We Often get Asked Why we Store Jars with the Rings Off

After sealing the rings are not needed until you open them and partially use the contents. Also after canning you need to use warm soapy water to clean the jars and especially around the top under the rings. Storing them with the rings on has two problems:

1. Corrosion can often set in under the rings while being stored. This makes it very hard to remove and often results in damaging by distorting the rings trying to remove corroded or rusted rings and thus preventing reuse.

2. The rings are reused for the next batch of canning. We don't have rings for every jar we own. Eventually some rings have to be discarded due to getting bent or some rust. Also when we give gifts of home canned foods we send it on with a ring on. Smart friends return the jar and ring and that improves their chance of getting more gifts.