Top Ten Hardest to Clean Recyclables

Recycling can be a messy challenge, especially when it comes to cleaning tricky items! In this post, we rank the top ten hardest-to-clean recyclables—from greasy oil bottles to mascara tubes packed with fibers—and share practical tips to tackle them. Ready to master recycling in Hong Kong? Let’s dive in!

10th Place: Paper Lunch Boxes, Paper Cups

The outer layer of paper cups and bowls dissolves upon contact with water, so you need to quickly wash them with soap while they’re off guard, then air-dry them for recycling.

9th Place: Styrofoam Boxes

Since styrofoam is oil-soluble, it absorbs colors when exposed to spicy oil. In fact, as long as it’s cleaned until free of oil and odor, it can be recycled.

8th Place: Ridged Plastic Lunch Boxes

If devils exist in this world, ridged plastic lunch boxes must be the worst of them! Sauces and food scraps tend to get trapped in the ridges, so using the rough side of a sponge to clean them can save a lot of effort.

7th Place: Market Fish Bags

Plastic bags are already hard to clean, and the fishy smell makes them even trickier! A handy tip is to rub the bag with hand soap while washing your hands—it works wonders.

6th Place: Plastic Oil Bottles

Many give up at this point, as greasy bottles are indeed tough to handle. Why not cut them open for washing? It’s quick, clean, and effective!

5th Place: Instant Noodle Sesame Oil Packets

Don’t overlook them just because they’re small! The main issue is their tiny size, which makes people reluctant to bother cleaning them.

4th Place: Glass Oil Bottles

This time, cutting them open isn’t an option—does that mean giving up? Not at all! Simply add a quarter of warm water and some baking soda, shake it a few times, and the oil will be gone.

3rd Place: Sunscreen/Hand Cream

Cutting them open and washing with water can cause issues, as anyone who’s tried will understand. The correct method is to cut them open and wipe them clean with tissue—then they’re ready for recycling. Do not wash them!

2nd Place: Liquid Foundation

There’s little advice to offer for handling this at home, especially with glass-bottled foundation, which is nearly impossible to clean—those who’ve tried will know! For such troublesome items, leave them to The Loops. We offer a no-rinse cosmetics recycling service.

1st Place: Mascara

Men may not realize, but mascara contains fibers, and its opening is only about 1 cm wide, making it an easy champion. Thank you, everyone! As with the others, troublesome items like this are best handed over to The Loops’ no-rinse cosmetics recycling service.