Cleaning Bottles

[ToulouseLePlot]

I'm sorry to be posting this chestnut, but has someone got a good process for taking labels off assorted, used commercial bottles? I picked up 40 today and it looks like I could be getting 40 a week until my stock is where I need it. I soak in warm soapy water, brush the inside then some labels float off, some scrape off easily, but it seems half need attacking with steel and then 'sticky-stuff-remover', WD40, white-spirit or whatever to remove the glue.

Has anyone been faced with a volume like this and found an efficient method?

I appreciate it's a very boring question - it matches the dull task. But of course, once they are clean, they are in use for a very long time and the planet benefits.

[robwrx]

I got fed up trying to remove labels that had been welded onto bottles. I treated myself to a couple of hundred brand spanking new bottles for the price of a good kit that have not seen label in their life time. Yes I know that it is cheating but it can take an awful lot of time and effort to remove and clean the labels and I just figured life is too short

[ToulouseLePlot]

There is wisdom in your words. I take my hat off to you.

Good thing there's nothing on telly nowadays. Tomorrow night is going to be at the sink.

[Rich]

The only tool I have for them is a stanley knife blade. This has the top of it recessed into a slit in a cork. Works fairly well with the whole knife edge laid onto the bottle and slid into the label.

But I agree that life could be too short, so a regular supply of bottles, and then recycle any that labels don't come off too easily. I find that I have to sort the wine bottles too, taking all wine bottles from anyone. No one else seems to be able to want to understand the difference between screw tops or corks. So I take them all and recycle conventionally what I don't want.

[Cellar_Rat]

I have done volume bottles in the past. Get an old dustbin and soak them overnight or longer. Any bottle that does not give up its label easily - recycle it. if you have volume you can afford to be selective.

( but I too gave up and bought a couple brand-new)

[Big Dave]

As said above really, a soak overnight in the kitchen sink, and a quick scrape with the back of a butter knife takes care of most. Any further effort would lead to the recycling bin.

And a recent purchase of 60 new (ooooh, shiney and clean) has boosted my supply.

Totally agree with the comment - No one else seems to be able to want to understand the difference between screw tops or corks - so usually have something for recycling

[ToulouseLePlot]

Cleaning Demijohns

I've just got 21 djs on ebay, they are pretty mucky inside. The thing which has really worked after hot soap & elbow-grease, followed by bleach and more hot soap... citric acid. 5 tbsp in a gallon, left overnight, they look brand new.

[Cellar_Rat]

You need what is known as truck wash - it is a caustic solution, definitely needs rubber gloves. Strips and cleans anything brilliantly do not use on aluminium.
Also known as TFR. also get rid of that red wine 'bruise' they can occur inside glass bottles. Brilliant stuff

[Old un]

Try this soak them first; I put a couple in a bucket over night.
Then try and remove as much as you can then get some white spirit [used for thinning paint]
Put plenty on a cloth and rub, then use pan cleaner.
This should remove the glue holding the label on.

All I can say it works for me

[ckaydea]

Soak and remove most f the paper. Then use a white scrub pad (won't scratch the glass) and some bar keepers friend. A little scrubbing, but works great.

[Jimmy_T]

I have used the soak overnight method before and works ok, the wine bottle lables seem way harder to get though than beer bottle labels