how to clean a peanut butter or mayonaise jar the easy way!

[+Penlowe]

This topic came up on my art forum in a discussion of reusing and repurposing said jars for craft storage. As they seem to be popular for caches I thought I'd list my steps as I recycle all my peanut butter jars. With two grade school aged kids, we go through a lot of peanut butter.

 

1. make one more sandwich, really scrape as much of the condiment out as possible.

2. enjoy sandwich.

3. place jar in the kitchen sink and fill it all the way to overflowing with HOT water. as hot as you can get it.

4. then squirt a teaspoon of dish washing liquid into the full jar. (anything not in contact with the soapy water will not be clean)

5. put the lid on tight.

6. give the jar a little shake to activate the soap.

7. let sit for 24 hours. (really, this allows the natural chemical breakdown of the oils by the soap)

8. The next day, the condiment particles will have changed colors and settled at the bottom of the jar. Place a paper towel over the drain in your sink (unless you don't care about gunking up your pipes)and pour out the jar.

9. dispose of the gunk.

10. wash as you would any ordinary plastic item.

[+StarBrand]

We give our 'nearly' empty peanut butter jars to the local zoo where various chimps and monkeys enjoy the treat and retrieving it. Then they can dispose of the non-water tight jars as they see fit. Not popular in this area at all.

[+LukeTrocity]

We give our 'nearly' empty peanut butter jars to the local zoo where various chimps and monkeys enjoy the treat and retrieving it. Then they can dispose of the non-water tight jars as they see fit. Not popular in this area at all.

ROFL.

 

chimps love peanut butter almost as much as geocaching!

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

Personally, we recommend recycling those containers and using (true) Lock & Locks for geocaching.

[+the4dirtydogs]

Bleach and warm water works well. Then rinse again in warm water. That should get them clean.

[+TeamSeekAndWeShallFind]

Too funny !

 

Have you ever opened a cache container that REEKS of what was once in it and even if you love "the product," that it once held, the aroma of it makes you wanna puke if you're in the woods?

 

Why? What is it about the woods and the overwhelming smell of Oregano that don't mix? What is it about a lamppost skirt and the gagging aroma of pickles that don't mix?

 

I like Oregano and I like pickles BUT I don't wanna smell either when I open a cache !

[+A & J Tooling]

Your pipes won't clog if you squirt a little of that dishing washing liquid down 'em once in a while.

[+LizzyHoops]

I don't see why PB jars get such a bad rap on the forums. "OMG you used a PB jar, your soaking wet, smelly, ant covered cached will attract a bear and your FTF will vomit from the smell, be incapacitated by the millions of antbites that will cover his hand and then mauled by the bear."

 

But of course if you would have used a lock n lock, you cache would have been favorite by thousands and would last forever.

 

I've seen some pretty good PB Jar caches and some lousy (broken tabs, leaky, lid cracked) lock n locks. I know I'm still pretty new, but in my opinion lock n locks are nicer, but PB Jars are fine. Ammo cans however...do seem to last forever!

[+Penlowe]

My point was, when cleaned properly, a PB jar can be pretty useful again for all sorts of things. Those who don't know how to properly clean them will run into issues whether they are making a cache or storing nails in the garage.

[+edscott]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

[+entogeek]

PB jars vs Lock 'n Locks: The Debate

 

Need to completely eliminate smell of food from PB Jar vs not necessary with a new Lock 'n Lock

Tabs can break off Lock 'n Locks vs no tabs on PB Jars

Silicone gasket on Lock 'n Lock lid provides a good seal vs no gasket but deep lip on PBJ lid provides a good seal

Different sizes of Lock 'n Locks vs different sizes of PB jars

 

and finally

 

$4.99 for an empty Lock 'n Lock vs $4.99 for 1 kg of yummy PB

[+Chokecherry]

I get a little excited when I see the cache is a PB container honestly. I know the cache will be in good condition and more importantly dry. The local people who use them wash them well so no funk. And I have smelled the funk from a moldy barely washed garlic container or something. And the funk is amazing.

