# Any tips for removing wine bottle labels?



## Riperoo (Oct 24, 2013)

Have some empties I have been saving up and was wondering if anyone has any easy peasy tricks for getting labels off. I was thinking of soaking like 3 or so at a time in a five gallon bucket with some sanitizer, thought that might help, but I am sure it has been done before, so, thought I would ask......Thanks in advance!!


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## chazwel (Oct 24, 2013)

Soak in hot water sometimes help the glue to break loose.


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## Medic8106 (Oct 24, 2013)

I soak mine in the spare bathtub that we never use in hot water at first and then just let sit for a few days. Use a stiff plastic kitchen spatula to scrape the labels off the bottles. The bathtub area gives plenty of space to work also. Haven't met a label that I couldn't get off. (yet)


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## Elmer (Oct 24, 2013)

I soak in warm soapy water. 
either in the kitchen sink or in a 5 gallon bucket in the garage. However these days the warm water does not stay warm for long. 

I use a plastic paint scraper for the labels. 
the labels usually come off easy after a day or 2 of soaking. The issue I have is the glue behind tend to goop up and stick around.
I will wet a paper towel of a course sanding sponge (kind of like steel wool, but sythetic) with some goo be gone and get the glue off.


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## k47k (Oct 24, 2013)

Soak in hot water with oxyclean or PBW. most labels will fall right off in an hour or so.


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## mikey1273 (Oct 24, 2013)

I soak in the hottest water I can with some dish soap. the labels from most local PA winery's comes off with in an hour or less. I scrub with a stainless steel scrubber to get all the paper and glue off. Some more big commercial wines and some labels in general are just a pain and leave glue goop... then its time for goo gone and a rewash


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## Snafflebit (Oct 24, 2013)

I was at the brewer supply store last week. They had a tool that was basically a semicircle scraper with a handle for doing this job. I think a soak is still necessary.

Pressure sensitive labels are a chore to remove!

or relabel over the old labels. It starts to look like the validation tag on my license plate


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## cool77 (Oct 24, 2013)

Here is what I do :

1) Fill bottle with hot water trying to avoid splashing water onto label
2) Wait several minutes
3) Peel label only if there is only small amount of glue left on bottle. If it does not peel well, I stop
4) Let water in bottle
5) Fill sink with hot water and oxyclean
6) Put bottle into sink
7) Let it sit there for 24H
8) Remove remaining glue with a standard foam scrubber. 10 seconds max per bottle.
9) If glue do not remove easily, I use goo be gone
10) Rinse well outside and inside

Doing this minimize the grease elbow usage!

Good luck and happy cleaning. I took most of these tricks from this forum.

Yves


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## Pumpkinman (Oct 24, 2013)

Check this out: http://www.labelnator.com/....it was only a matter of time!


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## Snafflebit (Oct 24, 2013)

Pumpkinman said:


> Check this out: http://www.labelnator.com/....it was only a matter of time!



that is exactly the tool I saw at the brewery supply store.


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## Enologo (Oct 25, 2013)

Hot soak, scrape, Goof Off on a paper towel to remove residual glue (wipes right off).


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## Elmer (Oct 25, 2013)

I was cleaning bottles last night.
I am given bottles by friends and family, so some easily come off some dont.
I tried soaking in warm water with some oxyclean.
I actually boiled some water to warm it up.

After a 2 hour soak, some labels came right off. Some did not.
I ended up having to soak a few bottles with goo be gone and scrape the label off.
I find that if the label does not come off easiy, than it needs to soak more.
I find some labels we just never meant to come off. 
then there was a bottle with the label almost printed on to the bottle. I gave up and tossed it.
I have come to the point that if It takes me more than 5 to 10 minutes to clear a label, I toss it.

I can pick up 12 bottles for $15 at the store to supliment my bottle habbit. There are many other things I would rather be doing at 11 at night than scraping a bottle.


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## reefman (Oct 25, 2013)

I have friends who save bottles for me as well. What pisses me off is that they don't rinse out the bottles when they are done with them (I know, don't look a gift horse in the mouth) ...but I give them free wine!!!!! Every couple months I come home from work and find a bag of bottles sitting by the garage door.
When I get them into the sink, some nasty looking, fuzzy, black and green stuff comes floating out of the bottles. These bottles always require some extra work to clean and sanitize. Almost not worth the effort....but still free.


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## Tess (Oct 25, 2013)

Pumpkinman said:


> Check this out: http://www.labelnator.com/....it was only a matter of time!



