The Zoomer Report: Squeezing the Last Drop

Does it bug you that you can’t get all the product you’ve paid for out of bottles, containers, and tubes? 

Granted, it’s just a little annoyance. But it’s also a waste of money that will increase your ecological footprint.

Consumer Reports spent weeks pumping, pouring, and squeezing all kinds of stuff from all sorts of packages and containers. They tested 22 products including lotions, liquid detergents, glass cleaners and toothpastes.

Then they weighed what was left in the containers. Lotions proved the toughest to empty. The pump bottles held onto about 20 per cent of the cream!

When it comes to the end of laundry detergents with push buttons, the flow slows to a dribble. They hold onto about 15 per cent.

And we all know what it’s like to get that last bit of toothpaste. The plastic squeeze tubes can trap about 10 per cent of the toothpaste. But if you buy tubes that have a foil liner, you can squeeze out practically everything. Glass cleaners also got high marks — almost all the liquid came out easily.

With shampoos, conditioners, detergents and soaps, you can add a bit of water and shake. With everything else patience pays off — but you can also just cut the container at the bottom and scoop out the rest.

Photo ©iStockphoto.com/ MBPHOTO

READ MORE ZOOMER REPORTS
The Zoomer Report: Food Waste
The Zoomer Report: Big Bills and Spending
The Zoomer Report: Stay put or sell?

About The Zoomer Report  
Libby Znaimer, a prominent Canadian journalist specializing in business, politics, and lifestyle issues, is producer and host of The Zoomer Report, a special feature on topics of interest to baby boomers and the 50+. It covers everything from health and wealth to leisure and volunteerism, from the special vantage point of the generation that has changed society in its wake.

Ms. Znaimer is also Vice-President of News and Information for Classical 96.3FM and AM740. Her first book, “In Cancerland – Living Well Is The Best Revenge” – was published in October 2007 by Key Porter.

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