12/02/2026
Some plastic bottles are really well designed.
They’re worth reusing.
This is my go-to way to remove sticky label residue so bottles can be refilled and used again — it works every time, with things most of us already have at home.
You’ll need:
– Bicarbonate of soda
– Kitchen cooking oil (sunflower, olive, vegetable — whatever you have)
– Wire wool
(A scouring pad works too, but I find wire wool most effective if you have it.)
Mix the oil and bicarbonate into a paste, rub it over the residue, leave for a few minutes, then wipe clean. No pastry brush needed — your fingers work just fine.
Glass bottles are brilliant for many things, but for washing-up liquid I still prefer a squeezy bottle. Plastic does that job really well. Reusing what we already have, then refilling at places like .sustainable.goods, feels like a good middle ground — fewer bottles to landfill, without losing the convenience modern living demands.
Small habits. Thoughtful choices.
✨ Learn it. Do it. Love it.
