How clean?

[piskieinboots]

or rather how much to clean?

I am thinking ahead to when (not if!) I get produce to pickle/preserve etc - I have clean jars, but they are just clean as in washed in hot soapy water and air dried.

Should I be doing something heavy duty like boiling/miltoning?

[Flummery]

I wash, dry then put them in the oven for half an hour on a low heat. This should sterilise them sufficiently. If you're potting hot stuff (jam, chutney etc) it's necessary to make sure the jars are hot too, so you just pot them at this point.

[piskieinboots]

thanks - I'm planning on having a go at the rhubarb and ginger jam in April's GYO, even tho I have to BUY the darn sticks cos mine is still in nappies as it were

Oh yes, just remembered - what if there is a lingering smell from the previous contents - bicarb maybe?

[lettucegrow!]

Definitely best to put them in a warm oven for a while,after washing them with the hottest water you can stand, you don't want mouldy jam!!

[piskieinboots]

but what of the whiff from the curry sauce that was in the jar before - how do you get shot of that smell?

[Hans Mum]

if youve got a strong smell, try soaking in some milton and it tends to be the lid not the glass & then as above before you use them

[Flummery]

Use your curry ones for pickles Suzie - and sweetet smelling ones for jams.

[dexterdoglancashire]

Again, I agree with Flummery - but I clean mine in the hottest water my hands (with thick rubber gloves) will stand. Then I rinse in water with a strong milton solution - straight into the oven to sterilse. I've done this for the last couple of years, and we are all still living! Bernie aka DDL

[SarzWix]

Mine get put through the dishwasher on the hottest cycle, then put in the oven to keep warm until I'm ready for them. I don't bother with Milton as dishwasher tabs contain bleach anyway. But without dishwsher, either leave in the oven (set higher than 100°c) for at least half hour, or soak in Milton for 20 mins, then warm oven.
As for the whiffy ones, Hans Mum is right, it'll be the lids which still smell & in my experience nowt gets rid of it! If they're standard size jars you can get lids to fit from Lakeland, the home of creative kitchenware, or if not, you can use wax circles and cellophane covers (also available from Lakeland or your local cookshop) with elastic bands round em.

[piskieinboots]

excellent - thanks all

[Headfry]

Piskie, If you want to pop over - I have rhubarb for you! I work near to Bladon, so can bring it this far for you ;-)