What to Do With Empty Perfume Bottles: A Guide to Recycling & Reusing

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Eco-friendly ways to repurpose old perfume bottles
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Finished with your cologne or perfume, but don’t know what to do with the bottle? Don’t let it go to waste! Recycling old perfume containers can protect ecosystems, save energy/natural resources, and reduce the waste sent to landfills. Plus, repurposing these bottles is a great way to show off your artistic side (and maybe even make some money). In this article, we’ll give you a comprehensive guide to recycling and reusing old perfume bottles: from cleaning them out to donating them to making your own creative DIY projects. Keep reading; even one recycled bottle can do some good for the planet.

Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Disassembling and Washing Perfume Bottles

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  1. Hold the perfume bottle on a level surface and use your fingers to pull straight up on the nozzle. Set the nozzle aside once it pops off if you plan on reusing it; if not, throw it out. [1]
    • Only standard spritzer tops need to be disassembled. Plug-style perfume tops do not have a nozzle, since you typically dab the perfume on yourself. If you’re trying to recycle a plug-style cologne, you can skip right to cleaning the bottle.
  2. Inspect the top of the perfume, and cut away any plastic encasing the metal with a knife or sharp scissors. Discard this plastic. Then, gently, use the edge of a knife or pliers to wiggle the base of the metal connector loose. [2]
    • The metal part of perfume bottles can be difficult to take apart. Try prying the metal upwards as you wiggle it left and right to loosen it.
    • Be gentle when applying pressure against the thin glass neck of the bottle. Too much force can cause it to chip.
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  3. Hold your perfume bottle securely with one hand, and use the other to grip the loosened metal with a pair of pliers. Apply gentle pressure, and pull the metal straight up until it comes off the perfume bottle. Once the metal has been removed, discard it. [3]
    • Try not to spill any remaining perfume in the bottle as you pull the metal connector off.
  4. Pour your perfume into another glass container if you intend to save it. (If you do, screw the new bottle’s top on as tightly as possible.) Pour any perfume you don’t want to save down the sink and rinse the drain with hot water. [4]
    • You can discard the remaining perfume in the trash if you like, but your garbage will have a strong scent until you take it out.
  5. Turn your sink on about halfway, so the stream of water is gentle and not too fast. Fill the perfume bottle with hot running water, and then dump it. Repeat the process at least twice. [5]
    • A strong stream of water may cause splashing and disperse the residual scent throughout your bathroom.
  6. To truly eliminate the scent and clean your perfume bottle , heat 1 ⁄ 2 cup (120 ml) of white vinegar in a mug in the microwave at 20-second intervals until it’s warm but not hot. Then, over your sink, pour the vinegar into your rinsed perfume bottle until it’s about ¾ full. Plug the opening to the bottle with your finger, and shake the bottle for 30 seconds. [6]
    • Once the bottle has been shaken, let the vinegar-filled bottle soak in the sink for at least an hour to remove its scent.
    • After an hour, pour the used vinegar down the drain and rinse the vinegar away with water to dissipate any residual smell.
  7. Fill your sink with hot water deep enough to cover your perfume bottle. While it fills, add a few drops of dish detergent . Submerse the bottle in the soapy bath for about 5 minutes or so. Then, rinse the bottle with clean water.
    • Use a bottlebrush to clean the interior of the bottle with soap. Wear kitchen gloves while cleaning if the water feels too hot to the touch.
  8. Place the bottle outside or on a sunny ledge indoors to dry for about a day. If the bottle isn’t dry in 24 hours, spray the rest of the interior dry with canister of compressed air .
    • Follow the manufacturer’s directions on the compressed air canister, including any potential safety precautions.
    • Direct sunlight can also help eliminate some of the leftover scent in your perfume bottle. However, don’t leave your perfume bottle out for more than 24 hours, as the sun can cause the glass, crystal, or plastic to warp over time. [7]
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Recycling Perfume Bottles

