by Texas Homesteader
Recently RancherMan & I needed a spray bottle to fill with iodine for our cattle from time to time, such as newborn calves’ umbilical cords, etc.
I hated to spend the money on a small lightweight spray bottle. But I found a trick to getting better spray bottles for cheaper. Check out this clever Homestead Hack for saving a few bucks if you find yourself in the same position…
How To Find Repurposed Spray Bottles For Free
In the past we’ve had family members save us their empty heavier-duty spray bottles. We’ve simply rinsed out and repurposed for whatever need we had. It keeps a used spray bottle out of the landfill while still filling our need.
But this time there were no repurposed spray bottles to be had. So we were faced with buying one.
First we searched at our local big-box store while we were there to pick up other things. We did find small spray bottles but I was displeased at their price.
Really?? For a small, lightweight empty bottle??
A Less Expensive Spray Bottle Purchase Option
Then later when we were driving by an “Everything’s a Dollar” store we decided to stop in and see if they had spray bottles for less cash there.
Of course they did but instead of picking it up and feeling all clever and proud of myself for saving a few bucks, something just didn’t seem right.
These spray bottles were indeed inexpensive, but they were so lightweight and flimsy. It would probably work for our purpose, but for how long? Hummmm…
A Better Solution Than Buying An Empty Spray Bottle
Then the little light bulb went off in my head. Hey, EVERYTHING in here is $1, why don’t we buy a spray bottle with something already IN it?
RancherMan & I walked to the cleaner isle and he found some glass cleaner in a very heavy-duty spray bottle that will work quite nicely for us. He frequently uses cleaner in his shop and his container is almost empty.
So we’ll be able to refill that container when it’s empty with the contents of this new spray bottle. When our new spray bottle is empty we’ll simply wash it out, fill it with iodine, relabel the bottle & use it for our new purpose.
Two important notes
-
- Of course you never want to mix chemicals so be sure to practice safety. Always wash out your container before filling it with anything else.
- And also always label with the correct contents.
So if you find yourself needing a spray bottle for various purposes around your own home, think outside the box.
First ask family members to save their empties for you. They’ll be happy to do it and it’s an easy and inexpensive way to repurpose.
Repurposing Is good for you, good for the environment.
If no one has a used spray bottle and you find like us that you must purchase one – buy something you know you’ll use anyway in a spray bottle. A Two-Fer win since you’re not plunking down your money on an empty bottle!
~TxH~
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Great idea!
Great Idea! Thanks for Linking up on My 2 Favorite Things on Thursday! Hope to see you again! Pinned!
Great idea! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that. Thanks for sharing with us at the Merry Monday Link Party! Hope to see you again on Sunday night! :0)
Now, WHY didn’t I think of that? Heh. I used to be able to go to a recycling drop off, where they had open bins for the collection of plastic bottles ONLY, but people would leave all kinds of plastic stuff there. Stuff that would only go to the landfill because they weren’t asking for anything but bottles. I’d find plastic buckets, toys, lawn furniture, flower pots, and I’d feel like I was helping by taking it home because at least I was keeping it out of the landfill. Then one day we arrived to find that someone had dumped off huge chunks of tree trunk on them. What an act of selfishness! After that, they started locking the gates when the area could not be manned, and they put different bins out that were closed in and had small access openings. That put an end to my getting a lot of great stuff. I think I can still get buckets, when I get so I need more, by going to local bakeries and asking, but the idea of buying something I might use that’s already in a container that I could also use is the essence of simplicity. Thanks for your post.
I’ve heard of that ilene – where the recycling areas are open for others to be able to use some of those items that others had no further use for. The ultimate repurposing plan! Too bad some have ruined it for all… I’d really love to get my hands on buckets, I keep hearing you can go to bakeries and get them but living out here in the boondocks we don’t have any bakeries around us. I wonder if I could go to the bakery section of the grocery store in a nearby town? Hummm…. ~TxH~
Know anyone that has a cat and uses kitty litter? Yellow buckets with a nice handle.
Some people buy laundry soap in big buckets at the big box stores. I mix my own soap so that’s out. Automotive places get stuff in buckets, and contractors, but you have to be careful with those, might not be safe bcause of what they had in them.
OMGosh ilene, we have one of those square kitty litter buckets that we use to haul cattle feed to the troughs with. I’ve put out a request for any cat owners to save them for me so we can replace one that got broke a few months back but I heard they didn’t think they sold kitty litter in buckets anymore. I’ll be sure to put out the call again – those are awesome! I’m still trying to find a bakery close enough to us out here in the boonies where I can inquire about the availability of icing buckets. I’d love to have some! ~TxH~
I got round white buckets once at a garage sale that had had swimming pool chemicals in them. They smelled of chlorine for awhile, but chlorine’s a gas and it dissipates after awhile. I haven’t used them yet, been using the daylights out of the kitty litter buckets though. I hadn’t heard that about them not coming in buckets anymore. They still sell them on Amazon. The 37-pound pail is the tallest and holds probably 5 gallons. There’s a 27 pound pail that marked $12.99 and the bucket, I’d estimate, holds about 3 gallons. I have some of both sizes. This is a good price considering shipping is free for the 27 pound pail. Not for the 37 pound one though. Prices on Amazon change daily but if you have any friends that have cats maybe you could convince them to order some. I have to go to WMT in a few days, I’ll find out if they’re still selling Tidy Cat in buckets. We use those big jugs, too. They’re good for filling with water. The lid keeps the water from sloshing out. We use them when we need to water new trees that are pretty far from the house, and sometimes during droughts I’ll save my bathwater in them and use that water for flowerbeds. I’ve even poured them into the washing machine and washed a load of clothes with the water. Kinda heavy, though, unless you’ve got your arm muscles built up. Heh! The handle is the first thing to go brittle on the jugs (and yeah, it’s the handle that breaks first on the buckets, too), but then the jug makes a good wintersowing container. It’s a shame the landfill doesn’t let people in to “scavenge”. My grandparents did that, ‘way back in the 50’s and 60’s. Gram would come home with some pretty neat treasures sometimes. Our landfill doesn’t allow it. Such a waste.
Hey, your roving bucket reporter here. Just got home from WMT and Food Pyramid (used to be Albertsons — do you have those where you are??) and they do still sell kitty litter in yellow buckets. We’re in northeastern Okla here.
How clever! The empty spray bottles never really work well, so I’ll be re-purposing the old ones. Thanks for linking up with Thursday Favorite Things!
Clever! I bought one of those flimsy spray bottles for $1 last summer, but I felt kind of silly spending that money on an empty bottle. Next time I’ll spend my money better!
Most of the spritzer tops will fit vinegar bottle which I prefer to use as I add essential oils to them. Just a thought.