That empty yogurt tub or ice cream bucket has a lot of life left in it. It’s sturdy, the lid snaps on tight, and the bigger ones often have a handle. Throwing it out after one use feels wasteful when you’d otherwise pay for a storage container that does the same job.
Many ice cream brands have switched to paper cartons, but plenty of foods and household products still come in tough plastic tubs. Think yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese, margarine, coffee, dishwasher pods and cat litter.
The catch is space. Tubs are bulky, and a tower of empty buckets in the basement isn’t frugal. It’s clutter. Save them with a plan, and they’ll earn their keep. Here are 50 practical ways to reuse plastic tubs around the house, garage and garden, plus gift ideas, safety tips and what to do when a tub finally wears out.
Which plastic tubs are worth keeping
Not every tub deserves shelf space. These are the ones to hang on to:
- Square or rectangular tubs. They line up side by side in a cupboard and waste far less room than round ones.
- Tight lids. A good seal keeps out dust and bugs and keeps in odors.
- Handles. Pail-style tubs, such as ice cream and cat litter buckets, are the easiest to carry from room to room or out to the yard.
- Solid plastic. Skip any tub that’s cracked, warped or brittle.
Flip the tub over and look for the number inside the recycling arrows. Food tubs are usually No. 5 (polypropylene) or No. 2 (high-density polyethylene). Packaging Digest lists yogurt, cottage cheese and margarine tubs among the common No. 5 containers and describes the plastic as strong, lightweight and food-grade.
Set a limit, too. Keep only as many tubs as you have real jobs for, or as many as fit on one shelf. When a new one comes in, put it to work or recycle an older one.
How to get a tub ready to reuse
A few minutes of prep makes a tub look less like leftover packaging and more like a storage container.
- Wash it by hand. Use warm, soapy water. Thin plastic can warp in a hot dishwasher.
- Air out any smell. Leave the lid off overnight. For a stubborn odor, wipe the inside with a paste of baking soda and water, then rinse.
- Take off the printing. A cotton ball dampened with rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover wipes the ink off many tubs. Work somewhere with fresh air, then wash the tub again.
- Label it. Write on masking tape, or use a permanent marker right on the plastic so you can see what’s inside without opening it.
Label anything that isn’t food
To a child, a tub of ice melt or homemade laundry soap still looks like yogurt or ice cream. Write what’s inside in large letters on the lid and the side, and keep those tubs up high or locked away from kids and pets.
Kitchen uses
1. Countertop compost pail
Drop fruit peels, coffee grounds and vegetable scraps into a tub by the sink. Snap the lid on between trips to the compost pile, and odors stay put. Rinse it out each time you empty it. I used to collect my kitchen scraps in an old plastic coffee can. Any tub with a snug lid works just as well.
2. Packet sorter
Gather loose seasoning packets, drink mixes, instant oatmeal and boxes of gelatin in one tub. Your pantry shelf stays neat, and you can see at a glance what you need to buy.
3. Dry goods bin
Rice, dried beans, pasta and oats keep well in a clean food tub with a tight lid. Write the contents and the date on the side.
4. Cookie decorating kit
An ice cream tub is just the right size for cookie decorating supplies. Fill it with cookie cutters, sprinkles, decorating tips, food coloring and cupcake liners, then pull it out when it’s time to bake.
5. Junk drawer overflow
Spare batteries, twist ties, coupons, rubber bands and recipe cards can all live in a tub instead of a jammed drawer.
6. Potluck and picnic carrier
Fill a tub with chips, popcorn, cookies or a cold pasta salad for a cookout or church supper. If it doesn’t make it home, you haven’t lost a good dish.
7. Freezer treat stash
Ice cream tubs are made for the freezer, so they’re a natural fit for holiday cookies, homemade candy or bags of frozen berries. Thinner tubs can crack in the cold, so test one before you trust it. With liquids such as soup, leave an inch or so of room at the top, since food expands as it freezes.
8. Cooler ice block
Fill a tub about three-quarters full of water and freeze it. One solid block lasts longer in a cooler than a bag of cubes, and you can drink the water once it melts if the tub was clean.
9. Grease catcher
Let cooking grease cool, then pour or scrape it into an old tub instead of down the drain. Keep it in the freezer until it’s full, then throw the whole thing in the trash.
10. Plastic bag keeper
Stuff grocery bags into a tub under the sink. Cut an X in the lid, and you can pull them out one at a time.
Keep food tubs cold, not hot
Michigan State University Extension warns that food packaging isn’t designed to handle heat. Use tubs for cold and dry foods only, move leftovers to a microwave-safe dish before reheating, and never pour hot food into one. Only reuse tubs that held food for food, never ones from cat litter, detergent or other products. Retire a food tub once it looks cracked, cloudy or scratched.
