How to Upcycle a Plastic Container

Turn that Oxiclean Tub into Laundry Storage

I hate plastic packaging, and I usually buy OxiClean in a cardboard box (less plastic, less waste), but this month it arrived in a plastic container. Happily, I was looking for a container for my dryer balls on top of the dryer. So here’s what I did to upcycle that plastic container into something useful.

Note: even after rinsing the container many times, it is not safe to use for food or children’s items. But for holding laundry-related essentials, I think it is a safe repurposing.

Materials:

OxiClean container: rinsed well
Vinyl or Paper
Super 77 (if using paper)
Sharp knife
Scissors
Cricut (optional)

You can use vinyl for this project even if you don’t have a Cricut. It can be purchased by the sheet at craft stores, and it is sticky on the back, so it is easy to cover containers with it. I needed two 12”x12” sheets to cover a 5 lb container.

Step 1: Rinse Container

Wash your container well rinsing multiple times to ensure it is as clean as possible.

In this process, I only covered the label on the container — not the white lip at the top.

Step 2: Measure & Cut

Measure the height of your container from the bottom to the white lip at the top. Cut two strips of vinyl or paper 2” taller than the container’s height. This allows for the fact that the container is smaller at the bottom than at the top.

When planning my container, I put the vinly seams on the skinny sides, but you can choose where to place the seams depending on how you will use your container.

Step 3: Wrap & Trim

Line the vinyl or paper up with the top edge of the container. If using paper: spray the paper with Super 77.

First wrap one piece — keeping the top edge lined up. The bottom edge will not line up perfectly. That’s why you have extra material at the bottom. Then wrap the other piece until the container is completely covered.

Using the bottom of the container as a guide, trim off the excess vinyl or paper.