OMG!!!! I love it. Just bought it. I will let you know. I might just start using my labels more. Im sure you still have to soak but this is so much better then a butter knife


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## SourKrause (Jul 10, 2016)

I actually saw something on the internet advising you to bake the bottles in your oven. I think it was at 350 for about 20 minutes. We tried it and about half came off very easy...after letting them cool for a bit. The others were a pain so we soaked them in hot water with Oxi.


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## bkisel (Jul 10, 2016)

If all else fails.... use Elbow Grease!






Joking aside, for the tough ones I soak some, scrape, use Goof Off for what remains and then a final wash.


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## jgmann67 (Jul 10, 2016)

Tess said:


> OMG!!!! I love it. Just bought it. I will let you know. I might just start using my labels more. Im sure you still have to soak but this is so much better then a butter knife




I've had this for about 6 months or so. I recommend soaking you bottles (submerge in Oxi and hot water) for about a half hour. Be careful handling the labelnator. You can easily slice your hand if you don't pay attention to what you're doing. 

It works very well. Worth the $10.


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## Floandgary (Jul 10, 2016)

I have the time and some good P.Floyd is the patience! Razor scrape the labels off, Goo-Gone on a #0 or #00 pad of steel wool, add a little elbow grease and away you go. Quick rinse-off in soapy water (not the insides) Won't take long to discover which glues are water soluble and which are petroleum based. Careful ,,,, don't cut yourself!!! Some have made holders for the bottles to reduce the risk.


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## Johny99 (Jul 11, 2016)

I soak for 12-24 hours in hot water, sometimes oxy sometimes not. If I have to scrub for more than a minute then our comes the label actor, sucker will cut your fingers:: If that doesn't do it, into the recycle bin. 

I tell friends, no rinse, no reuse. I don't want to risk bringing anymore weird bugs into the winery than nature brings me.


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## AZMDTed (Jul 11, 2016)

Like many others, I will soak in hot tap water with oxiclean for a couple hours. After that I will use the edge of spoon and scrape the labels off. As has been mentioned some will come off easy, and some are so glued on that it's not worth the effort. If I have to put real muscle into it and I find a tough gummy residue under the label, then the rest of those bottles go into recycling. Not worth the effort now and despite goo gone and similar products doing a great job there are some bottles that you just can't get all their glue off.

Of course I'm saying this after having spent the first year scraping, scouring, cleaning, and chemically trying to remove residual glue. So I understand. Now that I mostly reuse my own bottles life is much nicer. But now for new bottles, if the label doesn't cooperate, it gets tossed.


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## sampvt (Jul 12, 2016)

Wet the label with hot water, In an away from you top to bottom action, scrape with the heaviest and sharpest carving knife you have then scrub with a metal scouring pad dipped in soap powder, come off very easy.


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## drainsurgeon (Jul 14, 2016)

reefman said:


> I have friends who save bottles for me as well. What pisses me off is that they don't rinse out the bottles when they are done with them (I know, don't look a gift horse in the mouth) ...but I give them free wine!!!!! Every couple months I come home from work and find a bag of bottles sitting by the garage door.
> When I get them into the sink, some nasty looking, fuzzy, black and green stuff comes floating out of the bottles. These bottles always require some extra work to clean and sanitize. Almost not worth the effort....but still free.



I don't bother cleaning bottles like that. There are too many sources of free "clean" bottles out there. Restaurant's are a good source. I also pick up some from the recycling center when I stop there about every 2 weeks. If they are dirty or moldy inside I don't bother. As far as label removal I take a window scraper and angle the blade starting at one side of the bottle label with downward strokes. The residual glue comes right off with a paper towel with a little Goo-Gone. I would imagine just about any citrus base product would work. I've tried soaking but seem to end up more of a mess than its worth. I can clean a dozed bottles up in about 15 min.


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## opus345 (Jul 15, 2016)

AZMDTed said:


> Like many others, I will soak in hot tap water with oxiclean for a couple hours. After that I will use the edge of spoon and scrape the labels off. As has been mentioned some will come off easy, and some are so glued on that it's not worth the effort. If I have to put real muscle into it and I find a tough gummy residue under the label, then the rest of those bottles go into recycling. Not worth the effort now and despite goo gone and similar products doing a great job there are some bottles that you just can't get all their glue off.



