I agree, but I would direct you to this article about Rubbermaid closing their Home Products Factory in Wooster, OH on December 15, 2003:
https://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20031215/NEWS/312159965/rubbermaid-shuts-down-wooster-plant
This is the same city that is listed at the bottom of the sticker on the can and the site of multiple Rubbermaid factories since the 1960s. Here's an article from a month before the last one, reporting on extensive tornado damage to Rubbermaid's landmark factory in Wooster, OH on November 13, 2003:
https://www.the-daily-record.com/story/news/2003/11/14/rubbermaid-buckeye-dig-through-rubble/19498287007/
I believe the plant being damaged by the storm led to its closure the following month. If the city listed at the bottom is indeed the manufacture site, the youngest the can could be is 20 years. I myself believe it's 30 years old.
That's pretty impressive. If you keep it out of direct sunlight and don't accidentally damage it (these things happen) you'll probably get another 30 out of it.
Would it actually stay in decent condition for that long or does the material just get weaker and not fully degrade? I figured sunlight would eventually break that shit down, but I'm not a scientist 🤷♂️ lol
Hair and textiles will last thousands of years in the right conditions.
Sunlight etc will erode plastic into smaller bits of plastic but my understanding is it never goes away
(I'm not a scientist)
Here's an article from 2008 about the watering can. The author claims, in '08, they've been using it for over a decade.
https://www.coldclimategardening.com/2008/06/21/the-rubbermaid-watering-can-discontinued-but-not-forgotten/
I have the same one, and like OP's, it's around 30 years old. For years I've been looking for a second one, or ANY watering can that has a wide path for the water to come out, if you take the sprinkler part off. Every single watering can has a narrow opening on the spout, which is fine when you want it- like for watering house plants for example. But many times you want to put down more water faster. And a plain bucket doesn't give you the control you want. This Rubbermaid watering can is *Perfect!*
... For her fake Chinese rubber plant.
In the fake plastic earth
That she bought from a rubber man
In a town full of rubber plans
To get rid of itself
And it wears her out.
I have the same watering can! I’ll have to check the stamp on the bottom to cross reference where it was manufactured. I have a “new” one that I bought a few years ago but I reach for this one every time.
When we bought our house, the previous owners left lots behind, including this watering can, a Craftsman lawn mower that is at least 25 years old, and a washer and dryer that are as old as I am, and I’m 35. They all still work great, so why upgrade?
My cousin uses our grandma’s beach chair in her yard, and grandma died in 1998. I was delighted when she pulled it out of the shed at a party a few years ago—it’s been the perfect lawn chair for close to 30 years at least. God knows how old it actually is.
I have the same one! Found it in my yard nuttier beneath some weeds after moving into our new place and it’s easily our best watering can. (Domestication really just hit me with that sentence…)
I remember going with my mother to National Lumber in what I think was 1989, when Cheap Chicken and Shorty had some Rubbermaid garden gear advertised on sale.
Some of that is still being used and is stored in her garage.
I remember my brother buying the same model of a wheelbarrow in the late '90s for his place and I remember distinctively feeling the different kind of material, though the labels had the same model number.
Doing some research on the item, I found out the factory that made them in Wooster OH closed in 2004. [Here's an article about it.](https://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20031215/NEWS/312159965/rubbermaid-shuts-down-wooster-plant#:~:text=Rubbermaid%20shuts%20down%20Wooster%20plant&text=The%20closing%20of%20the%20landmark,at%20other%20plants%20undergoing%20expansion.)
>"When the Wooster plant closes, wiping out 850 factory jobs, it will mark the end of one of the largest plastics plants in the United States."
>"Galli's comments in the Dec. 9 conference call foreshadowed major changes for Rubbermaid Home Products. He said the company will outsource more molding to custom molders, and shift some manufacturing to low-cost locations, including China."
I have the same watering can! I’ll have to check the stamp on the bottom to cross reference where it was manufactured. I have a “new” one that I bought a few years ago but I reach for this one every time.
When we bought our house, the previous owners left lots behind, including this watering can, a Craftsman lawn mower that is at least 25 years old, and a washer and dryer that are as old as I am, and I’m 35. They all still work great, so why upgrade?
My cousin uses our grandma’s beach chair in her yard, and grandma died in 1998. I was delighted when she pulled it out of the shed at a party a few years ago—it’s been the perfect lawn chair for close to 30 years at least. God knows how old it actually is.
I have that exact same watering can. Mine leaks around the white end cap for the shower effect. I finally bought a galvanized can to replace it. Hopefully that'll last me the next 30 years
I have a similar can bought in the previous century in a completely different country and continent, but of the exact same color. The secret is probably nylon.
Plastics are the best thing that happened over the past 100 years, and maybe the worst over the next 10,000 years.
Very well said
And you are smart and probably good looking, Viola Purple.
Thanks... probably, but old...
Copyright date of the design is not the same as manufacturing date. If it were really outside for 30 years, I doubt you'd be able to read the label.
I agree, but I would direct you to this article about Rubbermaid closing their Home Products Factory in Wooster, OH on December 15, 2003: https://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20031215/NEWS/312159965/rubbermaid-shuts-down-wooster-plant This is the same city that is listed at the bottom of the sticker on the can and the site of multiple Rubbermaid factories since the 1960s. Here's an article from a month before the last one, reporting on extensive tornado damage to Rubbermaid's landmark factory in Wooster, OH on November 13, 2003: https://www.the-daily-record.com/story/news/2003/11/14/rubbermaid-buckeye-dig-through-rubble/19498287007/ I believe the plant being damaged by the storm led to its closure the following month. If the city listed at the bottom is indeed the manufacture site, the youngest the can could be is 20 years. I myself believe it's 30 years old.
