Tip: How to Prep Mason Jars for Upcycling! ~ Diane's Vintage Zest!

Tip: How to Prep Mason Jars for Upcycling!


I love Mason jars!  I mean, I only have a few crafty DIY tutorials on the blog and the majority of them are jar-related.  :)  After yesterday's post on the DIY coffee grounds scrub, I wanted to show you a simple way to package it up in an upcycled Mason jar!


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Growing up at home, we always recycled everything, mostly because my mom didn't like throwing things away destined for a landfill and the city picked up the recyclable items from our house.  Easy peasy!

However, when I moved to Nashville, recycling was so much harder because I would have to lug everything down to my car and bring it to the recycling center and heave it into huge bins.  I still did it, but sometimes it would be a month before I would drive over.  What ended up happening was that I would accumulate all kinds of jars (pasta sauce, peaches, sun-dried tomatoes, etc.) in the meantime.

It quickly occurred to me that I could reuse them and cut my trips to the recycling center!  I started storing candy, office supplies, and all kinds of things in them.  :)  Now, I'm a jar upcycling fool, and I would love to show you how I upcycle my jars!




First of all, you might be lucky to find a jar with a pretty lid and a label that peels right off.  However, I found that most of the time you end up with a jar that has a brand name all over it, glue all over it, and the manufacturer print.  I'll teach you how to remove all the ickiness and leave you with something pretty!


What You Will Need


Tips for Prepping Mason Jars for Upcycling on Diane's Vintage Zest!


Directions
1.  Remove your labels.  Most of the time I only need to rip them off, but sometimes I soak them to remove stubborn bits of paper.

2.  Wash your jar with warm soapy water inside and out!


Removing the print:

3.  Fold your paper towel a few times so it is slightly thicker.

4.  Apply a few drops of Goo Gone to the paper towel and scrub back and forth until the print is completely gone.


Tips for Prepping Mason Jars for Upcycling on Diane's Vintage Zest!
Steps 2 - 4


Removing stuck-on glue:

5.  If the jar is easy, you can just rub the same paper towel with Goo Gone over the glue, and it will disappear!

6.  However, sometimes the glue will not be removed and you will need to rub it with Steel Wool, which will remove the top layer of glue.  Be careful not to scratch the glass!  Then, follow up with more Goo Gone to remove the remaining bits of glue.


Tips for Prepping Mason Jars for Upcycling on Diane's Vintage Zest!


Painting the lid:

7.  All you have to do is use your favorite spray paint!  I do not recommend reusing the jars for food, because the spray paint is not safe.


Tips for Prepping Mason Jars for Upcycling on Diane's Vintage Zest!


I like to use my spray paint gun to make everything easier!  Lesson learned after my hand was tired after the DIY jewelry organization. :)


Tips for Prepping Mason Jars for Upcycling on Diane's Vintage Zest!


So much prettier!


Tips for Prepping Mason Jars for Upcycling on Diane's Vintage Zest!


That's it!  Now you are all done with your pretty jar, and you can use it for whatever you like.  :)


Tips for Prepping Mason Jars for Upcycling on Diane's Vintage Zest!
By the way, I'll share the deal with those orange peels later!  :)

*Update* Here is my post about recycling orange peels into a lovely chemical-free cleaner!


That's it!  I'm not sure how many of you upcycle your jars, but I hope more of you try it out!

What are you going to use your upcycled jars for?




This post contains affiliate links, meaning that if you make a purchase using one of the links, a small commission will go to support Vintage Zest.  I will only recommend sites with products that I think you will love and enjoy!

37 comments:

  1. I can't throw away a jar either. We can't recycle glass here. I had a pretty olive oil bottle that i turned into a vase for some leftover sunflowers from a wreath.