Same as others. Soak in oxyclean in 15 Gal rope tub for 24 hours. For tough labels, use plastic fork (top and bottom) to scrape. Then use bristle brush for final polish.


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## opus345 (Jul 15, 2016)

sampvt said:


> scrape with the heaviest and sharpest carving knife you have



And you still have all your fingers?


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## vernsgal (Jul 15, 2016)

Place your bottles in a cooler filled with powdered dishwasher soap and hottest water available. Allow to soak for 24 hours. They should remove easily. Any residual glue, remove with scouring pad.


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## JohnT (Jul 15, 2016)

try this.. 

1) build a chicken wire cradle that will firmly hold a bottle on it's side. 
2) use a low powered pressure washer to blast that sucka off of the bottle. 

This works amazingly well and takes only a minute per bottle. It works even better if you soak the bottles first. This even works well for those pesky plastic labels that have been applied with rubber cement.

.. Just make sure you wear eye protection!


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## opus345 (Jul 17, 2016)

JohnT said:


> try this..
> 
> 1) build a chicken wire cradle that will firmly hold a bottle on it's side.



Actually it should work but I'm reminded of the Galazy Quest quote, "_Look around; can you construct some sort of rudimentary lathe?_"


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## hounddawg (Jul 18, 2016)

soak in very hot water, then
holding a knife as you would at a sharping angle scrape off the labels. then using a rag soaked in dish washing liquid to remove any extra glue, a good help is buying a nice set of thick BBQing gloves, your hands will thank you greatly.
Dawg,,,,


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## dcbrown73 (Jul 18, 2016)

Pumpkinman said:


> Check this out: http://www.labelnator.com/....it was only a matter of time!



I bought one of these online and this is what the back of the package says hah.

Read the area with the red background right above Safer, Quicker, Easier. 

Apparently, they did not do a good job of proof reading before they printed all the packaging.


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## HarrysHomeBrew (Mar 24, 2018)

Old thread but.... I just used a drill with a big wire brush. Worked well. Then used goo gone to get the last thin glue. I put the bottle on the ground and held it with my legs while I used the drill. 

I bet one of those table grinders with one side a wire brush would even work better. It would be easier to hold the bottle and push against the brush.


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## Jal5 (Mar 25, 2018)

I found that after the hot water soak I can scrape the labels off with a plastic scraper but the glue! I tried Goo Gone but cannot stand that smell inside the house. WD40 works just as well on a piece of rag without the stink.
Joe


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## HarrysHomeBrew (Mar 25, 2018)

I did not get the spray bottle I got the wipes in a can. I wonder if the smell is different. Either way I liked the citrus smell of the goo gone. I was a aircraft mechanic for 26 years so like the smell of WD40 too.


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## Country (Mar 25, 2018)

Tried everything and this is what works for me. Pre-heat your oven to 300 f. and load it with bottles that have had the inside rinsed out. Give them 5 minutes in the oven and remove one at a time and easily peel the label off. Set the bottle aside to cool while you attack the others. Once done with the labels, scrub off the glue with dish soap. The rinse water in the bottles steams them inside and out. Helping to sanitize and loosen to stubborn labels. Good luck,


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## larry (Mar 26, 2018)

Riperoo said:


> Have some empties I have been saving up and was wondering if anyone has any easy peasy tricks for getting labels off. I was thinking of soaking like 3 or so at a time in a five gallon bucket with some sanitizer, thought that might help, but I am sure it has been done before, so, thought I would ask......Thanks in advance!!


 Hello Riperoo I am new here but I have done what others have suggested and soaked them in oxy clean the one with he green top.I let them soak about an hour and the labels came right off.


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## wildhair (Mar 26, 2018)

I have a 6 gallon bucket, add 1/2 cup of Zep degreaser and a handful of washing soda. I submerge the bottles and soak for ....a few days or so. Most of the labels slip right off, the residual glue comes off with Bar keepers Friend and a nylon scrubbie pad. Rinse them with some hot water. I can soak 7 at a time, and re-use the water for quite a few times.


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## Scooter68 (Mar 27, 2018)

Naturally the correct answer is likely to be a bit different for each of us. (Time, materials and effort involved)

My view is that if I would get a little more organized, I would keep notes on which brands, and types of labels are easy to remove and which are just plain nasty. THEN if I would keep that list in the car with me when I go to the recycling center I would not find myself struggling to both remember which bottles to take and which to leave alone. In general a lot of the foil or metallic labels are bad news. 

