Ball Jars: How to Reuse Lids
If you do a lot of canning or have received homemade canned foods as a gift, you may wonder what to do with the flat canning-jar lids once the jars are empty. Canning-jar lids should not be reused for canning foods because they might not seal properly, leaving you with food that you either have to use immediately or let go to waste. Instead, you can reuse them for other purposes. Reuse and recycle canning-jar lids to give them a new, practical or ornamental purpose and keep them out of landfills.
Things You'll Need
- Paint primer
- Paint
- Glitter or other embellishments
- Felt
- Marker
- Scissors
- Hammer
- Nail
- Photos or greeting cards
- Glue
- Ribbon
- Magnet
Instructions
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Canning-Jar Lid Coasters
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1
Paint the canning-jar lid with primer. Once the primer dries, paint and decorate the lid in any way you desire.
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2
Trace an outline of the canning-jar lid onto a piece of felt. Cut out the felt circle.
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3
Glue the felt to the bottom of the canning-jar lid.
Canning-Jar Lid Ornaments
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4
Punch a hole at the top of the lid with a hammer and nail.
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5
Paint the canning-jar lid with primer and then paint in a color of your choice.
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6
Cut old greeting cards or family photos into a circle shape and glue to the center of the lid. Glue glitter or other decorative elements around the edge.
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7
Thread a piece of ribbon through the hole and tie the ends together with a bow or knot.
Recycling Canning-Jar Lids
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8
Test if the canning-jar lid is made of steel by placing a magnet on it. If the magnet sticks, then the lid is steel.
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9
Contact your local recycling facility about recycling your canning-jar lids to see if it will accept them.
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10
Collect your canning-jar lids with other steel products that can be recycled, such as empty cans of soup and vegetables.
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11
Take your collection of lids and other steel items to your local recycling center, or, if you have a local curbside recycling program in your community, leave it on the curbside on collection day.
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References
- Photo Credit canned fruit image by dwags from Fotolia.com
