# cleaning bottles



## pizz65 (Mar 22, 2008)

Hi everyone, A couple of questions on cleaning bottles. 

1. what is the easiest way of getting the labels off of used bottles??

2. what is the best way to clean use bottle to get them ready??

3. Can I put them in the dishwasher??


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## PolishWineP (Mar 22, 2008)

Putting bottles in the dishwasher can be hard on the bottles. The detergent can etch the inside of the glass, creating a harborage for ickies. Also, you may not get a thorough rinse. We scrub them with a bottle brush and B-Brite if they're funky. Rinse then rinse with cool water. 
When we put on labels we just use good paper and glue sticks. Get them wet and they slide right off. Commercial bottles we usually have to soak and then use a scraper on them. Some bottles just won't give up the label. We either label right over the old label or recyle them.


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## corn field (Mar 22, 2008)

after cleaning and delaboling 12 cases of commercial bottles I concure with P W After scraping if any glue residue is left I use wd40 and a sponge with the scratchey back then thoruly wash with dish soape being careful to not get wd40 on the inside of the bottle The wd40 sugestion came from this forum I just can't rember who


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## NorthernWinos (Mar 22, 2008)

I just soak in plain very hot water....Then scrape the label with a new razor blade in a paint scraper [like Masta says...go around the bottle...NOT...up and down]..usually can get right under the hot glue and many labels will come off whole...Usually do all of this while the bottles are very hot and the glue is soft.

Then use the green or stainless steel scrubby thing on any remaining glue.....Then jet wash with a jet washer on the faucet....use a bottle brush and jet rinse again.....Store up side down in a wine bottle box with paper towel lining the bottom....store with box closed.

When we are ready to bottle do a short soak in One Step, jet wash, sulfite, drain.


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## fish1onthefly (Mar 22, 2008)

I had the very same questions about a month ago on here...I tried several ways to clean labels and the best advice was to just let them soak...for 3-5 days. I used a big pot (crawfish pot) and filled the bottles with water and filled the pot around them. After soaking use a scraper to go sideways around the bottle not up and down. Most labels came right off. Th others I used a small scrubber oad and the glue had soaked long enough that it came right off.


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## onin24eagle (Mar 22, 2008)

I did 30 bottles today. Just put them all in my kitchen sink. Soaked them while I was de-labeling. The labels I've put on my first few batches fell off on their own, but the commercial bottles area bit more stubborn. I just used a cheese spreader knife thingy I found in the kitchen and a sponge with one ruff side. Didn't take long at all and much easier than I expected it to be. I then sanitized with a vinatore and bottled my MM All Juice Merlot.


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## Wade E (Mar 22, 2008)

I have discovered NOT to let them accumulate. If you get a few cases then by all means go for the soak method. If you just get a few then i just use a scraper on them dry as they scrape everything right off to the point where a sponge with scrubby and a little hot water and soap will take the rest off in a second. Every time I go to the dump I get 4 or 5 and I just do it that way. There are the few commercial bottles that the label falls right off but most are a pain and getting them dry is easier in my opinion as the gue is dry and scrapes right off instead of getting all gooey. Everyone has there own way they prefer but I myself now prefer the dry way scraping the label off up and down and then just hit it with the sponge. Less hot water which means less oil used for the furnace or electric or gas. Just my $.02.

*Edited by: wade *


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## hannabarn (Mar 23, 2008)

IMHO that is the best way. It is less messy. I just finished 40 bottles that way. Hands are a little cramped but less of a mess to clean up afterward. Keeps me out of the doghouse!!!


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## onin24eagle (Mar 23, 2008)

I'v only done it once and that is all it tookfor me to realize from now on I will clean them as I drink them. Much easier to do one than 30.


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## smokegrub (Mar 23, 2008)

Inside of bottles get etched inside a dishwasher! How? I always use the dishwasher as a final washing step largely because of the sterilizing temperatures. I have never noticed any problems with the wine bottles or any of my wife's dishes, including wine glasses.


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## hannabarn (Mar 23, 2008)

onin24eagle said:


> I'v only done it once and that is all it tookfor me to realize from now on I will clean them as I drink them. Much easier to do one than 30.


 I'm talking about bottles I got from the recycling center. Some how I can't convince them to delabel them for me


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## hannabarn (Mar 23, 2008)

If you wash your wine glasses enough times in the dishwasher, you will certainly ruin them. I have seen water glasses get very badly etched after repeated washing in the dishwasher.


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## pizz65 (Mar 23, 2008)

The etching is from the hardness in your water. If you have a water softener then there is no problem


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## Wade E (Mar 23, 2008)

Most dishwashers unless you have a commercial 1 do not get up to sterilizing temps.


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## scubaman2151 (Mar 23, 2008)

wade said:


> Most dishwashers unless you have a commercial 1 do not get up to sterilizing temps.




Go to a local resturant and borrow thier dishwasher .


