How To Reuse Jars - Get Rid Of Stickers From Plastic And Glass

Many a time, grocery items are packed in lovely jars. I love to reuse these jars for storing kitchen stuff but hate the stickers on them. Recently, when I tried cleaning them by soaking in water and then applying elbow grease, I was rewarded with half torn stickers which looked even shabbier! I wasn't able to throw away the jars because of the 3Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) but at the same time, I couldn't get myself to use them. 

Then I turned to omniscient Google. (Is there anything that google can't answer!!) Google recommended to apply oil / peanut butter on stickers and leave them for 24 hours. I had a bottle of used oil - the leftover after frying - and I was delighted to use it in some manner.

Here's how I went about the whole process and you can too:

1. Apply oil liberally on sticker with brush or finger. Rub it well on edges. 

2. Let the jar stand for 12 hours. 

3. After the wait, try peeling the sticker from one of the edges. Chances are, it will come off partially. Repeat the process from all 4 corners. 

4. If the sticker doesn't come off fully, don't despair. Rub oil all over again, with more emphasis on the edges and let it stand for next 12 hours. 

5. This time, the sticker should come off fully. If there are still a few traces, you can reapply oil. 

6. Wash the jars with warm soapy water. 

My jars looked as good as new. And without any ungainly scratches too! I was so happy with a job well done. The cherry on the cake was that there was absolutely no elbow grease required. This is a frustration-free and foolproof method to get rid of stickers both from plastic and glass bottles. 

So what are you waiting for? Get going!

The King of Houseplants

Are you the kind of person:

• Who aches to have a dash of natural green in her house but has no time to fuss over it?

• Who manages to kill even deadwood?

• Whose fingers are the very antithesis of green?

• Who has bouts of amnesia and forgets to water plants or is a trave bug and leaves plants to fend for themselves?

Then, ladies and gentlemen here's THE plant which is my latest heartthrob from the plant kingdom.

Aloe Vera, also called as Gwarpatha or Ghrit Kumari

High on goodness and low on maintenance, it's a paragon of virtue. When I was away from home for a week and left aloe vera pots standing in a tub filled with water, they were alright after my return. Even if they are left without this arrangement, they turn a little off-color and less succulent but a week's TLC is enough to bring them back to their former glory.

I like to describe aloe vera as a gel that grows naturally, has no expiry date and comes with eco-friendly packaging. You just have to cut a leaf and scoop out the gooey goodness. 

The gel is antibacterial and moisturizing. It has a cooling effect and is very good for cuts and burns. I have regularly used its gel for my face and body. It is good for hair too. When my daughter was in nappies, I used it for her diaper rashes. It works great for urine infections. Aloe vera is good for constipation, inflammation, and arthritis. No doubt, the gel is avidly used both in cosmetic and natural medicine industry.

This gel is edible and is used in various forms. It can be had as a drink or eaten raw. My Mom eats it as a salad. In Rajasthan, where it is found in abundance, it is cooked as a sabzi. I also saw this being used avidly in Singapore where it was sold in supermarket veggie shelves. There were aloe vera yogurts and juices. But the most interesting gastronomical use was as an ice cream topping! 

To top it all, aloe vera has been recommended by NASA as one of the top indoor air cleaning plants. So what are you waiting for? Just borrow a sapling from a friend and get the goodness home!