 

But all in all I've had a much better experience in our weather with the PB container versus the lock and lock.

[+Lil Devil]

I just use the lessons learned from camping and stick any food containers outside, open next to an ant hill. Leave it a day or two and the ants will completely clean out every bit of edible material. Then one wash through the dishwasher and all is good.

[+TreasureFerret]

If it were a peanut butter jar I would likely do what edscott said above and let my dog finish cleaning it As for mayonaise, well that's not really good for dogs so I suppose I'd have to go with the poster's cleaning method.

[knowschad]

I see that Lil Devil stole my ant hill idea, so I have nothing more to add except that Lil Devil has some great ideas.

[+TerraViators]

They're dishwasher safe. My family consumes the stuff and I use the containers. I personally think the thought of nut paste is disgusting, not to mention the texture of it. But, millions of kids around the world love it.

[AZcachemeister]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

 

That's what I was thinking...

[+Indotguy]

I've had great results with "sleeved" peanut butter cache containers.

I wash and soak them in hot soapy water and do a final rinse in pine oil cleaner to remove residual odors and repel critters. After drying I wrap a length of duct tape around the middle of the container and paint the lid and bottom flat black. The container is then "sleeved" inside a short section of gray PVC sewer pipe. (The duct tape helps keep the container inside the sleeve). Sometimes I camouflage the pipe a little with some black paint.

[+Tuena]

Peanut butter is not as popular as Vegemite in OZ but both jars would respond to your cleaning method. Having said that I've yet to see either jar used as a geocache container.

[+Snoogans]

This topic came up on my art forum in a discussion of reusing and repurposing said jars for craft storage. As they seem to be popular for caches I thought I'd list my steps as I recycle all my peanut butter jars. With two grade school aged kids, we go through a lot of peanut butter.

 

1. make one more sandwich, really scrape as much of the condiment out as possible.

2. enjoy sandwich.

3. place jar in the kitchen sink and fill it all the way to overflowing with HOT water. as hot as you can get it.

4. then squirt a teaspoon of dish washing liquid into the full jar. (anything not in contact with the soapy water will not be clean)

5. put the lid on tight.

6. give the jar a little shake to activate the soap.

7. let sit for 24 hours. (really, this allows the natural chemical breakdown of the oils by the soap)

8. The next day, the condiment particles will have changed colors and settled at the bottom of the jar. Place a paper towel over the drain in your sink (unless you don't care about gunking up your pipes)and pour out the jar.

9. dispose of the gunk.

10. wash as you would any ordinary plastic item.

 

Step #11 Fill again with 10% bleach solution, put it out in the garage and forget about it for a few days.

 

Step #12 Turn the container upsidedown in a sink and leave it for 24 more hours. If it didn't leak, ya got yourself a new cache container that won't attract any critters... (As long as no food residue remains on the outside as well.)

[knowschad]

Peanut butter is not as popular as Vegemite in OZ but both jars would respond to your cleaning method. Having said that I've yet to see either jar used as a geocache container.

I'm not even sure where I would find Vegemite here in the U.S., but peanut butter is ubiquitous.

 

BTW, am I the only one that thinks that Vegemite should either be a rock, or an explosive?

[+nittanycopa]

This topic came up on my art forum in a discussion of reusing and repurposing said jars for craft storage. As they seem to be popular for caches I thought I'd list my steps as I recycle all my peanut butter jars. With two grade school aged kids, we go through a lot of peanut butter.

 

1. make one more sandwich, really scrape as much of the condiment out as possible.

2. enjoy sandwich.

3. place jar in the kitchen sink and fill it all the way to overflowing with HOT water. as hot as you can get it.

4. then squirt a teaspoon of dish washing liquid into the full jar. (anything not in contact with the soapy water will not be clean)

5. put the lid on tight.