Around the house
11. Mail catcher
Rather than letting envelopes pile up on the counter, toss them in a tub until you sit down to pay bills and sort.
12. Sock bins
Give each person in the family their own tub of clean socks. Keep one more for socks that lost their partner until the match turns up.
13. Winter gear bin
Put a tub by the door for hats, gloves, mittens and scarves. In summer, swap them out for ball caps and sunscreen.
14. Bathroom organizer
Tuck washcloths, hair ties, cosmetics, extra toothbrushes and travel-size samples into tubs under the bathroom sink.
15. Bath toy bucket
Poke several holes in the bottom of a tub, and tub toys can drain and dry instead of staying soggy.
16. Under-sink cleaning caddy
Sponges, scrub brushes, rags, scrub pads and clothespins fit neatly in a tub. Grab a pail-style one by the handle and carry the whole kit from room to room.
17. Cleaning bucket
A pail holds enough soapy water to wipe down baseboards, cabinets or the car’s interior, and it’s light enough to carry with one hand.
18. Sick bucket
Keep a tub lined with a plastic bag by the bed or in the car when someone has an upset stomach. It saves a lot of cleanup.
19. Cord and charger keeper
Coil phone chargers, extension cords and spare cables, and give each tub its own label. No more digging through a tangled drawer.
20. Holiday decoration storage
Small ornaments, light-up figurines and strands of beads stay safe in lidded tubs. Pad fragile pieces with tissue paper.
21. Gift wrap station
Keep bows, ribbon, tape, gift tags and scissors together in one tub so wrapping a present doesn’t turn into a hunt.
22. Lint catcher
Keep a lidded tub by the dryer and empty the lint trap into it until trash day.
23. Coin and ticket box
Cut a slot in the lid for a change jar, a fundraiser raffle, a family suggestion box or a classroom vote.
24. Power outage kit
Fill a tub with a flashlight, spare batteries, candles, matches and a battery-powered radio. When the lights go out, you know exactly where to look.
25. Car trash can
Line a tub with a plastic bag and set it on the floor behind the front seat. Wrappers and receipts have somewhere to go besides the cup holders.
Garage, yard and garden
26. Car wash kit
Store car wax, a chamois, sponges and microfiber cloths in one tub so wash day is grab-and-go.
27. Winter car kit
Keep a tub in the trunk with an ice scraper, gloves, hand warmers and a small bag of sand or cat litter for traction if you get stuck.
28. Ice melt by the door
Fill a tub with ice melt, toss in a scoop and leave it by the steps. There’s no need to haul the heavy bag out every time it snows.
29. Birdseed and pet food scoop bin
Keep a tub of birdseed near the feeders or kibble near the food bowls for daily scoops. Store the big bag in a sturdier bin.
30. Seed-starting pot
Poke or drill three or four holes in the bottom for drainage, fill the tub with seed-starting mix and sow your seeds. It works for seedlings and small plants until they’re ready for the garden.
31. Garden caddy
Carry seed packets, plant markers, twine, hand pruners and garden gloves out to the beds in one tub.
32. Harvest and berry bucket
A pail with a handle is just right for picking berries, beans or cherry tomatoes. Use a food tub, and hose it off when you’re done.
33. Weeding pail
Drop pulled weeds into a tub as you work, then empty it into the yard waste bin.
34. Touch-up paint pail
Pour a little paint into a tub for small jobs so you don’t have to carry the whole can up a ladder. Snap the lid on between coats so the paint doesn’t dry out.
35. Hardware sorter
Sort screws, nails, picture hooks and washers into tubs, and label each lid with what’s inside.
Kids, crafts and play
36. Rainy-day craft bin
Fill a tub with crayons, markers, paints, brushes, child-safe scissors, craft foam, chenille stems and fabric scraps. Pull it out when the kids say they’re bored.
37. Yarn bin
Set a ball of yarn inside, cut a small hole in the lid and pull the strand through. The yarn stays clean and won’t roll across the floor while you knit or crochet.
38. Mending kit
Thread, needles, buttons, safety pins and a small pair of scissors fit easily in one tub, so quick repairs don’t require a hunt.
39. Toy sorter
Give building bricks, toy cars, doll clothes, action figures, puzzle pieces and card games each their own labeled tub. Half-built projects can go in a tub, too, so nothing gets lost before the next play session.
40. Chalk and play dough tub
Keep sidewalk chalk in one tub and play dough tools in another so they’re easy to grab and easy to put away.
41. Beach and sandbox bucket
Pack a tub with sand toys for the beach, then use it to mold sandcastles. It works in the backyard sandbox, too.
42. Snow fort brick mold
Pack a square tub with wet snow, flip it over and lift. Repeat until you’ve built a fort, or use one to store a stash of snowballs.
