Reading the bottle
Hold the bottle up to light. A new bottle is translucent and even. A bottle that has been in the desert sun for a season turns chalky and yellow, and the surface feels dry. That is UV damage and it does not reverse. A chalky bottle goes to rebottling, not back into service.
Then look for stains, which tell you what the tote held, and for the heel line, the level of product left in the bottom after draining. A heel is the quickest way to tell a used tote from a dirty one. Cracks usually start at the base of the bottle, around the outlet and at the corners; a hairline crack is a failed bottle.
| Sign | What it tells you | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Clear, even | No UV damage, no stains | Used or rinsed |
| Stained | Held something that coloured the wall | Dirty until washed |
| Chalky and yellow | Sun damage, brittle | Rebottling candidate |
| Hairline crack | Failed wall | Rebottling candidate if the cage is good |
| Punctured | Failed wall | Rebottling candidate or recycling |
| Heel in the bottom | Product left after draining | Dirty |
The bottle is the part with the history
The wall of an HDPE bottle can hold traces of what it has carried. That is why food history lives in the bottle, and why a rinsed tote is not food grade. It is also why buyers who need zero history choose a new bottle: a rebottled tote is the cage with no past.
Federal rules list polyethylene among the olefin polymers that can contact food, but a bottle is only as good as what it has held. Read the food-grade guide before you decide.
Fix, swap or scrap
- Clear bottle with a stain: wash it, or sell it to a same-product user.
- Chalky or cracked bottle in a straight cage: rebottle.
- Chalky or cracked bottle in a bent cage: recycle the bottle, scrap or part out the cage.
- Never patch a cracked bottle and put it back in service for liquids.
A bottle checklist for a slow look
Put the tote where light falls across the bottle at a low angle. Look for scratches, white stress lines near the corners and a milky patch on the sun side. Run a thumbnail over the surface; a chalky film that comes off is UV damage.
Inside, look for a stained heel line, a residue ring around the fill neck and any sign of mould. Any of these changes the grade. A clean, clear bottle with a sound neck is the thing worth saving in a tired cage.
Questions people ask
How long does a bottle last in desert sun?
There is no single answer. UV, heat and the product all matter. Cover the tote and check it; a chalky surface means it is done.
Can a stained bottle be used again?
Yes, for the same product or after cleaning for a non-food use. Stains are a grade, not an end.
Sources. Last reviewed 2026-11-11.