What to with our empty glass bottles.

What to with our empty glass bottles.

When we designed our iconic packaging in 2007, we first considered using glass bottles instead of plastic. But the fragility, extra weight (and shipping costs) ultimately led us to the more practical plastic.

NOT ALL PLASTICS ARE CREATED EQUAL. Our PET plastic bottles look and behave like glass, which means they can be reused and refilled almost indefinitely. They are rated PET 1 (the most readily recyclable) and have waterproof/UV-resistant labels, so they'll look as handsome as the day you bought them for years to come.

We encourage you to keep your spray bottles and refill them with our waterless refill concentrates. Each 100ml bottle makes two full-size spray bottles. Adding water at home means they cost less to ship, which saves money and reduces plastic waste. Smart.

Still, many of you want to minimize plastic packaging, and we get it!

Besides their obvious eco-cred, glass bottles are beautiful, infinitely versatile, and have many other practical uses beyond cleaning. I have amber glass bottles in almost every room in my house, and this is how I use them:

 

IN THE BATHROOM

My hair seems to get bigger overnight, so I start every day by spritzing it with a little hair oil and filtered water before scraping it back into a firm ponytail and holding it there while I exercise. Peter sprays his hair to brush it back when he has an early video call and doesn't have time to shower. We use the same bottle at the moment, but I'm going to make my own!

PAPER SPRAY: I also use a spray bottle filled with water and a tiny bit of hand soap in the WC to moisten toilet paper before I use it. It won't clog your drains like baby wipes, is better-looking, and far less polluting!

 

IN THE KITCHEN

HOMEMADE COOKING SPRAY: I'm just going to say it: I don’t like cooking spray. Flashbacks of Pam creep me out. Instead, I put a little olive oil into a spray bottle and use that instead. It lives in the pantry, and I reach for it if I’m frying or baking something. Spraying allows me to use less butter or oil while I'm cooking, and that's always a good thing.

THIN SAUCES: I've also seen people fill a spray bottle with soy sauce or fresh citrus juice to flavor their food, but I'm not that organized yet!

PRODUCE WASH: I mostly buy organic produce, but some things (like bananas or pomegranates) don't require a lot of pesticides, so I save money and buy the regular ones. I use a spray bottle filled with water and a tiny bit of Dish Soap to eliminate any pesticides or the ripening agent they use on fruit.

 

IN THE GARDEN

SPRITZING PLANTS: I'm an inveterate over-waterer. Instead of drowning my orchids and succulents with too much watering, I now give them a little spritz. I also got this moisture probe, and it's stopped me from loving most of my plants to death!

NATURAL WEED KILLER: I haven’t done this yet, but some people get rid of weeds poking through the concrete by spraying them with undiluted white vinegar. So much better than chemicals.

NATURAL CAR DE-ICER: Not a common problem for us in Los Angeles, but we’ve heard of some customers using them to clear ice from their windshields on frosty mornings.

 

A complete set of peel & stick Murchison-Hume labels made especially for use with our glass bottles. You can create our reusable bottles of whatever size and closure you want.

HOW TO APPLY THEM: Start with a clean & dry bottle. Apply the label from the middle and smooth it out to the edges. Don't worry, they can also be removed and re-positioned a few times, and there are multiples of each label in case you mess up.

 

The set includes 36 total labels:

 27 Small peel & stick labels

9 Large peel & stick labels

 

Small labels include:

3 Dish Soap

3 All-Purpose Cleaner

3 Glass Cleaner

3 Floor Cleaner

3 Superlative Hand Soap

6 Bathroom Cleaner

6 Customizable Murchison-Hume Logo

Large labels include:

3 Dish Soap

3 Superlative Hand Soap

3 Customizable Murchison-Hume Logo

 

Let's face it: Some of your favorite products have ugly packaging. Amber bottles are the workaround. I decant everything from Bulk spices to Shampoo into my amber glass bottles. TOP TIP: Use a Funnel to make decanting easier.

Get a few, decant, and revel in your organized joy.

 

Xx, mlk