6. give the jar a little shake to activate the soap.

7. let sit for 24 hours. (really, this allows the natural chemical breakdown of the oils by the soap)

8. The next day, the condiment particles will have changed colors and settled at the bottom of the jar. Place a paper towel over the drain in your sink (unless you don't care about gunking up your pipes)and pour out the jar.

9. dispose of the gunk.

10. wash as you would any ordinary plastic item.

 

Step #11 Fill again with 10% bleach solution, put it out in the garage and forget about it for a few days.

 

Step #12 Turn the container upsidedown in a sink and leave it for 24 more hours. If it didn't leak, ya got yourself a new cache container that won't attract any critters... (As long as no food residue remains on the outside as well.)

 

Read my mind. A simple bleach solution works wonders on food containers.

[+Snoogans]

Peanut butter is not as popular as Vegemite in OZ but both jars would respond to your cleaning method. Having said that I've yet to see either jar used as a geocache container.

I'm not even sure where I would find Vegemite here in the U.S., but peanut butter is ubiquitous.

 

BTW, am I the only one that thinks that Vegemite should either be a rock, or an explosive?

 

Just a brand name.

 

I think I threw away the jar of Marmite that I had planned to use as a geocache. I was gonna call it "Chunder". Cachers familiar with Aussie slang would have gotten the joke.

 

Edited April 11, 2011 by Snoogans

[+bflentje]

Short of being fully submersed in water, I can only name one instance where a peanut butter jar had failed me. And that's because the container was warped from being put in the dishwasher. Beyond that, I've hidden dozens and dozens of them. No wet logs and no critter damage.

[+Mick-n-Nick]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

 

 

Seriously off-topic, but every time I glance at your avatar using my peripheral vision, I see an elephant's trunk turned up at the end...then I look again and realize it's a compass on a rock. Yet I still see the elephant's trunk the next time. Very clever picture!

 

Edited: Trying to add the avatar

Edited April 11, 2011 by Mick-n-Nick

[+Snoogans]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

 

 

Seriously off-topic, but every time I glance at your avatar using my peripheral vision, I see an elephant's trunk turned up at the end...then I look again and realize it's a compass on a rock. Yet I still see the elephant's trunk the next time. Very clever picture!

 

Edited: Trying to add the avatar

 

Great! Just great... Now I alternatly see either a lamprey mouth or a condom. Thanks for the mind fork.

[+a2n]

Thanks for taking the time to post the good advice on cleaning out the jar.

Works just great.

If you give the plastic a light sanding on the outside, you can do a nice cammo paint job on them too.

[+Hammerkill Saga]

My favorite way to clean a peanut butter jar is to use an ammo can.

[+A & J Tooling]

My favorite way to clean a peanut butter jar is to use an ammo can.

Now that is plain and simple. The best choice.

[+the4dirtydogs]

My favorite way to clean a peanut butter jar is to use an ammo can.

Must be one of those micro ammo cans to be able to fit inside the PB jar. So what do you do? Put the ammo can in there and shake it or something. Does that get the smell out as well?

[+sbell111]

Step 1: Dishwasher

Step 2: Bleach soak

Step 3: Scribble on a piece of paper. Toss paper in jar. Screw on lid. Toss jar in garden. Open jar after next rain. If it is dry inside, you have a good container. If not, toss jar in recycling bag.

Edited April 12, 2011 by sbell111

[knowschad]

Peanut butter is not as popular as Vegemite in OZ but both jars would respond to your cleaning method. Having said that I've yet to see either jar used as a geocache container.

I'm not even sure where I would find Vegemite here in the U.S., but peanut butter is ubiquitous.

 

BTW, am I the only one that thinks that Vegemite should either be a rock, or an explosive?

 

Just a brand name.

 

I think I threw away the jar of Marmite that I had planned to use as a geocache. I was gonna call it "Chunder". Cachers familiar with Aussie slang would have gotten the joke.

