old tins: keep, toss/recycle, or donate?

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caj
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Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2022 6:23 pm
Location: OC, So Cal

Sun Nov 06, 2022 9:45 am

While tidying up in preparation for my first teas to arrive later this week, I cleaned out a cabinet full of old tins. I've had some of these since 2006 so obviously all the internet "17 ways to reuse tea tin" articles haven't been helpful. As if I'm really going to make candles, herb planters, or gift boxes with them. I tried using them for spices but they never really entered my cooking vocabulary somehow. The larger ones on the right with snap lids have been used for spices. The plastic ones on the left have an neat airtight gizmo thing.

Continue to keep them, toss/recycle, or does anyone want any? They aren't easy to clean and deodorize since the metal corrodes. Hmm, maybe I've already answered my own question.
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Baisao
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Sun Nov 06, 2022 2:43 pm

I suggest recycling them. They are not good IMO for most teas. Some puerh teas might be fine in them but most teas do best in Mylar bags. There are some advanced scenarios, like letting a tea breathe in a ceramic jar, but stick to odor free glass or Mylar until you feel like digging into the more esoteric aspects of tea.
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Victoria
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Sun Nov 06, 2022 11:42 pm

The airtight odor free tins you can line with acid free rice paper to store aged oolong. I do this if I’m re-roasting to absorb any moisture and let the tea rest for a few weeks. I have a similar scenario, too may tins, and really only use a few because I now have ceramic and metal caddies for similar purpose. A few tea friends gift me aged wiry oolong in lined tins too. You can gift whatever you don’t want on FB groups like Buy Nothing Orange County, Free in Orange County, Free Stuff OC… pretty nice targeted way to give away things that others may find useful. I do this with profesional journals, mags, specialty glass ware etc… I too should clear out 70% of mine, wish I thought of that an hour ago before our tea group left.

Also, the air tight ones are probably very handy. I’d keep those if they don’t smell. A chemistry prof friend said to try hydrogen peroxide to eliminate odors. I’d already tried baking soda and distilled vinegar on 10g glass weed jars gifted to me, but unfortunately the plastic lids absorb odors that’s hard to get rid of.
caj
Posts: 18
Joined: Mon Oct 31, 2022 6:23 pm
Location: OC, So Cal

Mon Nov 07, 2022 7:58 am

Thanks for helping me pair this stuff down :) I've tossed all the tins into the recycling bin, except the ones with clasps on the right which are perfect for dried garden herbs I forgot about. I'll keep the plastic ones for tea, they do not have any odors.
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