Things You Didn’t Know Were Reusable

Did you know that the average American produces 4.5 pounds of trash daily? That’s a lot of waste! To make things worse, a good portion of the waste we generate is recyclable or reusable.

Unfortunately, most people don’t know what’s recyclable or reusable and what’s not. To avoid the risk of contaminating the entire recycling bin or taking on a futile project, they toss everything in the trash instead.

Fortunately, all it takes to mend this problem is a bit of education. To help you reuse more and toss less, here are a few everyday things you didn’t know were reusable and a few ideas on how you can reuse them.

Toothbrushes

You should replace toothbrushes every three months. There are dozens of ways to reuse old toothbrushes. You can cover them with baking soda or bleach and use them to clean the grout in your kitchen or bathroom, for example.

Have rambunctious kids that love to draw on the walls? Use old toothbrushes to wipe those unsightly crayon marks away. If you brush the wall with toothpaste, the marks will magically disappear. After wiping away your children’s crayon drawings, hand them some canvases (or paper) and a toothbrush covered in paint and let them express themselves in a less destructive way.

Drink Cans

The next thing you didn’t know was reusable is an aluminum can. There’s nothing better than a nice, refreshing drink, especially on a sweltering summer day. But once you’re done with your drink, what do you do with the can? Most aluminum cans are recyclable, so you can toss them into the recycling bin. But you can also take them home with you and use them to make a creative craft. You can use drink cans to make planters, jewelry, incense holders, holiday ornaments, and more.

What about the stacks of stale cans in your garage? Those are useful, too. Unused beer cans are especially versatile. You can use beer in your bath or even to make a compass. Then, you can use the cans to make some of the crafts listed above.

Candles

Candles are a fantastic way to add ambiance to any room. But they don’t last forever. Once the wick has burned out, what do you do with the candles?

Candle wax has thousands of uses. You can use it to make an air freshener, a wine cork, or a waxy pin cushion. Have an old door that won’t stop squeaking? Rubbing wax on the hinges will grease them up and stop them from rubbing against each other. As for the candle jars, why not turn them into a pencil holder, a planter, or a flower vase?

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