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## joeswine (Mar 24, 2008)

heres what i do ,get bottles from winery,have 15 gallon bin,power wash bottles in sink with jet bottle washer,pump b-brite in bottles with bottle rack pump,this now starts the inside,then in the 15 gallon plastic bin place the bottles (half fill of water or so to sink them in the bin which you have half filled with water and a little b-brite 4 tablespoons) walk away come back in a week most labels will fall off,i use a plastic spackle knife to remove the rest, of, add more bottles and walk away see then next time,no rush let nature do its thing,i allow i hour at a time to delabel,try not to make it a chore,turn on the tunes,fo get about it ,just i hour at a time if you have more time ,ok////////////////////////////////this to can be somewhat fun if you let it /ok


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## PeterZ (Mar 24, 2008)

Newer dishwashers have a sterilize setting, aimed mostly at new moms who want everything Junior touches sterilized. Automatic dishwashing detergent has abrasivesto scrub dried food off of plates. Over time this will etch glass, but it takes hundreds of washings to do this. I use the DW for my wine bottles. Just be sure to get the bottles as vertical as possible. I also bottle blast them with hot waterimmediately before bottling. *Edited by: PeterZ *


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## smokegrub (Mar 24, 2008)

I expect abrasives from dishwashing detergents could possibly etch glass but I expect it would entail a huge number of washings or everyone would be complaining about their glassware being damaged. I also do not believe that hardness can, in any way, be harmful to glassware except by cosmetically staining with residue. As to sterilizing temperatures in a dishwasher, if you have and use the drying cycle and open the door prior to completion of the cycle you will encounter lots of steam which is indicative of temperatures high enough to boil water and, thus, at sterilizing levels. Of course each of us has to do what we are comfortable with. As for me, my dishwasher is going to remain an ally in bottle cleaning.


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## PolishWineP (Mar 24, 2008)

Most dishwashers these days have a water heater in them and will get the water up to temp. It helps the detergent do it's job. We have hard water here and while some glasses are just fine in there others are wrecked after just 1 washing.



Our cheap wine glasses do just fine in the dishwasher!


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## smokegrub (Mar 24, 2008)

Is it possible that what you are seeing is calcium precipatates on the glass? Try rinsing one of those glasses in vinegar and see if the cloudy/etched appearance of the glass disappears.


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## hannabarn (Mar 24, 2008)

The etching is, as Peter says, comes from abrasives in the detergent. As for steam coming from the open door, it doesn't indicate sterilization. You get steam when you go outside on a cold day and breathe out and I'm sure it's not sterilization!!!


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## Wade E (Mar 24, 2008)

Thank you hanna! Yes there are dishwashers that will sterilize but most arent and most plastics would not survive these temps in a dishwasher during sterilization. To achieve sterility an object must be sustained to a temp of 273.2* F for 15 minutes. Liquids and instuments wrapped in cloth will take longer to reach those temps. 

This was copied and pasted from Wikipedia.


"Dishwashers do not sterilize the utensils, as proper sterilization requires autoclaving
at 121 °C with pressurized wet steam for at least 15 minutes.
Commercial dishwashers can use one of two types of sanitizing methods:
hot water sanitizing (using final rinse water at a temperature of at
least 83 °C (180 °F)), or chemical sanitizing (by injecting chlorine in
the final rinse water). Not all dishwashers are capable of reaching the
high temperature required for hot water sanitizing. Medical grade
dishwashers and sanitizers are starting to use ultrasonic cleaners<sup>[_citation needed_]</span></sup>, which use a liquid bath treated with sonics to remove particles and sterilize instruments.


Most consumer dishwashers use a 75°C thermostat in the sanitizing
process. During the final rinse cycle, the heating element and wash
pump are turned on, and the cycle timer (electronic or
electromechanical) is stopped until the thermostat is tripped. At this
point, the cycle timer resumes and will generally trigger a drain cycle
within a few timer increments.


Most consumer dishwashers use 75°C rather than 83°C for reasons of
burn risk, energy consumption, total cycle time, and possible damage to
plastic items placed inside the dishwasher. With new advances in
detergents, lower water temperatures (50-55°C) are needed to prevent
premature decay of the enzymes used to eat the grease and other
build-ups on the dishes. This also saves energy and can allow the
washer to be hooked directly to the hot water supply for the house."


*Edited by: wade *


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## PeterZ (Mar 25, 2008)

Let's remember, folks, that none of what we do involved sterilizing anything. The important thing is to get the glass clean, and then use the SO2 to inhibit the growth of harmful organisms. As Wade points out, true sterilization requires wet steam at 121C for 15 minutes. This is how hospitals sterilize surgical instruments. A dishwasher on heat dry,on bottles with no visible deposits, is plenty for our purposes. Operating room sterility is impossible in a normal home - or winery.


On the hard water issue, most of the "etching" is actually hard water deposits left on the glass. The vinegar rinse approach will indicate whether it is true etching or just calcium carbonate deposits from hard water. True etching of glass requires either hydrofluoric acid (HF) or concentrated caustic soda (NaOH). HF will never be found in your drinking water. NaOH could occur if your municipal water supply is cold lime softened and not aerated after softening. It is not common, and I'm not sure anyone is doing that any more.


