Can Liquid Laundry Detergent Bottles Be Recycled?

Regularly doing laundry is a part of most of our lives – an unpleasant but necessary part. So if there’s one industry that isn’t going to face a depression any time soon, it is the laundry detergent industry.

No matter who you are, you have to buy laundry detergent at some point.

And because of the convenience they provide, most of us prefer using liquid detergents.

But what are you supposed to do with all those laundry detergent bottles once their contents are finished? Can you recycle them?

That’s what we’re going to talk about today.

Can you recycle laundry detergent bottles?

Some facilities even compensate you for recycling these bottles.

Do you need to wash out liquid detergent bottles before recycling them?

While it isn’t compulsory to wash out your liquid detergent bottles before recycling them, it is advisable to do so – it makes recycling easier.

How do you properly dispose of liquid detergent bottles?

The best way to dispose of liquid detergent bottles is by recycling them.

To properly do so, follow the following steps:

1. Open the bottle, fill it with warm water, and allow it to sit for 30 minutes.
2. Pour out the water and rinse the bottle until it’s no longer foamy – you can use a brush to remove detergent from hard-to-reach areas. Remember to rinse its cap as well.
3. Turn the open bottle upside down and allow it to dry. Air-dry the cap as well.
4. Check the bottom of your bottle to find out what type of plastic it’s made of.
5. Check with your curbside recycling whether they accept the indicated type of plastic. If they don’t, find another facility that you can send them to.

What can you do with plastic laundry detergent bottles and caps?

If you live far from the nearest recycling facility that accepts laundry detergent bottles, you can choose to reuse them and their caps instead.

Here are a few ways you can do this:

Refill the bottle with detergent

This is one of the easiest ways to reuse your laundry detergent bottles. You can fill them with homemade detergent or detergent that comes packed in a box or nylon.

Use the bottle and cap as a planter

After cleaning your laundry detergent bottle and cutting out its top, you can easily fill it with a potting mixture and plant some herbs or flowers. You can also clean out its cap and use it to plant some small herbs.

Make a watering can

You can make this by thoroughly washing both your bottle and cap, closing the bottle, then drilling tiny holes in the cap. Afterward, you can fill the bottle with water, close it tightly, and use it to water your plants.

Use the empty bottles as organizers

If you’re looking for somewhere to store your pens, you can use an empty laundry detergent bottle. Just clean it and cut off its top beforehand.

Recycle or reuse!

Ultimately, always seek to recycle or reuse your laundry detergent bottles – these are the only sustainable paths available right now!