Decorative Glass Bottles – Good for Home and The Environment

If you like to shop garage sales, then you’ve most likely come across some beautiful decorative glass bottles. Or maybe you’ve shopped at TJ Maxx or Ross and found some nice new glass vessels.

Whatever the case, decorative glass bottles are an easy way to spruce up your home décor, at very little cost.

Decorative Bottles Come in All Sizes and Colors

It used to be that bottles were pretty standard and utilitarian. Spaghetti sauce, spices and liquor came in bottles that were clear and boring.

Today, glass vessels are available in a wide variety of colors and styles. Decorative glass bottles can be blue, green, red, purple, yellow, and a mixture of these colors. Artists will create hand-blown vessels with several colors incorporated into their design.

It’s even possible to paint glass bottles to enhance your interior design theme. Visit your local hobby or craft store to find paint that can be used on glass.

What Can You Do With Decorative Bottles?

Many of us remember a window sill in Grandpa’s or old Auntie Jane’s house that had a collection of antique blue glass bottles. The sun shone through that blue, and it was so beautiful!

That style of decorating is returning, and many people have created their own decorative glass bottles shelf or display. Today bottles come in all shapes and sizes, from the tall wine bottle style to short, round vessels to even flat glass receptacles.

These bottle varieties allow you to create looks that include depth and texture, which is a hot button in today’s home decorating trends.

For those who are more practical, bottles can be used for a variety of purposes. Smaller bottles are excellent for storing bulk spices obtained from the local health food store. Taller receptacles make a nice display for flavored vinegars, oils or liquors. Some people choose to use their decorative glass bottles as vases, oil lamps or reed diffusers. Some vessels are perfect for storing flour, sugar and tea.

There is no right or wrong use for decorative bottles.

I like to use tall bottles for my oil collection. I have a deep green glass wine receptacle for extra virgin olive oil, a decorative clear bottle for regular olive oil that I use for cooking, and a yellow bottle for corn oil. This use of my vessels makes it easy for me to choose the right oil at a glance.

How to Clean Glass Bottles

Many of my bottles have come from garage sales or flea markets, and unfortunately they often come with years of accumulated grime.

Since many glass receptacles come with narrow necks, it can be tough to clean the inside. A bottle brush often does not reach down deep inside the bottle where the dirt is caked.

I’ve found a few tricks to help get rid of dirt deep inside a tall vessel. First of all, simply soak the bottle in very hot water. This will loosen up the dirt. Secondly, pour in 1-2 teaspoons of dried brown rice along with a dash of dish soap. Fill the bottle about 1/3 of the way with hot water, and shake the bottle vigorously (holding your thumb over the top).

Another alternative to the brown rice is sand or crushed egg shells. You may have to repeat this procedure a few times to get all of the dirt out of the bottom of your receptacle.

Recycling Glass Bottles is Good for the Environment

Re-using bottles is a great idea for the environment. Not only do you potentially remove a bottle from the landfill, but you also put it to good use.

Did you know that recycling a glass receptacle can save enough energy to light a 100 watt bulb for as much as 4 hours? Every bottle makes a difference.

With a little ingenuity and creativity, you can use decorative glass bottles to adorn your home as well as help the environment.