Removing Labels

[TAKeyser]

Cleaning up the messes we all seem to have with empty bottles overflowing in basements and garages got mentioned recently in THIS THREAD.

I mentioned that I was trying to de-label a batch of free bottles I collected and I had some extremely stubborn glue that soaking, scrubbing and Goo-Gone just did not want to get rid of. Well, I found the solution to this sticky situation today..."Oven Off Max" worked like a charm!!!! It's the fume free no heat variety and I sprayed it on let it sit for an hour and got out a sponge with the rough stuff on one side (the same kind of sponge that didn't want to work with the Goo-Gone) and the sticky glue came right off. So happy these 2 cases of bottles could be salvaged

 

[TheAlchemist]

I find a little chlorine bleach in the soak water helps

 

[Jas53]

get all but a few off with oxy-clean soaking overnight

 

[TAKeyser]

get all but a few off with oxy-clean soaking overnight

I haven't gotten to all the free cases yet, but the 2 cases of Villa Chambre D'Amour are being stubborn as hell. The first 4 cases I cleaned went smoothly, but damn these damn these bottles.

 

[Chevette Girl]

Scraping with knife doesn't help? Argh, nothing's more frustrating than labels that won't come off!

I read on another forum that a few people slather hand cream all over the labels and let it soak in, then they come right off... I haven't tried this because it sounds even messier than Goo-Gone. Others (I think from this forum) have put the bottles in the oven to melt the stubborn adhesive... I use a stainless steel scrubby (thank you Amway!) for the really stubborn ones but I don't like doing it often because it gunks up the scrubby and I've only got one more after this one's done, although most of it will come out if I put the scrubby in the dishwasher.

 

[fatbloke]

Well, I just soak overnight, in a soap/water/bleach solution.

The "animal" glued labels seem to just slide off and the glue rinses away with a bit more soap.

If the glue used is more of a "self adhesive" type that's likely come from automated continuous labelling machinery, then a craft blade sorts the paper, then I try a plastic scourer on the glue.

If that fails and gums the scourer to much/quickly, then I just dry the bottles, then use "Preptone", which is a hexane based solvent from the "car spiving" industry, designed for removing stickers or decals from a painted metal surface without damaging the paint or laquered surface.

Never failed so far.

Screen printed on glass labelling, might be different and those bottles get recycled....

 

[wayneb]

Well, I found the solution to this sticky situation today..."Oven Off Max" worked like a charm!!!! It's the fume free no heat variety and I sprayed it on let it sit for an hour and got out a sponge with the rough stuff on one side (the same kind of sponge that didn't want to work with the Goo-Gone) and the sticky glue came right off. So happy these 2 cases of bottles could be salvaged

Do you mean Easy Off Oven Max? That's the fume free, slightly lemon scented no-heat oven cleaner that also does an excellent job of scrubbing off the scum from our shower stall. If that's the stuff, I've gotta try it on bottles with stubborn labels!

 

[TAKeyser]

Do you mean Easy Off Oven Max? That's the fume free, slightly lemon scented no-heat oven cleaner that also does an excellent job of scrubbing off the scum from our shower stall. If that's the stuff, I've gotta try it on bottles with stubborn labels!

Yeah that's the stuff!!! Worked like a charm, I peeled as much of the label off as I could than I sprayed it on let it sit for an hour and scrubbed it off with one of those rough sponges (sponge on one side, green rough stuff on the other) and it worked great.

I'm going to have to try it on the glass shower door now I hate cleaning that thing.

 

[wayneb]

I'm going to have to try it on the glass shower door now I hate cleaning that thing.

Spray it on with the door completely dry since water deactivates the chemical (which is why you clean it up with water). You might have to set the door down horizontally to keep the chemical from sliding off before it has a chance to do its work. I've only used it on the base of our shower, where it works wonderfully.

 

[TAKeyser]

Spray it on with the door completely dry since water deactivates the chemical (which is why you clean it up with water). You might have to set the door down horizontally to keep the chemical from sliding off before it has a chance to do its work. I've only used it on the base of our shower, where it works wonderfully.

Anything that makes life easier is a great thing.

 

[skunkboy]

How many bottles per container of cleaner are you getting done?

 

[Chevette Girl]

How many bottles per container of cleaner are you getting done?

Inquiring minds want to know This sounds like an acceptable solution for those really frigging annoying labels!

And what can you do about the screened-on-glass stuff, anything? Such a shame to have to recycle some of those otherwise nice bottles.

 

[TAKeyser]

How many bottles per container of cleaner are you getting done?

I got 24 bottles out of the partially used bottle that was sitting in the cabinet.

So when do I get that Sweet Hibiscus recipe from you Skunkboy?

 

[skunkboy]

I will make a note to post to get you a copy of that.

 

[TAKeyser]

I will make a note to post to get you a copy of that.

In that case pretend I just didn't bug you for it in another thread lol

 

[kudapucat]

And what can you do about the screened-on-glass stuff, anything? Such a shame to have to recycle some of those otherwise nice bottles.

I just hit them with some steel wool. It comes off ok, a touch annoying, but ok.
I've been intending to try thinners or turps, but haven't got there yet.

 

[Jas53]

Screen printed on glass labelling, might be different and those bottles get recycled....

Try this out for the screen printed bottles - possibly worth a try. http://www.ehow.com/how_6607649_remove-lettering-glass-bottles.html

 

[Chevette Girl]

Try this out for the screen printed bottles - possibly worth a try. http://www.ehow.com/how_6607649_remove-lettering-glass-bottles.html

Ooh, thank you. I never would have thought of acid blend!

 

[Soyala_Amaya]

For most of my labels (the hard ones that need a bit more help than just soaking off) I have a curved knife that just perfectly fits a bottle. Shaped kind of like this http://www.tactical-life.com/online/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/002.gif It works wonders, and doesn't make my wrist ache like scrubbing does.

 

[Chevette Girl]

I use the edge of a spoon, sometimes the curve fits about right. And I don't have to worry about impaling myself.