This article was originally posted at www.rethinksurvival.com
I’ll admit it, I’m a huge fan of the ubiquitous 2-liter soda bottles. And like 5-gallon buckets, I think they’re far too under-utilized by preppers.
In fact, 2-liter soda bottles can be used in a variety of ways and I would imagine I’m only grazing the surface here. The best part is that they’re 100% free.
Here’s 17 ways I think you can re-purpose a simple 2-liter soda bottle, enjoy…
- Block of ice – I’d imagine many of you expect to keep your refrigerated food viable for longer using ice in coolers. You can easily accomplish this by freezing water in 2-liter soda bottles creating a nice block of ice. Just be sure to fill it about 90% full to avoid bursting the soda bottle since water expands as it freezes.
- Emergency drinking water – When that block of ice melts, you now have a portable source of potable drinking water. I would suggest you clean the bottle first with soap and water and then simply fill it with tap water. Of course, you don’t have to freeze water stored in 2-liter soda bottles but it’s a nice benefit. Beyond that, they’re FDA-approved, shouldn’t degrade, and very durable. It’s a win-win.
- SODIS – Now, when they’re no longer a viable block of ice and you’ve consumed the water inside, you can still make use of 2-liter soda bottles to disinfect any collected water using the SODIS method. Granted, there are some considerations, such as the bottle must be clear for this to work, but I’m positive you’ll love these bottles even more once you learn how.
- Food storage (short term) – I’ve seen many people suggest that you can easily store food in a 2-liter bottle(video) and while I agree, it’s not a 100% perfect solution and shouldn’t be considered viable for long-term foods. That said, could you easily store bulk foods for years on end without trouble? Sure. I wouldn’t worry too much about it at all.
- Fruit fly and wasp trap – We’ve used 2-liter soda bottles for years as a very successful gnat and fruit fly trapinside the house. You can also use them to trap wasps (video) as well.
- Hand washing station – You can easily makeshift a hand washing station by hanging a 2-liter soda bottle upside-down and unscrewing the cap ever-so-slightly such that a trickle of water escapes thereby allowing you to wash your hands and conserve water.
- Fish trap – Though I’ve never tried this one, apparently you can create a makeshift fish trap too.
- Water filter – Create your own biosand filter (video) in nearly any container, including a 2-liter soda bottle. Just pile the appropriate amounts of gravel, activated charcoal, and sand and you’ll have a viable makeshift water filter in no time! Well, you do have to wait a week or two for the biolayer to form but, hey, who’s counting?
- Mini greenhouse – If you’re trying to get your plants started in the spring but are unsure about the weather, you can cut the bottom off a 2-liter soda bottle and help to protect vulnerable plants.
- Upside-down planter – Bored with growing your plants right-side up? No problem! Flip it around like this (video).
- Self-watering container – Similar to grow buckets, you can make your own self-watering mini-grow bucketusing a 2-liter soda bottle.
- Drip irrigation – Here’s something else I’ve never tried but I hear you can make your own drip irrigation system.
- Boil water – Here’s something else I’ve never actually tried but apparently you can suspend a bottle of water over a campfire and boil water so long as the flames don’t lick the bottle. I’ve also heard that you can actually put a completely full bottle of water (with the cap on) in a campfire and not melt the bottle… that remains to be tested.
- Water bailer / scoop– Again, cut the bottom off and now you have a water bailer or. You could also cut it at an angle and turn that same water bottle into a makeshift scoop for grains or whatever you like.
- Makeshift funnel – As with the above suggestion, cut the bottom off but remove the cap and you have a nice, free, funnel.
- Makeshift pillow – I know this is stretching it a bit but you could rest a weary head atop an inflated soda bottle. I know it’s not a comfy down pillow but it sure beats a hard rock.
- Emergency floating device – Tie a few of these together (inflated and with the caps) and you’ve got a makeshift floatation device.
So, what uses can you think of? I would love to hear them!
This article was originally posted at www.rethinksurvival.com
Good post. I am still seeking a source for these. A few holes poked in the cap could create a short shower. Our soldiers used this in the desert. Filled with sand they might slow a bullet. Bottle lines for fishing might be another use.
Great post. I have yet to find a source for these. I use 1/2 gallon vodka bottles and 1/2 gallon vegetable juice bottles. Some other uses might be a float for a bottle line when fishing, a quick makeshift shower with a few holes punched in the lid. A soldier taught me this. Filled with sand one might slow down a bullet.
Cut just the top funnel part off and feed the top of a bag of chips or anything through. Fold the bag over and screw the lid on. You have just resealed the bag.
using the smaller soda bottles, some buttons or anything hard and light makes a baby rattle.
Fill with water, cut a whole in a roof, suspend 50% above and 50% below the roof and it will light up the room when there is sunlight outside.
With the right mixture you can make a large glow stick out of the stuff in most home kitchen pantries.
The trick with heating water directly in a fire is the fire can’t be really hot AND there must be absolutely no air in the bottle.
Using them as food storage? As little air as possible, plus you can reseal them with paraffin or bees wax.
have a question? how do you ‘inflate’ a 2 liter bottle?
blow in it.
You can heat water in a paper bag over a fire too. The fire can’t burn the paper with water on the other side.
I have partially filled one with dirt put the cap back on and use it as a portable rifle rest at the gun range
The part about the greenhouse was only partially correct – I use them as a starter ‘terrarium’: cut the top 1/4 off, fill 1/3 of the bottle with moist dirt and plant the seeds. Tape the top 1/4 back on and put the lid on. When the plant has a couple leaves on it you can take the cap off, to allow increased ventilation as the plant grows. You don’t have to worry about keeping the seedling watered because it forms the perfect balance of condensation, heats during the day to warm the soil for the seedling. Come planting time you already have a 6-inch plant, just gently shake it out of the container and put it in the ground!
A bottle filled with wet sand an packed in real well with the cap on can be used like a brick. Such a brick can be used with cobb, rammed earth or cement.