Repurpose An Empty Laundry Detergent Bottle For Your Garden With This Clever Idea

Even though most people end up tossing these plastic containers in the trash, there are tons of clever ways to reuse old laundry detergent bottles in your home and garden. You can easily transform one into a watering can to help you give your plants a drink. By using a drill or sharp object to poke holes in the lid of a detergent bottle, you'll quickly craft a watering can with a shower-like pour. Upcycling your laundry detergent bottle will keep that plastic out of a landfill and create a super helpful gardening tool that can be used again and again. Watering cans are a gardening tool every budding gardener needs, and you could use your cost-effective DIY watering can for your houseplants or outdoors.

While any large plastic container could work for this project, like milk jugs or soda bottles, laundry detergent bottles are super convenient, as they already have handles similar to typical watering cans and are often made of thick, durable plastic. Plus, the screw-top lids of laundry detergent bottles are also sturdy and typically wider than some other plastic lids, allowing for a bigger nozzle on your watering can. Rather than spending money on a plastic watering can, this project lets you make one for free, and with a bit of paint and creativity your garden tool will look cute and unique. This is a great project for the frugal gardener, but can also be a simple and fun craft for kids.

To ensure your watering can will be clean and safe for your plants and garden, it's crucial to thoroughly rinse the plastic container. Otherwise, you might accidentally water your plants with detergent. Once you're certain all the laundry soap has been washed away, remove the lid from your detergent bottle. Now, you'll need to make a bunch of small holes in the top of the lid to allow the water to pour nicely onto your plants. The size of holes and amount of them affects how the watering can pours. Mark the location of each hole with a pencil and use a nail and hammer, a drill, scissors, or a sharp knife to poke through the plastic. If you're using a bigger laundry detergent dispenser with a nozzle, create holes beneath the spout rather than in the lid.

For the water to easily flow out of your DIY watering can, you'll also need to cut a hole in the top of the plastic handle to let air out. Finally, fill your container with water, put the cap back on, and give your plants a pleasant shower. If you'd like your watering can to look less like a laundry detergent bottle, decorate with spray paint or acrylic paint. Stickers and other accents will also personalize your watering can, bringing it to life. Now, you can do more than recycle your laundry detergent bottles and upcycle it into a cute garden essential.