Earth Day 2022 is April 22. There are many ways to be more eco-conscious in your daily life, and Earth Day is an excellent opportunity to turn occasional activities into habits. This Earth Day, we’re focusing on the second part of the Earth Day motto: reduce, reuse, recycle.

An unbelievable number of products use plastic packaging, which isn’t always recyclable. So, if you can’t recycle, why not try reusing? A standard product in nearly every homeowner’s laundry room that uses a plastic container is detergent. These bottles can stay in landfills for more than 450 years. Rather than tossing these bottles into the bin and hoping for the best, here are four ways to reuse laundry detergent bottles.

  1. Use it as a scoop

This one’s probably the easiest hack because all you have to do is cut off the top. Most liquid detergent bottles already include a handle, so just cut the top part of the bottle, leaving the handle in place. Use the scoop as a sand toy at the beach, to spread salt in the winter or as a gardening tool to scoop dirt. Pro tip: Make sure to thoroughly rinse the detergent bottle before reusing. 

  • Use it as a planter

Stocking up on planters can get pricey. Here’s a cheap solution: repurpose your laundry detergent bottle as a planter. Cut the bottle in half and use the bottom half just as you would a pot. If you need drainage, poke holes in the bottom with scissors or a power drill. You can also make hanging planters. Cut the bottle as you would for the scoop and use the handle to hang on a wall or run a bar through a few and hang them in place. 

  • Use it as a watering can

There are some cool watering cans out there, but why buy new when you can upcycle something you already have? You can get the same effect from an empty detergent bottle with a screw-on cap. Clean the bottle well to remove any soap, as it could harm the plants you’re watering. Then, cut holes in the cap for watering. It works like a charm, and you can dress the bottle up as much or as little as you’d like. 

  • Make a dollhouse

This is a great way to get the kiddos involved and start thinking about ways to reuse everyday household items. Like we said before, Earth Day is the best opportunity to start creating habits. 

There are unlimited ways you can create a dollhouse out of a detergent bottle – all you need is some craft supplies and an imagination. One of the easiest is to cut out an opening on the widest side and go from there. Paint, glue, glitter, tape – it all goes. The handle makes it easy to tote around, too.

BONUS: Here’s an easy bonus idea: refill the detergent bottle with water and you’ve got yourself a homemade weight/kettlebell.