Do Mason Jars Need To Be Steralized Before Use?

[phil67]

I always wash new jars as they always seem to have some type of weird smell to them.

I open the jars when I'm ready to cellar, use a plastic funnel to drizzle in the tobacco, press with a wooden spoon, place lid and screw on top.

Just curious, why on earth would you need to use a funnel to place the tobacco in a Mason jar? Then again, I always use wide mouth jars, simply place the tobacco in them, and if needed I use a thee bottom of a small glass to compress the tobacco in them. Even with the small mouth jars I can't for the life of me see why a funnel would be necessary, unless of course the funnel has at least a 2" wide opening.

 

[pylorns]

Just gonna leave this here:
https://medium.com/@pylorns/mason-jars-for-pipe-tobacco-83ae13edc707#.huceveb3m

 

[weezell]

Never washed, and never had a problem

Sums it up for me,and believe it Brothers! I have a lot of jars full...

 

[metalheadycigarguy]

I have about 50 mason jars, and I've done it both ways. Have have just taken them out of the package and used them straight away, and I've also hand washed them in just hot water. I haven't noticed a difference and/or a problem with either method.

 

[cosmicfolklore]

Thanks pylorns, I think it was that link that you had within your link that I had seen concerning jars being cleaner than if you washed them. But, it's probably a perception thing for some folks to wash them, and I don't blame them. So much stuff comes new with instructions to wash it before using. It's ingrained in us.

 

[pylorns]

Yep cosmic, that's the original link, images are gone now though.

 

[jvnshr]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2pEx9KA0M5w

 

[jitterbugdude]

The grocery store has Ball brand white plastic tops that still fit the old standards --

These are not air tight. They are nice for certain things but if you put liquid into a jar it will leak if tipped over with one of these lids.

 

[ocpsdan]

That was a fantastic article, pylorns. I had the same thoughts about a lot of what you had been talking about, but without any actual fact to back them up. Thanks for sharing.

 

[hextor]

I wash mines with a little soap and they seem to work fine

 

[pylorns]

Dan we can take that and squeeze it into the book one of these days.

 

[hawky454]

Just from stubborn habit, I wash jars by hand before I use them. My only advice would be, if you wash them, dry them off well with a clean towel and let them air dry besides. Whatever the moisture content of the tobacco, I don't want to add moisture unless I intend to.

Exactly what I do. I'm a man of habit and I'm pretty stubborn.

 

[hawky454]

When I first got to this forum, someone had just posted a link showing how fresh jars right off the grocer's shelf was more sterile than after they are run through the dish washer. So, yes, a fresh dozen jars just opened are the most sterile they will ever be.

I'm going to try this out now! I have 16 jars I have been putting off washing due to laziness. Now I can just stay lazy and put the tobaccos in their sterile jars.

 

[sjpipesmoker]

I use hot water and some dish detergent, let them soak for a while then rinse them off then hand dry them. Then I let the jars cool down, usually overnight then use them the next day.
A few weeks ago, I was in a hurry so I rinsed them off and let them air dry. Come back, they're dry but the both parts of the lid have rust on them. Re washed, towel dried and no problem.
I say, clean them if you want, don't clean them if you want.

 

[zitotczito]

I have used mine right out of the case and I have bulk in 6 cases worth and a bazillion small jars and no problems so far.