Looking ahead to bottling up 5-gallons of Shiraz I've been out in the
garagecleaning up some bottles.
I've been using vinegar to soften the labels and the adhesive and then
scraping them off with a gadget that holds a single edge razor blade. A
half-gallon paper milk carton is plenty deep enough to cover the labels. To
keep the bottle from floating I fill it with water. I usually dunk a bottle
in and go off to do other things and get back to it the next time I
remember. Seems to me some of the labels I can push off with my thumb after
only an hour or two of soakiing, others require some effort even after
soaking overnight.
What is your scheme?

--
Cyfarch Gwinllan Cwm Deri!

Casey

I hate delabelling as much as I love bottling.

Ihave a bin/trash can outside which I fill full of very dilute bleach and water. I put all of my bottles in there for a
couple of weeks or more then move them to the sink. My favourite type of label will have floated off the bottle by
then or slips off without scraping. The longer I make and label my own wine, the more frequently I have the joy of
labels coming clean off with little effort, because I put them on in the first place. I scrape off stubborn labels with
rubber gloves on and holding a one ended razor blade under a trickle of hot water.

If there is gummy residue - which there is at least 20% of the time - I scape as much as I can off then use my arsenal
of obnoxious chemicals carefully on small areas, wiping off with kitchen roll as I go. I am careful to avoid any
cleaning chemicals at all from going into the bottle - using a temporary lever lock stopper to block the neck. Once
clean I dry off the outside with paper thoroughly before washing the outsides down (unsubmerged) in plenty of running
water and mild detergent then plain water. If it smells of nothing once I have finished I am satisfied.

I'm sure the list of solvents I use would give many the fears, but I haven't noticed any problems, smells or flavours
contaminating. Saying that I am very, very careful with the process. In the past I have used the following chemicals
for stubborn labels:

Boiling water
Vinegar
Washing up detergent
1001 stain remover
WD40 solvent/lubricant
Nail varnish remover
Cold cleaning solvent

Apparently 'Goo-Gone' is a great product for removing the glue, but it's hard to get hold of in the UK apparently...

Jim

"Casey Wilson" wrote in message news:4yANh.11362$un.10841@trnddc03...
Looking ahead to bottling up 5-gallons of Shiraz I've been out in the garagecleaning up some bottles.
I've been using vinegar to soften the labels and the adhesive and then scraping them off with a gadget that holds a
single edge razor blade. A half-gallon paper milk carton is plenty deep enough to cover the labels. To keep the bottle
from floating I fill it with water. I usually dunk a bottle in and go off to do other things and get back to it the
next time I remember. Seems to me some of the labels I can push off with my thumb after only an hour or two of
soakiing, others require some effort even after soaking overnight.
What is your scheme?

--
Cyfarch Gwinllan Cwm Deri!

Casey

On Mar 25, 3:01 pm, "Casey Wilson" wrote:
Looking ahead to bottling up 5-gallons of Shiraz I've been out in the
garagecleaning up some bottles.
I've been using vinegar to soften the labels and the adhesive and then
scraping them off with a gadget that holds a single edge razor blade. A
half-gallon paper milk carton is plenty deep enough to cover the labels. To
keep the bottle from floating I fill it with water. I usually dunk a bottle
in and go off to do other things and get back to it the next time I
remember. Seems to me some of the labels I can push off with my thumb after
only an hour or two of soakiing, others require some effort even after
soaking overnight.
What is your scheme?

--
Cyfarch Gwinllan Cwm Deri!

Casey

I just bought my first batch of wine bottles

used.

I went and filled my bathtub, put the bottles in, added dawn dish soap
and a bit of b-brite, waited overnight and used a scotchbrite pad.

I dont like the idea of razor blades on glass, sounds too easy to
scratch, causing a weak spot on the bottle.

but hey, this is my first time making wine.

Good question, and I like having his asked often, so I can learn.

From reading this forum and experience, I do this:

Friends give me bottles, and I buy commercial wines (and sometimes I buy
fresh clean bottles)
I soak vertically in a container that holds 2 bottles, I have to fill
some water to keep them under.
I use commercial ammonia 10% to 90% water.
I soak for a day to 3 days.
Some labels just float off.
Some come off with a razor and then I use GUNK spray and wipe with a
paper towel. Some I get the label off, but the residue remains. So more
GUNK.
I then run bottle through the dish washer and store upside down in a
wine cardboard case.
When I am ready to use them, I use "one step" to submerse them for a
minute and then rinse, then drain.
Then I bottle.

I'll take suggestions if I am missing a step or idea. smile.

DAve


Casey Wilson wrote:
Looking ahead to bottling up 5-gallons of Shiraz I've been out in the
garagecleaning up some bottles.
I've been using vinegar to soften the labels and the adhesive and then
scraping them off with a gadget that holds a single edge razor blade. A
half-gallon paper milk carton is plenty deep enough to cover the labels. To
keep the bottle from floating I fill it with water. I usually dunk a bottle
in and go off to do other things and get back to it the next time I
remember. Seems to me some of the labels I can push off with my thumb after
only an hour or two of soakiing, others require some effort even after
soaking overnight.
What is your scheme?

As others have said most come off with just a hot water soak; those
that don't present two options.