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## hannabarn (Mar 25, 2008)

I think we beat this subject to death!!!!!


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## Wade E (Mar 25, 2008)

Very true!


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## Okie1 (Mar 25, 2008)

Agreeded! Now that we have covered the basics of cleaning, we can get techinical.



lol


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## whino-wino (Mar 25, 2008)

Although everyone else and their mother has had their say on this, I do have one thing to add about removing labels. This may not be a method that I would recommend for everyone, but it works.
First of all, as previously stated several times, soak the bottles in HOT water. I usually like to let them soak for 1 to 3 hours. Then start scraping. Don't worry about any glue at this point. You just want to get the paper off.


Once that is done, you need to get yourself a can of Gasket Remover from your local auto parts store. This is the part that some people may not want to try, as gasket remover is some pretty nasty stuff. You will need to wear rubber gloves and a mask, and work in a well ventilated area (not the kitchen). Spray it on the glue and it will foam up and stick there. Let it sit for about 5 minutes and wipe it off with a paper towel. That's it. 95% of all glues will come right off, no scrubbing required. I need to stress the importance of being careful with this stuff though. I once sprayed some on a woodtick that I found crawling on my leg and it was reduced to a small ball of brown goo in about 30 seconds.


Obviously, if you use this stuff you will need to thoroughly wash and sterilize the bottles afterword. But that subject I think has already been covered quite extensively in this thread.*Edited by: whino-wino *


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## PeterZ (Mar 26, 2008)

I just took a look at the MSDS for Permatex Gasket Remover. It is mostly dichloromethane aka methylene chloride. While this is a suspect carcinogen, it is also the best organic solvent there is. I can't imagine a label glue that it won't remove. They used to sell it in cans in the hardware store, but don't anymore. Thanks, whino, for clueing me into another source.


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## bover907 (Sep 18, 2012)

What about *Goof Off*? It melts bottle label glue almost instantly with a paper towel. It smells like most solvents do, but it mainly evaporates, and then you can wash the bottle thoroughly afterward. With just being able to squeeze some on a paper towel and then wipe the glue right off, (after soaking the paper off), you won't get any bad stuff inside the bottle.


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## Rocky (Sep 18, 2012)

One last question on OxyClean. There are a couple of different "flavors" of the product and the one I have is called "Versatile" and says "Stain Remover, Chlorine Free." Is that what you all are using? The reason I ask is that I had something happen once when using the product that has caused me concern. I had several bottles in a plastic sink filled with hot water and OxyClean and after a few hours, I found a residual coating on the bottles that would come off with scrubbing, but I was reluctant to use the bottles because I did not know what was happening inside the bottles. I was wondering if I am using the "wrong" OxyClean. Thanks.


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## harmony24 (Sep 19, 2012)

I have used goof off before and it did work great. Not sure if it will harm you or not.


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## derunner (Oct 14, 2012)

Need help to avoid future Cuts!

I was scrapping lables last night and did a nice gash in my thumb scrapping labels with a razor blade.

Some come off nicely with just warm oxycleen. I like those. I have to try some solvents on some of the glue that does not come off, but my concern is what to use in the future to avoid repeating this with my labels.

What do i use to glue on my labels? I'd like them come off easily. Any recommendation to glue on paper labels?


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## vacuumpumpman (Oct 14, 2012)

I personally use a paint marker for those within friends, I have noticed from other people that they have used milk to hold their labels on or glue sticks.


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## derunner (Oct 14, 2012)

vacuumpumpman said:


> I personally use a paint marker for those within friends, I have noticed from other people that they have used milk to hold their labels on or glue sticks.



I had to look up paint marker, I've not used one. so you just write on the bottle with the paint marker? and then it washes off easily?


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## vacuumpumpman (Oct 14, 2012)

Thats correct !
It only takes brake kleen or acetone or any other lacquer thinner based products.
It works very well for us - when we want to add labels we can and if not they are easily removed.

Here is something similiar that I use -
http://www3.omnimodels.com/cgi-bin/woi0001p?&I=TESR2079&P=FN

found at most big box stores or on-line


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## keena (Oct 15, 2012)

I've been using staples brand glue sticks. Comes off with just hot water. I've heard that elmers brand is the only brand NOT good to use.


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## derunner (Oct 15, 2012)

Thanks Steve and Keena


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## kevinlfifer (Oct 15, 2012)

Sorry about your cut. 

Do you use a good holder for your razor blade? I would never try just holding the blade with my fingers. (If you saw all the scars on my hands you'd know why) I bought the best retractable razor blade holder and it works great and safely. Don't get the cheap holder, the blade will collapse into it after a short while.


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## cconti (Oct 17, 2012)

I soak my in very hot water and use a dull knife they come off easy


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## Thig (Oct 17, 2012)

cconti said:


> I soak my in very hot water and use a dull knife they come off easy



I do the same and then use a Brillo pad to get the remaining glue off. The Brillo pad does not scratch the glass.


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