 

I know what it is (although not what it tastes like). Vegemite also sounds like an explosive to me.

[knowschad]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

 

 

Seriously off-topic, but every time I glance at your avatar using my peripheral vision, I see an elephant's trunk turned up at the end...then I look again and realize it's a compass on a rock. Yet I still see the elephant's trunk the next time. Very clever picture!

 

Ahhhh... that's what it is! Thanks. I always see the elephant's trunk, too! Edited April 11, 2011 by knowschad

[GOF and Bacall]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

 

 

Seriously off-topic, but every time I glance at your avatar using my peripheral vision, I see an elephant's trunk turned up at the end...then I look again and realize it's a compass on a rock. Yet I still see the elephant's trunk the next time. Very clever picture!

 

Ahhhh... that's what it is! Thanks. I always see the elephant's trunk, too!

 

I don't see it. Looks like a compass on a map to me.

[+Castle Mischief]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

 

 

Seriously off-topic, but every time I glance at your avatar using my peripheral vision, I see an elephant's trunk turned up at the end...then I look again and realize it's a compass on a rock. Yet I still see the elephant's trunk the next time. Very clever picture!

 

Ahhhh... that's what it is! Thanks. I always see the elephant's trunk, too!

 

I don't see it. Looks like a compass on a map to me.

 

I've always seen the lamprey mouth.

[knowschad]

I'll bet a lamprey or an elephant could clean a peanut butter jar in record time!

[+M 5]

I've used 2 of the big JIF plastic jars. Cleaned them with dish soap several times. Left on the counter a couple of days with bleach water. Ran soap through one more time and have had 1 out for a little over a year and one out almost 2 years. No smell and no wet logs. They seem to work great to me. I've also had a racquetball container, that is very similar to a PB jar and it is exposed to every type of weather, out for over 2 years with absolutely no problems with moisture.

[+CachinStrattons]

I personally think the thought of nut paste is disgusting

[+sbell111]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

 

 

Seriously off-topic, but every time I glance at your avatar using my peripheral vision, I see an elephant's trunk turned up at the end...then I look again and realize it's a compass on a rock. Yet I still see the elephant's trunk the next time. Very clever picture!

 

Ahhhh... that's what it is! Thanks. I always see the elephant's trunk, too!

 

I don't see it. Looks like a compass on a map to me.

 

I've always seen the lamprey mouth.

I was going to say I saw a duckie and a horsie, but I changed my mind.

Edited April 12, 2011 by sbell111

[Mr.Yuck]

I've used 2 of the big JIF plastic jars. Cleaned them with dish soap several times. Left on the counter a couple of days with bleach water. Ran soap through one more time and have had 1 out for a little over a year and one out almost 2 years. No smell and no wet logs. They seem to work great to me. I've also had a racquetball container, that is very similar to a PB jar and it is exposed to every type of weather, out for over 2 years with absolutely no problems with moisture.

 

Sounds good for the clean up. Screw-top plastic containers are highly underrated, in my opinion. I think they are excellent, despite the fact I see very few in my neck of the woods.

[+GeoGeeBee]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

 

 

Seriously off-topic, but every time I glance at your avatar using my peripheral vision, I see an elephant's trunk turned up at the end...then I look again and realize it's a compass on a rock. Yet I still see the elephant's trunk the next time. Very clever picture!

 

Ahhhh... that's what it is! Thanks. I always see the elephant's trunk, too!

 

I don't see it. Looks like a compass on a map to me.

 

I've always seen the lamprey mouth.

I was going to say I saw a duckie and a horsie, but I changed my mind.

I see the stoning of St. Stephen. With the Apostle Paul standing off to one side.

[+sbell111]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

 

 

Seriously off-topic, but every time I glance at your avatar using my peripheral vision, I see an elephant's trunk turned up at the end...then I look again and realize it's a compass on a rock. Yet I still see the elephant's trunk the next time. Very clever picture!