    I'd love it if you shared this at Whayd You Do This Weekend tomorrow on Tumbleweed Contessa. www.tumbleweedcontessa.com

    Linda

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  2. Oh really? I never heard of not being able to recycle glass! I'm so glad to see another repurposing fan! :)

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  3. This Christmas I spent over $30 on jars for gifts. Next Christmas I will be recycling jars I have shared all year! Thanks so much for the clean up tips.

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  4. I use old jars for everything! Dry goods like rice, quinoa, beans, oatmeal... I use them for homemade pickles and jams... I even use the small ones to hold my loose leaf tea! Thanks for the tutorial on how to get that printing off!

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  5. A fellow jar hoarder! :) You're welcome and thanks for visiting!

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  6. I love this! I've started using old jars for almost everything, so this will definitely come in handy!

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  7. Always enjoy upcycling jars! Here were a couple: http://www.re-creations.biz/2014/01/14/finding-ways-to-reuse/


    Thanks for the tip about using Goo Gone for the print! I use it for the stubborn labels, but didn't know about the print! :)

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  8. You're welcome! Cute projects on your site! :)

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  9. Thanks for taking the time to check me out!!! :)

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  10. Thanks for this - I have several jars waiting to be cleaned. Please hurry with the deal with the orange peels. I love Clementines and have dried the peels for air freshener, but clueless about what else they can be used for.

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  11. You're welcome! A-ha, I have a taker on my orange peel tease... :)

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  12. You're welcome! You should check out the tumblers I upcycled when I couldn't remove the logo. It might give you another idea... http://www.vintagezest.com/2013/05/mini-mason-jar-tumblers-with-faux.html

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  13. Awesome! Thanks for sending that along.

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  14. I love up cycling jars, love this. Thanks for sharing on the weekend re-Treat link party.

    Britni @ Play. Party. Pin.

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  15. My friend used recycled mason jars to place homemade hot chocolate in them and gave them out as party favors for their baby shower! I love it so much i save the jar after i made the hot chocolate!
    <3 from Easy sweetheart sugar link up party!

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  16. Like you, I have a whole cabinet full of pretty jars ready to upcycle. I use them to give the neighbors and friends baked treats in. Thanks for sharing at Inspire Us Thursday on Organized 31.

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  17. Thanks for hosting and featuring me! :)

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  18. Wonderful idea. I never thought of painting the lids. I have tons of buttons that would be great for this!

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  19. Thanks for this great post. I, too, love jar up-cycling and really had no idea that the print would come off so easily with Goo Gone. That's probably my favorite tip. Since I most use my for food storage, I'm not sure what I'll do about the lids...

    Sarah's
    Fare recently posted → <a
    href="
    http://sarahsfare.com/creamy-tomato-soup/”>Creamy Tomato Soup</a>

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  20. I find that WD 40 is great for removing the sticky residue left from labels. I too recycle jars. They are great for sending home soup with the grandkids or to someone not feeling well.

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  21. Thanks for the tips!!
    Check out my new link up and post your best thrifty idea!
    Www.mywaytofitandfab.blogspot.com

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  22. Great tips! Seriously need some of the that goo gone stat! Thanks for sharing on Sunday FUNday!

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  23. thanks for sharing. I never thought of using steel wool to remove glue. Thanks for the tip.

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  24. Great tips! I never thought to use Goo Gone on ink! Thank you for sharing it with us...Pinned to the party board! :)

    Marti

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  25. Of course! Thanks for visiting. :)

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  26. Yep! So far it has worked every time for me, sometimes with a bit of effort. I hope that you find it useful! :)

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  27. Not sure if you saw the orange peel post, but here it is! :) Diane's Vintage Zest!: DIY Homemade Orange Cleaner: Easy & Chemical-Free!

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  28. I horde the Classico jars too, have tons of them, I just love the mason impressions! Thanks for the tip on getting that stamp off of them - I'll be breaking out the goo gone!.. checking out the orange peel recipe too, just bought a bag of mandarins!

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  29. Yes, aren't they pretty! Most people don't realize that they are hiding that prettiness underneath the label.

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