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Removing labels from bottles...

Barrel Char Wood Products

Derf

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 5, 2004
112
0
0
I've just spent most of my evening at the task of scrubbing labels off of wine bottles and I remember someone asking what the best way to go about it was.

Heat. You can soak them for days in cold water and it won't be as effective as a minute or so in hot water. Depending on the type of glue, a lot of labels will peal off with no effort at all. Others you might have to fight with but the hotter you keep the water the easier they will be.

That being said, there are some types of glue that, no matter how hot the water is, will stay behind and gum up after you have struggled to scrub off the label. These ones are hardly worth the trouble, but if you've got this far with them, you'll probably need some kind of solvent to get the glue off. A little bit of lighter fluid works well.
 

Whteknght

NewBee
Registered Member
Jun 25, 2004
56
0
0
48
I usually soak my bottles in Beer Brite (contact sanitizer). Cleans labels *right* off the bottle and leaves no residue. It has worked well for me.
 

Oskaar

Got Mead Partner
Administrator
Dec 26, 2004
7,874
8
0
34
The OC
Acetone usually works well on those really stubborn ones, and WD-40 works well on the really gummy types.

Oskaar
 

Bryon

NewBee
Registered Member
Jul 12, 2004
70
0
0
Phoenix, Az
i had one bottle last week that just would not come clean. even after soaking in pinesole over night. Then on my way out threw the back room I saw a can of break cleaner sitting on the shelf. alittle shot of that and a wipre from a shop rag and it was gone like it was never there. If I had remembered this thread sooner I would ahve tired it alot sooner and with out all the scrubbing and rubbing. the stuff works great
 

JoeM

NewBee
Registered Member
Jan 9, 2004
665
1
0
43
you sure you want to use that bottle for something you are going to drink after cleaning it with break cleaner and pinesole?
 

Bryon

NewBee
Registered Member
Jul 12, 2004
70
0
0
Phoenix, Az
Not a problem. that bottle is a flip top. I filled it with hot water and closed it before I started. that way wit would stand in the bucket with the pinesol solution in it with out flooting. Pinesol never got in teh bottle since the water level was never much above the middle if teh bottle. just over the lable. also. I didn't soak the bottle in brake cleaner. just sprayed a little on the outside and wiped it right off. then went and washed the bottle in hot water. I have problem with using that bottle since it will be cleaned again before it is filled with anything. I have another bottle just like this one and on that one, the lable came right off after letting it soak for a while and then peeling the plastic layer off the lable and then letting is soak for a while more. this one had some kind or ruber glue that just wouldnt' come off.
 
Barrel Char Wood Products

Viking Brew Vessels - Authentic Drinking Horns