 

Ahhhh... that's what it is! Thanks. I always see the elephant's trunk, too!

 

I don't see it. Looks like a compass on a map to me.

 

I've always seen the lamprey mouth.

I was going to say I saw a duckie and a horsie, but I changed my mind.

I see the stoning of St. Stephen. With the Apostle Paul standing off to one side.

[+bflentje]

My dog does a good cleaning job before I recycle it.

 

 

Seriously off-topic, but every time I glance at your avatar using my peripheral vision, I see an elephant's trunk turned up at the end...then I look again and realize it's a compass on a rock. Yet I still see the elephant's trunk the next time. Very clever picture!

 

Ahhhh... that's what it is! Thanks. I always see the elephant's trunk, too!

 

I don't see it. Looks like a compass on a map to me.

 

I've always seen the lamprey mouth.

I was going to say I saw a duckie and a horsie, but I changed my mind.

I see the stoning of St. Stephen. With the Apostle Paul standing off to one side.

 

Another topic railroaded with useless babble..

[+Castle Mischief]

Another topic railroaded with useless babble..

 

Thank goodness you caught it in time!

[+bflentje]

Another topic railroaded with useless babble..

 

Thank goodness you caught it in time!

 

Yeah. But unlike you, I usually work throughout the day and can't possibly keep up with.

[+Castle Mischief]

Another topic railroaded with useless babble..

 

Thank goodness you caught it in time!

 

Yeah. But unlike you, I usually work throughout the day and can't possibly keep up with.

 

Man, I can't thank you enough for taking the time out of your busy day to help get this thread back on topic. You're the bees knees.

[+sbell111]

Another topic railroaded with useless babble..

That pretty much started with post number 2. At least we waited until plenty of viable alternives were given.

 

It should also be noted that a little levity thrown into threads here and there is very healthy for the forum community.

Edited April 12, 2011 by sbell111

[+Thrak]

Another topic railroaded with useless babble..

 

Thank goodness you caught it in time!

 

Yeah. But unlike you, I usually work throughout the day and can't possibly keep up with.

 

Man, I can't thank you enough for taking the time out of your busy day to help get this thread back on topic. You're the bees knees.

 

I beg to differ. I would have said the cat's pajamas.

 

I never saw the lamprey or the elephant or any of those things. I always though it was the second gunman on the grassy knoll.

[thehowats]

This topic came up on my art forum in a discussion of reusing and repurposing said jars for craft storage. As they seem to be popular for caches I thought I'd list my steps as I recycle all my peanut butter jars. With two grade school aged kids, we go through a lot of peanut butter.

 

1. make one more sandwich, really scrape as much of the condiment out as possible.

2. enjoy sandwich.

3. place jar in the kitchen sink and fill it all the way to overflowing with HOT water. as hot as you can get it.

4. then squirt a teaspoon of dish washing liquid into the full jar. (anything not in contact with the soapy water will not be clean)

5. put the lid on tight.

6. give the jar a little shake to activate the soap.

7. let sit for 24 hours. (really, this allows the natural chemical breakdown of the oils by the soap)

8. The next day, the condiment particles will have changed colors and settled at the bottom of the jar. Place a paper towel over the drain in your sink (unless you don't care about gunking up your pipes)and pour out the jar.

9. dispose of the gunk.

10. wash as you would any ordinary plastic item.

[thehowats]

Something to take into consideration. Because its hard to be sure you've removed all oils, a pb jar... while a great storage size... creates the issue of allergic reactions for those with peanutbutter allergies. Even worse for those who to caching and touch something that might still have residual oils on it, and then they touch their eyes or mouth, or food. Same with crafting supplies, if those supplies may ever leave your house and possibly come into contact with an allergic kid. I know you can't protect them at all costs, but we can at least do our part by using something other than the container that holds what is becoming a very fast growing and widely spread allergen.