Question:
Hello!
How should one dispose of plastic or metal washing cups that were used for netilas yadaim? What about a havdallah candle? besamim?
Thank you very much.
Answer:
Please see the following post https://dinonline.org/2020/02/09/shaimos-sukkah-decorations-oil-glasses-from-neiros/ which discusses a similar topic. Regarding the Havdalah candle, according to most poskim it can be thrown out, however according to others it is better to wrap it up before throwing it out, since it looks like it was used for a mitzva.
Regarding besamim, if it wasn’t designated specifically for Havdalah it may be thrown out without a problem, however if it was designated then according to some it is preferable to wrap it and hide it in a way that it won’t be degraded. Note this is only a preference, and not an obligation.
The washing cup can be thrown out since it is even less than the Havdalah candle. The mitzva of Havdalah was done using the candle, however the washing cup was only used to store the water that was used for the mitzva of netilas yodayim, therefore according to everyone there isn’t even a preference to wrap it before discarding it.
Best wishes
Sources:
Ginzei Hakodesh 16-10 and ftnt. 16, 20-4 in the name of Kaf Hachaim, Poskim.