Limpieza de primavera: ¿Qué hacer con tus botellas de vino vacías?

Before you take your empty bottles to the recycling bin, pause for a moment: with a little know-how, that glass can have a second life at home. Here are some simple ideas to make use of them.

Why reuse instead of throwing away

Wine bottles are made of thick glass, with elegant shapes and beautiful colours, from bottle green to amber. Recycling them is good, but reusing them is even better: you reduce waste and get charming objects while spending almost nothing. Simply washing them well and removing the label -a while soaking in warm water is usually enough- gives you the raw material ready to go.

Warm light for any corner

One of the most rewarding ideas is to turn the bottle into a source of light. You can slip a battery-powered LED string through the neck and let the glass soften the glow. The result is a gentle light, ideal for a dinner table or a shelf. If you dare to use tools, they can also be drilled to pass the cable through, though to start out the no-drill version is more than enough.

From the garden to the table

Glass stands up well to the elements, so it works wonderfully outdoors:

• As an improvised vase for seasonal flowers or a few branches.
• Turned into a lantern with a candle inside for an outdoor dinner.
• Filled with water as a watering dispenser for your pots when you go away for a few days.

These are quick solutions that require no complicated crafting and look great.

A decorative touch with a story

If you have brought back a bottle from a winery visit, keep the label and use it as a decorative memento. A group of bottles from different appellations can create a lovely corner in the kitchen or the pantry, and along the way it helps you recall tastings and getaways. They also look good repurposed as candle holders or as stands for little menu boards.

Let's get to work

The most important thing is to work safely: clean the inside well, dry thoroughly and, if you cut or drill glass, do it with protection and patience. You don't need to be a DIY expert to achieve striking results, just the desire to give a second chance to something you already have at home.

And when you restock, do it with good judgement: you can find inspiration by visiting wineries across Spain and bringing back bottles that will later decorate your home with a story behind them.