Urgent advice needed about sterilising jars!!

[Bodenbabe]

You know those preserving jars with rubber seals? How do you get the seals back on once everything's been sterilised?! I can't see how it's possible to get them back on without touching them (tongs wouldn't be strong enough) but if I touch it, even with well-washed hands, then surely it won't be sterile anymore?

Also, does everyone also do the 'boiling the filled jars and cooling them' to get a vaccum seal or do you just sterilise the jars, fill them and leave it at that? I've never vacuum sealed before but I have had a few things go mouldy so I'm obviously going wrong somewhere...

Thanks!

[christiana]

Message withdrawn

[Bodenbabe]

with the seals still on, you mean? I thought you had to take them off to make sure that they were clean underneath the seal?