There are a lot of different methods and cleaning products out there for getting the label and adhesive off of something like an old banana pepper jar, but for our tried and true method, you’ll need just two common household ingredients and a few kitchen tools. 

What you’ll need:

• Baking soda
• Cooking oil
• Copper scrubber
• Small Bowl
• Spoon

Start by putting a tiny amount of baking soda and a splash of cooking oil into your bowl (no need to be super precise here!). Then, mix together and adjust proportions until you have a paste-like consistency in your bowl. Do your best to remove most of the shiny label or sticker on your container and then apply your paste using your spoon to the entire area of the label adhesive and paper. Let sit for at least five minutes and then use your copper scrubber and some elbow grease to scrub away all of the remaining residue. Run under hot water to remove any lingering debris and oil and you’ll have yourself a beautiful shiny jar! 

An issue that many run into with reusing their jars is that lingering smell creeping into the cap and adding unwanted residual odors. Again, there are many methods out there for dealing with this issue but we have one that is super easy and uses something that most people already have hanging around in their kitchen. 

What you’ll need:

• Coffee grounds or baking soda
• Time

Simply spread coffee grounds onto the lid of your container, screw on the cap, flip upside down and let sit for a few days to a few weeks, taking a sniff every now and again to assess deodorization progress.

It can put a damper on your routines when your mist or pump bottles start to clog up. Instead of replacing them, you can follow some easy steps to get them back in working shape. And although the products that we sell do contain preservative systems designed to prevent things like mold, yeast or fungus from growing inside your bottle, those preservatives are naturally derived and will only work to their full potential when outside contaminants like dust, water or residue from another product are not present. We recommend using the method listed below to do a yearly refresh on your refill bottles to preserve and protect the life of the products that go inside. 

What you’ll need:

• Rubbing alcohol 
• Dish soap
• Water
• 2 small bowls
• Towel

Remove the top from your container and clean the bottom portion of your container with hot water and soap. All glass bottles purchased from Green Life Trading Co. can be run through the dishwasher. Prepare a small bowl with very warm water and some dish soap and take your clogged or ready-to-be-sanitized top and put the straw portion in the soapy water. Begin to pump or mist the top into a towel and repeat the process ten to fifteen times or until you have sufficiently cleared the clog. 

Next, prepare some rubbing alcohol in a small bowl, place your top’s straw in the bowl and again pump or mist ten to fifteen times into a towel. Wait for the rubbing alcohol to evaporate and your top will be sanitized and ready to use for the next year!