jars, pretty olive oil jars and all repurposed jars. Have patience the smell will go away! Try the dishwasher again, and dry lids in the sun. If that doesn't work then try that newspaper trick. Good Luck!
my jars are not that old and i have not noticed any odors. after you wash the lids, leave them off the jar for awhile, until they are completely dry. and put them somewhere so they won't hold moisture....lay them flat in the dish rack until they're dry. hope that helps!
BTW...Have you tried those new plastic baby food containers? They have a cool snap on lid! LOVE them, especially for BRADS!
Those are so awesome! I had my SIL save quite a few of them for me. They are also great for beads and buttons. I've also used them as a disposable container when using paint on something - if I need to take a break before done, I don't worry about spills because the lids snaps on securely, and I don't feel guilty about throwing it away when I'm done.
Okay, now they are stuffed with newspaper with the lids on. I will leave them that way for... 3 days?... then run them through the dishwasher again and hopefully they will be fragrance free!
Anyone know a good way to get the glue off the glass? Goo Gone? Is it easy to use?
I was going to put labels around them but I would rather be able to see all the pretty buttons in the jar for easy identification, and there are glue glob on the sides here and there.
Use acetone or alcohol to remove glue from glass. Don't know how I would craft without a bottle of nail polish remover on my desk. I use it on my scissors when they get sticky from cutting out rubber stamps. Also for removing the adhesive from lables.
Here is how I clean any stubborn smelling jar/lid since I use these all of the time for sewing supplies as well as papercrafting supplies. I have a plastic coffee can that I have almost straight vinegar in. Then I soak the jar and the lid with the lid on the coffee can for several days. Don't toss the vinegar. I just put the lid on the coffee can and store it in the laundry room until the next time. I then run them through the dishwasher and that removes all the vinegar smell. There have been times that some of the lids (particularly spag sauce lids) will still have a smell. So then I put a bunch of lids in the vinegar tub together for several more days. Another cool tip is to use a nail sanding block to sand the paint of the lid. You end up with a really neat brushed metal lid. The goo gone will take adhesive off very easily. I wash the jar with hot soapy water and then run it through the dishwasher and that gets rid of the goo gone residue.
Sadly, the crumpled newspaper did not work. I am shocked if it works for smelly sneakers and refridgerators! I left it in there for 4 days I think.
I used Goo Gone to get the glue gobs off (worked like a charm, but used up the whole bottle, it was tiny). Now I just have to decide if I am going to use them or throw the lids away and recycle the glass. I don't mind my buttons smelling like Smucker's chocolate topping, but baby peaches? IDK...
Now I am trying not only to still salvage these baby food jars, but some Ball mason jars that used to have spaghetti sauce in them and some salsa jars as well - I like that they have fat, wide mouths at the top and it is easier to pour things out of them (and put them back in). But STILL no luck with removing the original food smell from the lids! I have tried...
-Dishwasher
-Soaking in vinegar
-Crumpled up newspaper
-Oxy clean
all to no avail. I am afraid to try bleach because I am a clutz and fear I will spill it all over and ruin yet more of my clothing.
ANYONE have a new suggestion? I REALLY like those salsa jars and spaghetti jars but the smell REALLY sticks to those lids - and they have been through the dishwasher once followed by two Oxy Clean soakings.
I am wondering if you have a really good nose or are smelly them extremely closely. I put my lids through the dishwasher and just never noticed an odor. But then, I do not pick them up and sniff. I just hope they are sanitized and think they are as good as they are going to get.
I am wondering if you have a really good nose or are smelly them extremely closely. I put my lids through the dishwasher and just never noticed an odor. But then, I do not pick them up and sniff. I just hope they are sanitized and think they are as good as they are going to get.
I am smelling them closely, LOL. Because when I put the baby food lids back on the jars with buttons inside - all the buttons smelled like baby food when I went to use them. NOT what I want in a button.