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  1. Call your local recycling center to ask if they accept perfume bottles. Almost all cities will recycle glass bottles , as long as they’re properly cleaned and rinsed beforehand. Some areas may only accept certain types of glass. However, they’ll be able to offer advice on where to give your bottle if they can’t accept it themselves. [8]
    • Most recycling plants also accept bottles made of metal or aluminum. However, crystal bottles aren’t commonly accepted.
  2. Look on the bottom of your perfume bottle for a number inside a triangular arrow symbol. 70 is for mixed glass. 71 is for clear glass. 72 is for green glass, and 79 is for gold-backed glass. Tell your recycling center what type of glass your bottle is made of, so they can confirm whether or not they accept it. [9]
  3. If your perfume bottle doesn’t have a recyclable glass symbol on the bottom (or you just want extra confirmation), call up your perfume’s customer service line. Ask a representative if they can give you insight into what type of glass your bottle is made of. [10]
    • You can usually find the customer service number for your perfume by looking online. Just type “customer service number + [your perfume’s brand]” into your favorite search engine.
    • The manufacturer may also accept their own bottles back for recycling. (Sometimes, they’ll even offer you a free perfume in exchange.) It’s fairly rare, but it doesn’t hurt to ask!
  4. Follow your city's rules when it comes to sorting glass from other recyclables. Once you’ve separated your glass properly, put your recycling bin out on the curb for collection. [11]
    • If your local recycling plant doesn’t accept glass perfume bottles, try selling or donating your perfume bottles instead.
    • Most metal or plastic nozzles from perfume bottles can’t be recycled. Remove and discard this piece before you recycle your perfume bottles with other waste materials.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Selling and Donating Perfume Bottles

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  1. Perfume bottles are great for upcycling because people are always looking for pretty glass bottles to use. Create a posting for your perfume bottle on Freecycle or Craigslist. Then, give your empty or partially-full perfume bottle away to local people who respond to the listing. [12]
    • Avoid posting your contact information, such as your phone number or email address, on any online forum. All reputable marketplaces will have built-in ways for interested parties to message you without seeing your personal information.
    • Avoid meeting potential recyclers in a secluded place or inviting them into your home. Many local police stations are happy to serve as meeting places for online purchases or exchanges.
    • Along with Craigslist and Freecycle, try offering your bottles to local groups on Facebook, or BUNZ (a popular trading app).
  2. Create a posting for your perfume bottle on a popular auction site (like eBay or uBid). Include a photo of your item and describe its condition to increase your likelihood of selling. Ornate and rare perfume containers can sell for up to $100! [13]
  3. Create a listing on an online handmade and vintage marketplace, like Etsy. Some buyers comb these sites to repurpose interesting perfume bottles and materials for their crafts. Others collect interesting bottles as home décor. [14]
    • To sell on Etsy, you usually have to create a virtual shop where potential buyers can browse your wares. This marketplace may make the most sense if you have multiple perfume bottles you want to sell.
  4. Drop off your perfume atomizers at a local collection center so someone else can enjoy a nice fragrance at a discount. Note that many resale shops, such as Goodwill, do not accept perfumes or fragrance bottles. Luckily, the Salvation Army does! [15]
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Repurposing Your Perfume Bottles

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  1. If you want to keep your old perfume bottles, there are plenty of ways you can modify them to make some adorable DIY home décor. For example, fill your cleaned perfume bottle with lukewarm tap water. Then, put a few slim buds, such as baby breath sprigs, into the bottle as a pretty decorative accent. [16]
    • Place your perfume-bottle vase on a windowsill, your vanity, or the kitchen table to add some cheer to your home.
  2. Keep your container for its original purpose and create your own custom scent by blending essential oils that appeal to you. Dilute your oil mix with vodka or another neutral alcohol, and dab it on pulse points behind your ears or your wrists for a subtle scent. [17]
    • A little essential oil goes a long way. Typically for perfume, dilute 10-12 drops of essential oil in half as many drops of water. Then, add 2 fluid ounces (59 ml) of alcohol and shake well. [18]
    • Cap your bottle with a small cork from a craft shop.
    • You can also skip the essential oil part and just use your old perfume bottles to store your alcohol. Amber-colored drinks like whiskey will look refined in a crystal or glass casing.
  3. Use your most ornate empty perfume bottles as table décor for a wedding or baby shower. Mix the old bottles among vases of different sizes and fill them with classic flowers like hydrangeas or peonies for a refined, eclectic look. [19]
    • Bottles for timeless scents, such as Chanel No. 5 , can provide a touch of classic elegance to your event.
  4. Place partially-full perfume bottles in your lingerie drawer to give your clothes a subtle scent. The residual perfume in the bottle is just enough to add a delicate fragrance to your closet. [20]
    • For this use, it’s best to keep the nozzle on your perfume rather than remove it. Simply pop off the cap of the perfume and place the near-empty bottle of fragrance in your drawer.
    • Only use bottles that are about ⅓ of the way full or less as sachets. If your bottle has more than ⅓ of the perfume left over, the scent may be too strong.
  5. Tie a decorative string around the neck of your perfume bottle in a loop to turn your vessel into a hanging ornament. You can hang it on the Christmas tree or a hook in your window as a pretty suncatcher. [21]
    • Bottles with ridges or exterior patterns in the glass refract lots of light and make great suncatchers.
    • Add some glitter to make your perfume bottles shimmer and give them a more Christmas-y ornament aesthetic.
  6. Place a slim birthday candle in the open top of your perfume bottle for a small, elegant light. You can use these candles as an alternative to tea lights in a meditation room or on your dining room table for some mealtime ambiance.
    • Use a candle that fits securely in the open hole of your perfume bottle for an appealing visual. When the candle is lit, it will drip wax down the bottle!
    • Replace your candle with a new one when it has burned out completely. The layers of wax on the bottle can add a romantic flair to your candle holders.
  7. Fill your perfume bottle halfway with aromatic essential oils or room spray. Then, place a few [ wooden skewers into the perfume sharp end down. The oils will creep up the skewers and slowly diffuse a pleasing scent into your room. [22]
    • A powder room is a great spot for an elegant room diffuser.
  8. Make your own DIY art project by painting your perfume bottles in your favorite color of acrylic paint , or covering them in paper mache. Then, glue on some rhinestones or feathers , or paint your own designs to make each bottle truly your own.
    • Share your perfume bottle art online. Who knows? Friends might like your art, and you could start an Etsy shop for your customized bottles.
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      Things You’ll Need

