lia's glass

Got any empty glass jars? Get creative and find ways to reuse them!

1. Beach in a jar - This is a fun project for kids who have visited the beach recently and gathered seashells. Simply put some sand in the bottom of the jar (colored play sand works great for this) and add the seashells. A larger shell can be glued to the lid for a finishing touch. Letting the kids paint the shells first is another fun way to add some color.

2. Lantern or candleholder - This is a good project for a glass jar of any size. The kids can use glass paint to create a stained glass look. Use the candle for dining outdoors in the evening…add a citronella candle and you have a bug deterrent too.

3. Use glass jars as paint containers. Just fill with a little paint and away you go. They last longer than plastic, they don’t stain, and since you are reusing something you already have, they are practical too.

4. Flower vase - Glass jars make charming vases. You can give them a layer of paint or a ribbon if desired. Then have your kids pick some wildflowers and you have a lovely arrangement.

5. Snack jars! I like to keep nuts, raisins, shredded coconut etc. glass jars when I can. They stay fresh and they aren’t in close to proximity to plastic.

6. Bank - Jars make great banks. Simply cut a slot in the lid to put change in, and let your child decorate the outside as he or she chooses.

7. An ispy jar - Fill the jar with rice and a few secret objects like a coin, a paperclip, a button, a bead, a small toy, dice, etc and have kids see if they can find all the treasures. Of course make sure to keep and eye on young ones when doing this.

8. Jack-o-lantern jar - This is a great Halloween project. Cut shapes for the eyes, nose and mouth out of masking tape, and place them on the jar. Paint with orange paint, and remove tape when dry. Add a candle or small light to make it glow.

9. Candy jar - This can be decorated any way your child likes. Fill it with candy or other favorite snacks and give it as a gift, or keep it on the coffee table for guests to enjoy.

10. Planter - Put pebbles in the bottom of a small jar, then fill with potting soil. Plant herb or flower seeds, and put in the windowsill.

Got any more ideas? Comment and let me know!

Lab glassware are frequently used to contain diffrent kinds of chemicals. They can be dirty and contaminated afer used. Most laboratory glassware can be cleaned easily by washing and brushing with a detergent or Alconox, a special laboratory cleaning product. And they should be rinsed with tap water and allowed to dry after they have been thoroughly cleaned.

Always clean your glassware and apparatus immediately after use, if possible. It is much easier to clean the glassware before the residues in them become dry and hard (plus you are more likely to remember what the item was used for to decide what will clean it best). If dirty glassware cannot be washed immediately, put it in water to soak. Handle glassware carefully when cleaning it, as the soap and water will make it slippery. Be sure to rinse off all soap or detergent residue after washing glassware to prevent any possible contamination later.

To dry your clean glassware, you can rinse it with small portions of acetone (there are a couple of wash bottles in the lab rooms containing wash-grade acetone). This should be used sparingly. Another method of drying glassware is to use the dryer oven located in the GC room between the lab rooms. You can determine whether glass is clean by spraying distilled water on it: water spreads out evenly and smoothly on clean glass, but stands in droplets on soiled glass.