Donating Jars to Weigh 'n Pay
- Craig Vanderplank
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
Updated: Mar 28
How Our Jar Exchange System Works at Weigh 'n Pay
At Weigh 'n Pay, we’re committed to reducing waste and making sustainable shopping accessible to everyone. One of the ways we do this is through our Jar Exchange System—a free service that helps keep reusable glass jars in circulation. Here’s how it works!
Donating Jars: What You Need to Know
We gladly accept clean, dry glass jars that have all labels and stickiness removed. This is important because our health department requires us to run donated jars through our commercial dishwasher, and leftover labels can clog the machine.
How to Donate
Ensure your jars are thoroughly cleaned and dried before donating.
Remove all labels and adhesive residue to help us streamline the washing process.
Present your jars to a staff member inside a bag or box that you’re happy to leave behind. This allows us to process them when we have time, rather than needing to empty them immediately while you wait. We often don’t have extra storage space, so this helps us manage the workflow without added pressure.
Preparing Jars for Reuse
Once donated, we:
Wash and sanitize them in our commercial dishwasher.
Dry and pre-weigh them so they’re ready to be used in-store, available from our Refill Station.
Place any surplus jars in the Jar Exchange for anyone to take and reuse—completely free!
Using the Refill Station
If you need a jar to use in store, feel free to take one from our Refill Station–these are for those times you may have forgotten your jar, or want to pass on the paper bags. Because we spend the time to wash these and weigh them, we ask that you use them in-store.
Using the Jar Exchange
If you need a jar to take home, feel free to take one from our Jar Exchange—no cost, no fuss! These jars have not been washed and weighed by us, so these are free for you to take home and use for whatever your heart desires.
Tips for Removing Labels & Sticky Residue
Removing labels can be tricky, but here are some easy methods:
Soak in Warm Soapy Water: Let jars soak for 15-30 minutes, then peel off labels.
Use Baking/Bicarb Soda & Oil: Mix equal parts baking soda and oil (coconut or vegetable works well), rub onto residue, and let sit for a few minutes before scrubbing.
Try White Vinegar: Apply vinegar to stubborn labels and let it sit before peeling.
Use Rubbing Alcohol or Nail Polish Remover: These work well on particularly sticky spots.
Scrub with a Scouring Pad: After using one of the above methods, scrub off any remaining residue.
A Free Service for the Community
We love offering this free, sustainable initiative, and we ask that customers take a moment to understand the process before donating or taking jars. By following these simple steps, we can keep the system running smoothly for everyone.
Thank you for being part of our waste-free community!
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