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Oh my, I have no idea how to get the smell out but wanted to thank you for the great chuckle I got from all this! (I know, I'm weird...) You gave me a case of the giggles here. Good luck with your jars!
Usually I would suggest vinegar and/or newspaper but they haven't worked for you. My only other idea (but I have not tried it) is to fill up the jars with baking soda (the one often put in refrigerators to absorb odors) and tightly close the lid. Leave it for as long as possible and hope it works.
...Okay, althought baby food jar lids were not specifically mentioned in the list Jody was kind enough to provide (LOL), I turned each lid upside down and sprinkled baking soda into each one. I wonder how long I am supposed to let it sit there?
Hoping this works, I really like these jars and have put so much work into them already...
What if you set them out in the sun for 3 or 4 days, direct sun??
Well, considering the off the charts pollen we are having this time of year, I really don't want to try this right now. Maybe I can try it in the fall if I have more jar lids? Thanks though.
In my experience, the only way to get rid of the remaining odor in the seal on the lids of all these jars is to wash them thoroughly (dishwasher is fine) and then leave the lids OFF for some time. Eventually the smell disappears and it may take weeks. But anything that you try with the lids ON will never remove the odor because you have the majority of the seal trapped against the jar and the smell just will never go away, or be absorbed by whatever you try.
The glass is impervious to odors so put the clean jars aside somewhere safe and put the lids in the open air and let them sit...and be patient. It doesn't happen quickly.
Then I must say that there are a small amount of odors that just never come out of the seal, and there are some seals that absorb odors more readily. So some of those lids may never lose the smell.
In my experience, the only way to get rid of the remaining odor in the seal on the lids of all these jars is to wash them thoroughly (dishwasher is fine) and then leave the lids OFF for some time. Eventually the smell disappears and it may take weeks. But anything that you try with the lids ON will never remove the odor because you have the majority of the seal trapped against the jar and the smell just will never go away, or be absorbed by whatever you try.
The glass is impervious to odors so put the clean jars aside somewhere safe and put the lids in the open air and let them sit...and be patient. It doesn't happen quickly.
Then I must say that there are a small amount of odors that just never come out of the seal, and there are some seals that absorb odors more readily. So some of those lids may never lose the smell.
Thanks for the input Diane - the baby food jar lids have been off for months, still smell like baby food. The spaghetti sauce and salsa ones are relatively new... IDK... they are upside down on the counter filled with baking soda, I am hoping it will work. I don't want salsa or tomato sauce scented buttons. :(
...I wonder where I would purchase scented oil these days?...
...I used to see them in a mall store called 'The Body Shop' years and years ago, haven't seen one of those in ages and don't live near a mall with one...
Hmmm...
I sniffed the baking soda lids - several salsa and spaghetti sauce ones still smell pretty strongly. Sigh... :(
I have NO idea if this would work? I love it though! Smells kind of like baby powder. May take a few rounds of it to get the smell out, but it seems like you've tried everything else. I suppose you could use it stronger instead of diluted?
BTW - I am not a consultant, just love the product.
I have NO idea if this would work? I love it though! Smells kind of like baby powder. May take a few rounds of it to get the smell out, but it seems like you've tried everything else. I suppose you could use it stronger instead of diluted?
BTW - I am not a consultant, just love the product.
Interesting! Thanks for the suggestion. Today I purchased some gardenia scented oil when I was at Tuesday morning (it looked like the most concentrated scent - I wanted lavendar or jasmine or lemongrass, but this is fine). If it does not work maybe I will give this a try.
Interesting! Thanks for the suggestion. Today I purchased some gardenia scented oil when I was at Tuesday morning (it looked like the most concentrated scent - I wanted lavendar or jasmine or lemongrass, but this is fine). If it does not work maybe I will give this a try.
Thanks!
I read about the oil earlier - my one concern would be about it getting on your ribbon and staining it, or getting droplets on buttons then onto your cardstock (or whatever you're embellishing).
I assume you would have to clean them really well afterwards?
Repurposing Baby Food Jars