      Disassembling and Washing Your Perfume Bottle

      Repurposing Your Perfume Bottle

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      References

      1. ↑ https://foodworldme.wordpress.com/2017/02/27/diy-how-to-open-a-sealed-perfume-bottle/
      2. ↑ https://foodworldme.wordpress.com/2017/02/27/diy-how-to-open-a-sealed-perfume-bottle/
      3. ↑ https://foodworldme.wordpress.com/2017/02/27/diy-how-to-open-a-sealed-perfume-bottle/
      4. ↑ https://somewang.com/how-to-clean-perfume-spray-bottle/
      5. ↑ https://somewang.com/how-to-clean-perfume-spray-bottle/
      6. ↑ https://somewang.com/how-to-clean-perfume-spray-bottle/
      7. ↑ https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/beauty/fragrance/news/a41568/how-to-store-your-fragrances/
      8. ↑ https://www.nea.gov.sg/docs/default-source/our-services/waste-management/list-of-items-that-are-recyclable-and-not.pdf
      9. ↑ https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2021-12/ES_ConsumerGuide_RecyclingCodes.pdf
      1. ↑ https://www.wm.com/thinkgreen/what-can-i-recycle.jsp
      2. ↑ https://www.epa.gov/circulareconomy/us-recycling-system
      3. ↑ https://www.freecycle.org/
      4. ↑ https://pages.ebay.com/help/sell/listing_ov.html
      5. ↑ https://www.etsy.com/sell?ref=hdr&from_page=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.etsy.com%2F
      6. ↑ https://www.amazinggoodwill.com/donating/donor-guidelines
      7. ↑ https://ecosalon.com/how-to-recycle-your-old-perfume-bottles/
      8. ↑ https://ecosalon.com/how-to-recycle-your-old-perfume-bottles/
      9. ↑ https://www.theresaneoforthat.com/blend-perfume-using-essential-oils/
      10. ↑ https://ecosalon.com/how-to-recycle-your-old-perfume-bottles/
      11. ↑ https://www.purewow.com/beauty/How-to-Repurpose-Perfume-Bottles
      12. ↑ https://ladyandtheblog.com/what-to-do-with-old-perfume-bottles-creative-upcycle-projects/
      13. ↑ https://ecogreenlove.com/2015/07/17/reuse-perfumebottles/

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To recycle your perfume bottle, pull off the nozzle and plastic hose with pliers and discard these in the regular trash, since they can't be recycled. Look on the bottom of your bottle for a recycling symbol. If you see a number 70, 71, or 72, recycle the bottle with your other glass. Just make sure you wash it out first. Alternatively, if your bottle can't be recycled, use it as a vase with a small flower, like a baby breath sprig, for a cute decoration. Or, fill the bottle halfway with essential oils and place a few wooden skewers in it to make a room diffuser. For more tips from our Environmental co-author, including how to donate your perfume bottle online, read on!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • Dale Lin

        Mar 21, 2023

        "I have always tried to upcycle my perfume bottles, but had some trouble removing the metal around the bottle neck. ..." more
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