Just throw them away unless it's a bottle you really want or here is
what I do;

Scrape off the paper and use acetone on the remaining adhesive.
Acetone is the business end of nail polish remover. You should wear
gloves when using it, it will pull oils out of you skin. I use it
because I'm cheap, it's pretty inexpensive and is used as a paint
solvent so is readily available here. It's not nearly as smelly as
goo gone but I do use it outside. I usually wait until I have a case
of those to do them. II just get all the paper off, clean the bottle
and put them upside down in an old wine bottle box.

I use old credit cards as a scraper, you can get bigger 'slices' of
labels off that way.

As an aside it's good practice to store cleaned bottles upside down to
keep them clean, I don't see that mentioned very often.

Joe

"jim" wrote in message
...
I hate delabelling as much as I love bottling.


Boiling water
Vinegar
Washing up detergent
1001 stain remover
WD40 solvent/lubricant
Nail varnish remover
Cold cleaning solvent

Good list! I buy bottles with a particularly gummy adhesive,
and I finally used Mineral Spirits to dissolve it with a bit of
scrubbing with a Scotchbrite pad so I'd add Mineral Spirits to your list.

"Joe Sallustio" wrote in message
ups.com...

Scrape off the paper and use acetone on the remaining adhesive.

One caveat...
Acetone is highly volatile and therefore highly flammable
so use it in a well ventilated space away from open flame or sparks.

I soak in soapy water peel off the label then clean residue off with
Dissolve-It.

Walter

we've had sucess with genuine imitaion TSP-like substance followed by
razorblading, then nail polish remover. We also imbibe & smoke while we do
this... we think we're dangerous rebels, or just dangers to ourselves...:^)

"Casey Wilson" wrote in message
news:4yANh.11362$un.10841@trnddc03...
Looking ahead to bottling up 5-gallons of Shiraz I've been out in the
garagecleaning up some bottles.
I've been using vinegar to soften the labels and the adhesive and then
scraping them off with a gadget that holds a single edge razor blade. A
half-gallon paper milk carton is plenty deep enough to cover the labels.
To keep the bottle from floating I fill it with water. I usually dunk a
bottle in and go off to do other things and get back to it the next time I
remember. Seems to me some of the labels I can push off with my thumb
after only an hour or two of soakiing, others require some effort even
after soaking overnight.
What is your scheme?

--
Cyfarch Gwinllan Cwm Deri!

Casey

I had cases of one type of bottle, so I spent some time figuring the
best way to get the label off. I soaked in dishwashing soap (high
alkalinity) and/or bleach and/or hot water and scrubbing with
scrungies soaked in WD40 etc etc. Surprisingly it turned out to be
leaving the bottle dry, lifting up a corner with (Ockham's) razor and
pealing the label off whole. It left no residue and you could do a
whole case in a matter of minutes.

"EnoNut" wrote in message
oups.com...
I had cases of one type of bottle, so I spent some time figuring the
best way to get the label off. I soaked in dishwashing soap (high
alkalinity) and/or bleach and/or hot water and scrubbing with
scrungies soaked in WD40 etc etc. Surprisingly it turned out to be
leaving the bottle dry, lifting up a corner with (Ockham's) razor and
pealing the label off whole. It left no residue and you could do a
whole case in a matter of minutes.


I had a somewhat disaster and then discovery experience. I approached some
hard labels with ammonia and warm water. It worked well. The labels came
off. I made the mistake of filling the tub over the top of the bottles
though... I know... Well as the water cooled the mixture of ammonia and
adhesive left little hard spots all over the outside of the bottles, and
some inside (ack!). It came off the outside easily with a scrubbing pad.
Inside was another story. Thought I was going to have to toss them. I
tried soaking again with hot water and ammonia, boiling water, alcohol,
bottle brush and several types of soap... nada.. Then had a brilliant
idea. Got about a 1/4 cup of aquarium gravel and sanitized it by boiling
water. Funnel and gravel into bottle, touch of soap, 1/4 cup water. Shake
and roll. It polished the inside of each bottle brilliantly clean in just a
few moments, much better than a bottle brush, and the gravel is so light
there is no danger of damage to the glass surface.

Quixote

Brilliant!

Quixote wrote:
"EnoNut" wrote in message
oups.com...
I had cases of one type of bottle, so I spent some time figuring the
best way to get the label off. I soaked in dishwashing soap (high
alkalinity) and/or bleach and/or hot water and scrubbing with
scrungies soaked in WD40 etc etc. Surprisingly it turned out to be
leaving the bottle dry, lifting up a corner with (Ockham's) razor and
pealing the label off whole. It left no residue and you could do a
whole case in a matter of minutes.


I had a somewhat disaster and then discovery experience. I approached some
hard labels with ammonia and warm water. It worked well. The labels came
off. I made the mistake of filling the tub over the top of the bottles
though... I know... Well as the water cooled the mixture of ammonia and
adhesive left little hard spots all over the outside of the bottles, and
some inside (ack!). It came off the outside easily with a scrubbing pad.
Inside was another story. Thought I was going to have to toss them. I
tried soaking again with hot water and ammonia, boiling water, alcohol,
bottle brush and several types of soap... nada.. Then had a brilliant
idea. Got about a 1/4 cup of aquarium gravel and sanitized it by boiling
water. Funnel and gravel into bottle, touch of soap, 1/4 cup water. Shake
and roll. It polished the inside of each bottle brilliantly clean in just a
few moments, much better than a bottle brush, and the gravel is so light
there is no danger of damage to the glass surface.

Quixote