Monday is a good day to clean...

With Plastic Bottles

Around the house

Recycle as a chew toy

Maybe it's the crunchy sound an empty plastic 1 litre bottle makes, but dogs love to chew on them. Just be sure to remove the label and bottle cap and replace it before it gets too chewed up – broken pieces of plastic are choke hazards.

Place in a toilet tank

If you have an older model toilet, you can save a bit of money on your water bill by filling an empty 1 litre soda bottle with water (remove any labels first) and put in the the toilet tank to cut the amount of water in each flush.

Keep the cooler cold

Fill a few clean plastic jugs with water or juice and keep them in the freezer for use when transporting food in your cooler. This is not only good for keeping food cold; you can actually drink the water or juice as it melts. It's also not a bad idea to keep a few frozen jugs in your freezer if you have extra space; a full freezer actually uses less energy and can save money on your electric bill.

Store your paints

Why keep leftover house paints in rusted or dented cans when you can keep them clean and fresh in plastic jugs? Use a funnel to pour the paint into a clean, dry milk or water jug, and add a few marbles (they help mix the paint when you shake the container before your next paint job). Label each container with a piece of masking tape, noting the paint manufacturer, colour name, and the date.

In the garden

Create a drip irrigator for plants

During dry spells, a good way to get water to the roots of your plants is to place several drip irrigators around your garden. You can make them from clean 1 gallon juice or detergent jugs. Cut a large hole in the bottom of a jug, then drill 2-5 tiny (about 1/16 inch) holes in or around the cap. Bury the capped jugs upside down about 3/4 submerged beneath the soil near the plants you need to water, and fill with water through the hole on top. Refill as often as needed.

Isolate weeds when spraying herbicides

When using herbicides to kill weeds in your garden, you have to be careful not to also spray and kill surrounding plants. To isolate the weed you want to kill, cut a 2 litre soda bottle in half and place the top half over the weed you want to spray. Then direct your pump's spraying wand through the regular opening in the top of the bottle and blast away. After the spray settles down, pick up the bottle and move on to your next target. Always wear gloves when spraying chemicals in the garden.