reusing plastic dripper bottles?

Hi folks...

Does anyone reuse their plastic dripper bottles, or just chuck them away? I find the juice from previous mixes sometimes leaks into the flavours... which can be upsetting. As I mix my juice flavours randomly in batches of 10 and don't label them (a surprise in every bottle this way), I don't know how to find which to put similar flavours into.

Rather just go to glass? Or is there a way to clean them?

 

I never reuse. Always just get a handful every few orders.

 

I reuse them from time to time a soak over night and then let them dry and air out is mostly ok. It depends whats been in them of coarse.

 

I reuse both glass and plastic - just chuck them in the ultrasonic cleaner with some 'finish' liquid for dishwashers - come out 100% odor free....
(Cleaning eyedroppers is a pain in the but though unless you can pull of the bulb in such a fashion you can put it back on again )

 

I also use an ultrasonic and along with the dishwashing liquid I also put in a few drops of Milton's sterilising solution.

Before I got my ultrasonic I used to rinse them out with cold water then fill them up with white vinegar and leave them to stand overnight. Next day I'd empty out the vinegar and then put a few of drops of dishwashing liquid into each bottle 3/4 fill with hot water, shake, empty, rinse and leave to air dry. Rarely had to throw one out but as Coalminer said, it does depend what's been in them and if soaking in vinegar overnight doesn't do the trick and I could still smell the previous juice, in the bin it went.

 

To avoid breakdown and leaching of the plastic, you should probably only re-use plastic bottles a few times, and limit the number of chemicals and temperature changes you submit them to.

 

Hope I'm not hijacking the thread...but what ultrasonic cleaner would you recommend?

 

I have this one from here New 1.3L Digital Ultrasonic Cleaner Jewelry Watch Glass Power 60W with Heater

very happy with it

Search 'ultrasonic cleaners' on the forum and you'll get a few more suggestions including this one on ebay which appears popular with many

1 3L Ultrasonic Cleaner Stainless Steel Tank Mechanical Industrial Grade Jewelry | eBay

 

Dan Murphy's also has a fine collection of larger bottles you can reuse
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Although they lack a child proof cap!

 

I'm with Vapetoomuch on this one regarding the breakdown of the plastic and have observed what he's (apologies if a "she") saying. A bit of heat too many times on the hard PET and they start to shrink and go brittle (as in steeping). I re-use mine probably 3 or 4 times and then I bin them. A good clean, dry overnight and they are good to go. Once they get a hard "dent" in them, they are cactus be.comse they will split along the dent.

Now the soft plastic bottles are a different kettle of fish. I find these absolutely great and have re-used over a dozen times with no ill effects. They will handle steeping heat no problems. They do not retain smell or odours like the hard ones, maybe I should say instead that they clean out a lot easier in regards to smell/odour retention. If anything the nozzles give out before the bottle does. Whenever possible I grab these if I see them available when I do an order. IMHO.
Hard Bottles score 6/10
Soft bottles score 9/10

Cheers
Sodd

 

Geez, I'm picking up loads in this thread. You guys rock. (and I can stop buying bottles now. 100ish should be enough)

 

I prеfеr LDPЕ plаstiс bоttlеs, but will grudgingly usе glаss bоttlеs.

If а vеndоr usеs PЕT bоttlеs thеn thеy will prоbаbly nеvеr sее а sесоnd оrdеr frоm mе.

Yоu'rе right аbоut thоsе 5ml bоttlеs. I hаvе big hаnds аnd а vеry strоng grip, but trying tо gеt thе lаst bit оut оf оnе оf thоsе bоttlеs is аlmоst impоssiblе.

 

I don't feel the need of reusing the dripper bottles. I get new ones every time I buy. Therefore, I don't store them. Anyone in this forum who likes to store them? I would like to ask you that what is the need of storing them?

 

I chuck them after each use. The mixing of flavors is an issue with them. I can't stand bad mixtures, so I use new ones each time.

 

I think it's fine to reuse them, why replace what isn't broken.