How to Clean and Reuse Essential Oil Bottles

Learn how to clean essential oil bottles with ease + 6 ways to reuse them – including perfume bottles, travel essentials, mini kit on the go and more!

Do you have a stash of essential oil bottles? Don’t throw them away! Reuse, recycle and upcycle them. I’ve got a tutorial to show you how to remove the sticky labels from the essential oil bottles, and suggested uses on how to reuse the bottles to make oil blends, travel kits and much more.

If you aren’t already, start saving your empty essential oil bottles (along with the plastic dropper and cap). Store in a container until you have a few of them saved up to make it easier. I usually save up at least 5-6, but I can easily process 20 bottles at the same time.

How to Clean Essential Oil Bottles

• Peel as much of the label off the bottle as possible.
• Remove the plastic dropper and cap from each bottle.
• Soak all parts (bottle, plastic dropper and cap) in a bowl or sink full of warm water for about 5 minutes.
• Remove one bottle and add 1-2 drops of Lemon essential oil. Rub the bottle vigorously to remove the sticky label. Repeat for all bottles.
• Place all bottles, plastic droppers and caps in a separate large bowl of warm water with a half capful of Thieves Household Cleaner to remove the remnants of the previous oil in the bottle and plastic dropper to remove any remaining sticky residue.
• Let all bottle parts air dry.
• Reuse as needed.

6 Ways to Reuse Essential Oil Bottles

Now that your essential oil bottles are clean and no longer have those sticky labels, you can reuse them in a number of different ways. Be creative. Here are 5 of my favorite ways to reuse essential oil bottles.

1. Create your own DIY signature perfume or cologne

The 5 ml and 15 ml essential oil bottles are the perfect size to make your own DIY signature perfume or cologne. I have a tutorial on how to create a DIY perfume with base, middle and top note scents and other tips. A few favorite scents are Lemon and Lavender, Lime and Vanilla, and Lavender and Peppermint. Just be sure to use a carrier oil, such as sweet almond or jojoba).

2. Make your own essential oil blends

Keep empty essential oil bottles on hand to make your own oil blends. A favorite in my home is my relaxing blend of Lavender, Cedarwood and Peace & Calming (about 5 drops each in a 5 ml bottle and fill the rest with a carrier oil, such as sweet almond or jojoba).

3. Create a set of oils for kids

Kids benefit from essential oils too, but in most cases oils should be diluted before use. An easy way to do this without having to measure dilution for each use is to reuse old essential oil bottles to make pre-made blends just for kids. You could even create a mini Everyday Oils kit diluted for kids – for example, fill 5 ml bottles with essential oils of your choice and dilute with a carrier oil, such as sweet almond or jojoba. Learn how to dilute oils for kids.

4. Keep a spare set of your favorite oils

Keep a spare set of oils in your purse, backpack, work, grandparents’ home, etc. The 5 ml essential oil bottles are the perfect size to store a spare set of oils so you’ll never be without them.

5. Make a travel kit

This is one of my favorite uses for old essential oil bottles. I keep a small bag with the 5 ml and 15 ml essential oil bottles filled with  my beauty and personal care products. It’s better than storing in plastic containers that may leech toxic chemicals.

A few favorite things I store in my travel kit are my DIY facial oil moisturizer, DIY facial wash (normally I use a foam bottle but a small glass bottle works too) and homemade facial toner. Other travel kit items you can use in old essential oil bottles include: eye cream, serums, body oils or lotions, bath salts, body scrubs, toothpaste, mouthwash, etc. For most of these items, I don’t use the plastic dropper. Use what you need to customize a travel kit that works for you. Check out my top essential oils for travel.

6. Share your favorite oils and oil blends with friends and family

Love your oils? Share them with family and friends. The 5 ml essential oil bottles are the perfect size to share your favorite oils and oil blends with family members.

More Posts You Might Like

• Beginner’s Guide to Essential Oils
• How to Make DIY Lotion Bars
• Backpack Essentials: Top Essential Oils for Back to School

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Photo credit: Bigstockphoto.com / AnaKim