Do you always ensure your bottles are clean and dry before recycling them?

No, I heard (like your Dad) that the recycling plants can clean them out better and than we can so it's a waste of water and energy. Don't know if that's true, but we don't have a dishwasher hand washing all the tins and bottles we recycle would certainly be pretty inconvenient.

by Jennifer Muirhead

I try to wash and dry all my recycling items but occasionally it's just not possible - some bottles have tops that I can't remove or shampoo bottles never seem to come out clean.... and at those times I just hope that my dad is right. I do think that perhaps the water I use washing them might out weigh any benefit from the recycling.

by VerityG

I do 90% of the time, I may forget now and then....but I just think it helps.
I just do it as I use them.

by jonaja

I rinse things but don't dry them, I chuck them straight in the recycling bin.

by meggf

I don't really wash these bottles as I know that they would be cleaned again anyhow. However, I do try to ensure that they are all dry before I set them aside for recycling.

by dwatk

I generally rinse jars and then just throw them in the recycle bin.

by lizzi

We do not re cycle in our Shire -they say they do it themselves but have seen a programme saying they do not!

However even when I was sorting in the country, I would not wash bottles -what a waste of water -we have water restrictions here every year as dams are so empty and I would consider this an awful waste of water.

by Finy

I make sure they're clean, not necessarily dry.

by Maria

no I will not waste my water and time washing them

by flaga

Yes - definitely. can't stand the thought of grotty bottles and milk cartons in our yellow bin, which is only collected once a fortnight!

by norma

Yes I do, and take the lids off, before putting them in the bin

by phil.

Some I rinse or wash and dry in the dish drainer, but like most others here, believe it to be a waste of water and recycling plants clean them better

by helga

No I don't wash them. I thought they were all just ploughed into the tip. Not like washing the milk bottles years ago (I wonder if they were re-washed). Does anything get recycled like bottles or cans anymore ?
I do know that I am sick and tired of the "recycling" instructions changing all the time. Was in NSW last month and friend ells me all food scraps can go in the paper bin (no meat wrappers or trays though). I said I would not do that because I believe it would bring rats, cockroaches etc. I still use plastic bags for the days rubbish like food scraps etc.
People in high rise buildings, units etc couldn't be tossing everything into one bin, like not in February, just imagine the stink in such close quarters. I think Council's need to have (another) re-think about this.

by fran.