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QuoteHello all,
My main objective in "going green" is to reduce (synthetic) chemical exposure and as such I am switching to a baking soda/vinegar cleaning routine for the most part. Thus far I have been unable to find a non-plastic spray bottle and the only non-filled plastic bottles are not worth buying (dollar/travel section with horrible spray mechanisms). Has anyone found spray bottles made of glass (with perhaps a plastic top) or know of sturdy-but-plastic spray bottles?
Thanks!
One thing you can do is attach a plastic sprayer to a glass bottle. For example, we buy vinegar in glass bottles, and I reuse those bottles for my cleaning concoctions. I attached a plastic sprayer from an old plastic bottle of 409 or one of those kinds of cleaning products. It fits perfectly.
I've never seen a non-plastic spray nozzle. So my solution is to use the ones I already had and use a glass bottle instead of plastic.
Thanks Beth! I'm just starting out so I don't necessarily have old plastic nozzles to spare but I'm sure I can find some :-)
Apparently the internet-gods-that-be were also thinking like I was. In case anyone else had the same question, here is a step by step tutorial to make a mason jar spray bottle – it popped up on Crunchy Betty a day after I posted. Go figure.
I love Crunchy Betty. And that's a very clever design. But if you start with a narrow-necked glass bottle instead of a jar, you don't have to do any work except to screw on the nozzle. Also, I wonder if her metal lids will rust after while.
You could put an ad on Freecycle.org asking for used plastic spray bottles.
8:18 am
Thanks for the tip about the vinegar bottles! I'll have to see if they sell those around here. I had to quit putting vinegar into a spray bottle for cleaning, because it would always eat through and leak all over the closet.
5:29 am
There is no such thing as a plastic free pump sprayer. The closest you can get is with an industrial pump sprayer for harsh chemicals:
http://www.northerntool.com/sh….._200312265
IMHO this is a giant overkill and with the life cycle carbon foot print of this thing, you can probably use single use plastic spray containers for the rest of your life……
If you do not have any old spray bottles lying around. Home Depot sells empty ZEP spray bottles. Very high quality and designed for years of commercial use. A long life expectancy is one of the major components of sustainability.
http://www.homedepot.com/webap…..=100007602
Personally, I do not see the advantage of having a glass bottom. It is heavier and you risk breakage, which apart from the safety risk also requires replacing the glass container, which is counter productive to your goal of sustainability. Plastic, if re-used has a very small carbon footprint compared to other materials out there like aluminum, stainless steel or glass, as all of those require a lot more energy during production.
As for the crunchybetty idea – i am sorry, but why would you destroy a perfectly good, REUSABLE product, turning a re-usable perfectly good mason jar into a clumsy, heavy, breakable contraption that requires more frequent refilling and is not even spill-proof (in case you knock it over during cleaning, since the metal lid and the cut bottle top do not form a good seal)?
11:58 pm
August 30, 2011
OfflineI have seen an aluminum spray bottle (still a plastic nozzle, I'm afraid) so that would solve the breakability/weight factor of using glass bottles. I saw it on The Zero Waste Home blog and have posted a comment asking where she got it: http://zerowastehome.blogspot……cipes.html She also has the link to buy a small aluminum spray that you would use for hairspray. Perhaps for now, this could get the job done! http://www.amazon.com/Aluminum…..38;sr=1-1T
6:54 am
Most aluminum bottles are lined with plastic (un-coated aluminum leaches as well), so there is no advantage over plastic. It actually takes way more energy to produce an aluminum container.
But again, we are talking about containers for storing a cleaning solution, not food…..
I have to agree with Sam. I don't think I would go out and buy a new bottle to store cleaning fluid. The only reason I use a glass bottle is that the vinegar comes in glass anyway, so I end up having them in the house. And yes, aluminum is always lined with plastic.
9:25 pm
REUSE . . . I am reusing the several bottles I've had for the past 20 years. I put vinegar and water in them and have never had a problem but I'm not using straight vinegar. Another solution could be to use a plastic bottle that someone else is going to throw away. I'm not saying it's a perfect solution but at least it will be used and not tossed into landfill. 
I know this is an old topic, but thought I'd add my 2¢:
I would challenge even the need for a spray bottle. You can get a shake-top cruet and sprinkle vinegar onto many surfaces then wipe, OR shake onto the wet/dry cleaning rag and wipe. Works just fine. Do the same with your neutral cleaners.
A problem, mentioned before, is that undiluted vinegar corrodes many metals, and will eventually destroy plastic (as well as anything organic). With the newer plastics, even if diluted I think you'll ultimately have issues.
I don't think a household spray nozzle exists that isn't plastic. So the question is, "Can I live without them"? I know I can.
Also, I don't think destroying perfectly reusable bottles to make something "more green" is really a better option.
Use what is there and don't buy new. Find alternatives.
If you can't yet let go, try asking a local shop to save you some of there cleaning bottles instead of trashing them. Plenty of shops use spray cleaners. Also old perfume bottles with their pump aerosol tops can be used although all plastic tops with eventually fail.
4:07 pm
Just a thought, but it may be possible to use the old style "oil can" oilers as a sprayer. These cans usually are all metal, sometimes with a flexible metal nozzle, and the tip can be somewhat adjusted to spray.
for example: http://www.amazon.com/Dutton-Lainson-606-Pistol-Oiler/dp/B000LNSJ7W/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1362956609&sr=1-1&keywords=oil+can
See what ya all think?
2:01 pm
Here is a brass spray head/nozzle i found on the Internet!
https://www.4hydro.com/giros-bottle-mounted-sprayer
I am going to try and attach it to a stainless steel bottle ie "blomus 68168 Mister 0,5 L" from amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/produ…..#038;psc=1
hope this helps!
jon
Hi Jon. You just want to make sure it doesn't contain lead. Many brass nozzles and hose attachments do. In the State of California, they have to contain a warning.
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