I cleaned my room this weekend. It was bad. So bad, I was afraid someone might turn me in to Clean House. It was so bad that I couldn’t walk to the bathroom in the night without possibly dying. If DH heard me stir, he’d flip on the light to save my life. He’s like a brave knight ready to save me from any peril. It was so bad that when I told my kids to clean their rooms, they gave me a look like, “Seriously? Have you looked at your own room?” Though none of them were brave enough to say it out loud.
My 6 year old went around with a clip board and a piece of paper marking down grades for everyone’s room. I couldn’t read his interpretation of cursive, but he assured me my marks weren’t good.
My room had become the dumping ground for construction stuff and extra furniture from the dining room and family room, but even then it didn’t have to be this ridiculous. As I shoveled my way to sparkling surfaces, I found 3 bottles of pump cocoa butter. I love this stuff for smoothing out stretch marks (combined with body brushing, and Holly’s workouts) But 3 bottles, why? 2 of them were mostly empty, but I knew there was good stuff in there. Too much to just throw away. But I never took the time to figure out how to get it out, until today.
A simple straight razor took the top right off. Then I used a small cooking spatula to scrape the bottles clean. I put the lotion into a small lidded container that I can keep in my closet to use up over the next 2 weeks. It was so fast and easy I’ll definitely do it again. Only this time I won’t wait so long. Can you see other applications for this? Shampoo, conditioner, lipgloss….what else? Do you save the last bits of product? Or do you just toss it?
Been doing this for years! Alot of lotions kling to the inside of plastic bottles. Amazing how much is left inside.
Sandy Swanson You are awesome! This is the first time I’ve done it–it was amazing how much I got out of the bottle.
This is brilliant! Can’t believe I haven’t thought of this before.
I worked with a CAD tech last year that cut the top of a lotion tube with a pair of scissors, took some out, turned the cut top around, for a temporary cap, until all the lotion was used.
been doing this for years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was a follower and reader of the Tightwad Gazette(the frugal zealot) when it was still in publication…so I’ve done it for years too…always amazed at how much clings to the sides no matter what delivery style the bottle has. I get another 4-7 days out of toothpaste tubes as well by cutting the tube in thirds and keeping them in a small baggie ’til there is “nary a spec” on them :0
I save everything, and cut it open use it up. From toothpaste, lotion, soap, shampoo. I spatula out every tube, container etc. Girl my kids think I’m a nut but when I show them how much I would of thrown out, they realized how much money that would have been. I even find them bringing me things to see if I can use it, squeeze out more or repurpose. We don’t have but a half can of garbage for the garbage man each week as opposed to our neighbors whose are always overflowing. Blessings
Brenda, Good for you. The kids might laugh now, but when they are older I’ll bet they do it too, lol.
Yes!! I learned this from my parents! (They’ve just started in recent years – I didn’t grow up witnessing it.) And yes, there is always at least a week’s worth of product in there!
I’m a scraper and my boyfriend is not. Makes me crazy that he wants to toss away a mayo, ketchup, mustard, etc. container with 2 TBLS still left at the bottom. I’m like, “No wait…we can make salad dressing with that!!!”
Have you see the tip to take your leftover sliver of bar soap and squish it on top of the new bar? I love that one because I don’t like throwing that 1/10 of a bar of soap away.
I might have to scrounge up some lidded containers– we tend to break the pumps on lotion containers and after they sit for weeks ( or months…) and get covered in lotion-y dust I pitch em! I haven’t cut my containers open before, but I do usually let the old bottles of shampoo, ketchup, syrup etc drip into the new container. But the expensive stuff usually comes in a tube!!
I have been doing that for over 10 years a former co-worker hipped me to how much lotion etc, remains in bottles
Sometimes you don’t need to cut the container open… conditioner, lotions, we add a little water and shake well. With the thicker moisturizers, you might have to do this more than once to get it all out. Better to add a little at a time than too much and have it watery and useless!
For liquid laundry detergent jugs I add a cup or so of water, shake it up, and let it sit for the bubbles to go down. Dish detergent, household cleaners– you’re already using a bucket or sink–just immerse the container to get it all out, including gunky tops/sprayer assemblies. Makes sense to do even with refillable containers to keep them functional and nice looking.
As a matter of fact I throw the plastic lid/measuring cup from laundry detergent in with the load each time. Why rinse out soap?! Or let it get sticky/dusty/nasty between uses? I usually see it and fish it out before the load goes in the dryer but the cups can go in there too. If it’s too loud knocking around in there you can find it and pull it out. I have a little basket holding multiple laundry bottle tops so one is always handy for the next load.
With roll-on products like deodorant, there’s quite a bit left in there. You just need to flip it over and store it upside down. I happened to remember the rough date I did that with my last deo because it was right before Thanksgiving– after a week or two, I thought it would run out any day (I did have a new one in on hand :)) but it lasted until Dec 31!!!
Hi Angela, I to have been doing this for years for any creams that come in tubes (toothpaste, hand cream, moisturizing lotions, eye creams, shampoos etc) . When the tube appears empty I cut across the top of the tube you can then squeeze the sides of the larger part of the tube to fit back inside the top part you have cut off and just scoop out what you need with a plastic spatula/spoon. If there is any product left in the top part you have cut off just scoop it into the bottom part. For rigid containers then like you I just slice them open and use the product straight from the cut container but cover with a plastic mug when not in use. I also use a lip brush to get the last out of lip balms or lipsticks, this way they last about 6 or more weeks. I live in the UK and had never heard of Mary Kay however since reading your blog and trying them, I am now a devotee to the products, so thank you for helping me with my skin as well as my finances! God bless you and your family, you are an inspiration to so many women. X
Gill, brillant. Great idea. I’m so glad you are enjoying Mary Kay. I <3 those products!
Have you heard of the Spatty and Spatty Daddy? They are tiny spatulas just for this reason! I saw it on Shark Tank. http://www.thespatty.com/products.cfm But cutting the bottle is definitely cheaper! 🙂 I’m sure there will be dollar store knock-offs soon enough.
I saw my daughter do this with her baby diaper ointment tubes and that stuff is not cheap..she got several more uses from them by cuttung them open!!