Did you know that you can recycle your paper waste and turn it into recycled paper conveniently at home?
You don’t need to worry about disposing of your junk mail, old newspapers, old printed sheets of paper and old notebooks anymore.
Recycle it by following some simple steps and make your contribution towards saving the environment! Using and recycling paper will help by not only preventing paper waste piles in landfills but also by lowering the number of trees that get cut for paper manufacturing.
So, let’s take a look at the steps to recycle paper at home.
1. Pulping
Old newspapers can be used to clean windows since they work better than a cloth duster. Using a chemical solution or vinegar helps make your windows shine without leaving a streak if wiped with paper.
Do note that 4-5 sheets of newspaper will produce 2 small sheets of recycled paper. Therefore, the amount of paper waste to be collected should be sufficiently more than the amount of recycled paper you aim to produce.
Shred this pile of scrap paper and rip the shredded paper further into tiny bits. Soak this shredded pile in hot water and stir occasionally to ensure all the paper is soaked consistently. You can also add cornstarch after a few hours and mix it well by pouring some more hot water.
Blend this soggy mix in a blender after adding some more water. This will turn it into a pulp.
2. Drying
Take a screen in the size of the paper sheet you want to create. Ideally, an 8-inches by 12-inches screen would suffice. Use a wooden photo frame to create a border around this screen. This will now help in straining water from the wet pulp.
Place this screen with the border in a pan half-filled with water and pour the wet pulp on top of it. The pulp should be spread evenly in a thin layer on top of the screen.
After some time, lift this screen out of the water. Place an additional screen on top of the pulp and press it dry by using a cloth or sponge.
Lift the top screen and the paper should come up with it. Place it on a towel with the pulp facing down. Remove the top screen and let the paper air dry for a few hours.
You now have a sheet of dry, firmly-pressed recycled paper!
3. Testing
Try writing on this recycled paper with a pencil or a pen to test its absorbency and durability.
If it is too rough, then that implies that it was not ground finely enough. If it keeps falling apart, then that means you did not use sufficient water to bind the paper fibres together. And if it is too colourful, then you did not use a consistent quality of scrap paper.
Conclusion
Taking the first step is critical. Once you get the confidence to recycle paper at home, you will feel like it’s the most convenient way of reusing your paper waste!
You will not only contribute towards saving the environment but will also save a lot of the cost of buying fresh sheets of paper.
But in case you find this process too tedious, you can always buy Rescript’s recycled paper! Shop now!