43. Nature collection bucket
Hand kids a tub on a walk to collect pinecones, rocks, leaves and shells. It keeps muddy treasures out of their pockets.
44. Road trip activity tub
Fill a tub with coloring books, small toys and card games for long drives. The lid keeps everything from sliding under the seats.
For your pets
45. Frozen dog treat block
Fill a tub with water, drop in a few dog toys or treats, and freeze it. Pop out the block and let your dog work at it outside on a hot day. Stay nearby while they play.
46. Pet walk kit
Store a leash, waste bags, a brush and a few treats in a tub by the door so walks start without a search.
47. Litter box helper
Keep the scoop, a roll of bags and a small bag of fresh litter in a tub beside the litter box. Cleanup takes less time when everything is within reach.
Gift containers
48. Gift basket in a tub
A covered tub costs nothing and is sturdier than most gift baskets. To dress it up, wrap the outside in adhesive shelf paper, glue on scrapbook paper or fabric, or wind twine around it with a hot glue gun. Tuck tissue paper inside, then fill it with a theme:
- Pet lover: a leash, homemade treats, a grooming brush and a collar.
- Back to school: pencils, erasers, a ruler, glue sticks, highlighters, a pencil sharpener and hand sanitizer.
- First aid: bandages, tweezers, gauze, an ice pack you can refreeze, cotton balls and anti-itch lotion.
- Get well soon: chicken soup, tea, cough drops, a puzzle book and cozy socks.
- New baby: baby wash, washcloths, a hooded towel, baby nail clippers, bibs and a rattle.
- Office: sticky notes, pens, paper clips, a stapler, tape, a calculator and a desk calendar.
- Teen pampering: nail polish, hair accessories, lip balm, lotion and a journal.
- Sundae bar: ice cream toppings, sprinkles, maraschino cherries, chopped nuts, bowls and a scoop.
- Kitchen gadget fan: cookie cutters, a whisk, potholders, a melon baller, dish towels and a spoon rest.
- Beach day: sunscreen, sunglasses, a paperback and a beach towel.
- Movie night: microwave popcorn, boxed candy and a streaming or theater gift card.
- Gardener: seed packets, plant markers, garden gloves and a hand trowel.
49. Cookie tins for neighbors
During the holidays, fill decorated tubs with cookies or fudge for neighbors, teachers and mail carriers. Nobody has to return the container.
50. Craft kit gifts
Fill a tub with everything needed for one project, such as a bead kit, a paint-by-number set or a simple sewing project, for a child’s birthday gift.
When it’s time to recycle a tub
Even a good tub wears out. Once it cracks, turns brittle, warps or holds onto stains and smells, it’s time to let it go.
The number on the bottom doesn’t guarantee your recycler takes it. Rumpke Waste & Recycling points out that the number only identifies the type of plastic. No. 5 plastic is catching on, though. The Recycling Partnership’s Polypropylene Recycling Coalition reports its grants have brought new or better polypropylene recycling access to 48 million people. Still, its research finds the recycling rate for polypropylene is just one-third that of No. 2 plastic.
Before you toss a tub in the bin, check your city’s or hauler’s recycling list. If tubs are accepted, empty, rinse and dry them first. Rumpke also asks customers to keep tubs loose rather than stacked together, so the sorting machines catch each one. Ask whether lids should go on or off, since the rules vary.
Frequently asked questions
Is it safe to reuse plastic tubs for food? Yes, for cold or dry foods, as long as the tub originally held food and is clean and free of cracks. Don’t microwave food in one or fill it with hot food. Michigan State University Extension advises moving food from packaging containers to a microwave-safe dish before reheating.
Can plastic tubs go in the dishwasher? Some can handle the top rack, but thin tubs often warp in the heat. Hand-washing in warm, soapy water is the safer bet.
How do I get the printing off a plastic tub? Wipe the ink with a cotton ball dampened with rubbing alcohol or nail polish remover, then wash the tub with soap and water. It works on many tubs, though some printing won’t budge. Cover that kind with paper, fabric or tape instead.
Can I freeze soup in a yogurt or ice cream tub? Ice cream tubs are made for the freezer. Thinner tubs, like some yogurt cups, can crack when frozen, so test one first. Leave about an inch of space at the top for liquids to expand, thaw in the fridge, and reheat in a microwave-safe dish.
Are plastic tubs recyclable? Often, but not everywhere. Most food tubs are No. 5 or No. 2 plastic, and acceptance depends on your local program. Check your hauler’s list, and recycle tubs clean, dry and unstacked.
How many plastic tubs should I keep? Only as many as you have real uses for. A good rule is one shelf or one box of spares. Recycle extras so they don’t turn into clutter.