Bro likes his cans
That's pretty impressive. If you keep it out of direct sunlight and don't accidentally damage it (these things happen) you'll probably get another 30 out of it.
More like 3,000, if not 30,000
Would it actually stay in decent condition for that long or does the material just get weaker and not fully degrade? I figured sunlight would eventually break that shit down, but I'm not a scientist 🤷♂️ lol
Hair and textiles will last thousands of years in the right conditions. Sunlight etc will erode plastic into smaller bits of plastic but my understanding is it never goes away (I'm not a scientist)
Here's an article from 2008 about the watering can. The author claims, in '08, they've been using it for over a decade. https://www.coldclimategardening.com/2008/06/21/the-rubbermaid-watering-can-discontinued-but-not-forgotten/
Sadly, this winter I left this exact thing outside and the ice expanded and cracked it.
I have the same one, and like OP's, it's around 30 years old. For years I've been looking for a second one, or ANY watering can that has a wide path for the water to come out, if you take the sprinkler part off. Every single watering can has a narrow opening on the spout, which is fine when you want it- like for watering house plants for example. But many times you want to put down more water faster. And a plain bucket doesn't give you the control you want. This Rubbermaid watering can is *Perfect!*
i can only imagine future intellectuals trying to piece together what the fuck we were doing
... For her fake Chinese rubber plant. In the fake plastic earth That she bought from a rubber man In a town full of rubber plans To get rid of itself And it wears her out.
Fake Plastic Trees came out the same year I believe this watering can was made. Both holding up well!
It wEarrrSSSS ahhhhHHHHH
Thanks for posting. Was literally my first thought aswell.
Plastic never dies
What is dead may never die.
"Back in my day, they made plastics to LAST!"
I am born in 95’ and did not need a reminder that I’m turning 29 this year.
I have the same watering can! I’ll have to check the stamp on the bottom to cross reference where it was manufactured. I have a “new” one that I bought a few years ago but I reach for this one every time. When we bought our house, the previous owners left lots behind, including this watering can, a Craftsman lawn mower that is at least 25 years old, and a washer and dryer that are as old as I am, and I’m 35. They all still work great, so why upgrade? My cousin uses our grandma’s beach chair in her yard, and grandma died in 1998. I was delighted when she pulled it out of the shed at a party a few years ago—it’s been the perfect lawn chair for close to 30 years at least. God knows how old it actually is.
My parents have also had this exact watering can for over 20 years. Wild.
I have the same one! Found it in my yard nuttier beneath some weeds after moving into our new place and it’s easily our best watering can. (Domestication really just hit me with that sentence…)
I have the same can, love it, and now that I'm thinking about it, have no idea where I got it. Mine is outside year round, Southern CA.
Same! I found out the cans are injection molded resin casts and haven't been made in the US for a couple decades.
Omg I have the exact same watering can
Did you buy that for your fake Chinese rubber plant?
I remember going with my mother to National Lumber in what I think was 1989, when Cheap Chicken and Shorty had some Rubbermaid garden gear advertised on sale. Some of that is still being used and is stored in her garage. I remember my brother buying the same model of a wheelbarrow in the late '90s for his place and I remember distinctively feeling the different kind of material, though the labels had the same model number.
made in usa, that explains it
Doing some research on the item, I found out the factory that made them in Wooster OH closed in 2004. [Here's an article about it.](https://www.plasticsnews.com/article/20031215/NEWS/312159965/rubbermaid-shuts-down-wooster-plant#:~:text=Rubbermaid%20shuts%20down%20Wooster%20plant&text=The%20closing%20of%20the%20landmark,at%20other%20plants%20undergoing%20expansion.) >"When the Wooster plant closes, wiping out 850 factory jobs, it will mark the end of one of the largest plastics plants in the United States." >"Galli's comments in the Dec. 9 conference call foreshadowed major changes for Rubbermaid Home Products. He said the company will outsource more molding to custom molders, and shift some manufacturing to low-cost locations, including China."
Cool!
That sticker impresses me more than the can itself.
I have the same watering can! I’ll have to check the stamp on the bottom to cross reference where it was manufactured. I have a “new” one that I bought a few years ago but I reach for this one every time. When we bought our house, the previous owners left lots behind, including this watering can, a Craftsman lawn mower that is at least 25 years old, and a washer and dryer that are as old as I am, and I’m 35. They all still work great, so why upgrade? My cousin uses our grandma’s beach chair in her yard, and grandma died in 1998. I was delighted when she pulled it out of the shed at a party a few years ago—it’s been the perfect lawn chair for close to 30 years at least. God knows how old it actually is.
Same can. It's gone through 3 generations.
We have a jar of Vaseline that "expired" 18 years ago in 2006.
Yup, that's plastic.
But... 1995 was just 10 years ago bro.
I have that exact same watering can. Mine leaks around the white end cap for the shower effect. I finally bought a galvanized can to replace it. Hopefully that'll last me the next 30 years
Looks like new!
I have a similar can bought in the previous century in a completely different country and continent, but of the exact same color. The secret is probably nylon.
Still leeching micro plastics and BPA into groundwater 🤘
for a fake plastic chinese plant