I have also found some 'interesting' conditions including - Some where the front label was easy peasy and the back label was a real bugger to remove.
Using hot water on the inside and NOT getting the outside worked on a few but that's a pain to do so...

Guess I need to start that list next time I do more label removing.

So let's see...
Cork top yes - screw top no
Bottle colors matching
Bottle shapes matching
Punt matching or not there
Label type good/bad

Oh, and do I have enough for the batch I'm collecting these for? Do I need more of a certain bottle.

BOY this is getting complicated.


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## wildhair (Mar 27, 2018)

We're supposed to match bottle shape & color? LOL For my OWN labels, post-other-label removal - I use either a removable label (Avery #22827) OR I use spray glue on the label & they come off easy-peasy. I just tried out the Avery one & I like them better - they are thicker, less likely to have colors run & come right off. Plus - they have a free downloadable template that makes it really easy to design and print....................... but now I'm off-topic, so I'll shut-up.


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## Scooter68 (Mar 27, 2018)

Whaaat!? Off topic?? We are on the wine making forum site right.


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## wildhair (Mar 27, 2018)

LOL I diverged into label MAKING .....and strayed from label REMOVAL.... which is the topic of this thread. Don't want to offend .....again.


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## cmason1957 (Mar 27, 2018)

And some of us don't worry about shape matching, I sort of color match, but only in so fast as they are green or at least dark. It just isn't worth my time to do that.


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## Scooter68 (Mar 28, 2018)

I'v a victim of OCD I guess. I just like it to look all the same. Color only so far as the type of wine 'normally' bottled in that color. Since I allow plenty of time to gather bottles for a batch from the recycling center, I can start when the batch starts into fermentation and have a year to get the bottles cleaned sorted and figure out my label.


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## wildhair (Mar 28, 2018)

LOL Nothing wrong with good organization and symmetry......so my wife tells me. I don't have enough bottles to get quite that "particular" - dark for reds, clear for whites is about as OCD as I get. ;-)
Going to the recycling center is a good idea - might look into that.


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## mainshipfred (Mar 28, 2018)

Scooter68 said:


> Whaaat!? Off topic?? We are on the wine making forum site right.



I'd like to see the percentages of threads that did not go off topic. It's got to be 
low!


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## wildhair (Mar 28, 2018)

Hahaha! Yep - not just this forum either.


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## jgmann67 (Apr 8, 2018)

wildhair said:


> LOL Nothing wrong with good organization and symmetry......so my wife tells me. I don't have enough bottles to get quite that "particular" - dark for reds, clear for whites is about as OCD as I get. ;-)
> Going to the recycling center is a good idea - might look into that.



After my bottles are prepped, I'll sort them by type and color. 

Brown Bordeaux 
Green Bordeaux
Brown Burgundy 
Clear Bordeaux 
Miscellaneous

Then, I sanitize them before use. I'd like to say I have a system. But, it's just short of mayhem.


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## Scooter68 (Apr 9, 2018)

Well the real fun begins when have started filling bottles and notice that the next bottle up to be filled is different from the rest! The OCD condition kicks in and I'm off and running to find one more bottle that matches the rest of the ones I'm filling. Does it really matter, meh, no but it keeps the day interesting. That's the one thing I try to do as I get close to bottling day. Go through the bottles, select the ones for this batch and make sure they all match, are the all clean inside and out? Then give them one more rinse with sanitizer and let them dry until bottling day. Now and then I find a little label residue and I either clean that off before the final rinse, or decide that the label will cover it up making it meaningless.

The other 'fun' part is actually putting labels on the bottles. Occasionally I find that the bottle curve (Top to bottom) make the label wrinkle unless the label is place very carefully. Sometimes I have to just let it happen.


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## cmason1957 (Apr 9, 2018)

I have learned to overcome the OCD about what bottle to use by letting my wife select and she has no OCD, so they get all messed. All are either dark or clear, but the dark ones might be green, flint, brown and a mix of bottle shapes. I try not to obsess over it while I cork it.


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## wildhair (Apr 9, 2018)

LOL I guess I don't have that big of a selection of bottles yet, plus most of my batches are small, so bottle matching is easier. And on the *List Of Things To Worry About *- I think matching bottles comes in around #347.
As for the wrinkling labeling issue - I've had that. Those sloping shoulder bottles don't have as big a "flat spot" for the label. And I use some sparkling wine bottles that have a REAL small label area. I just use a different label and re-size or re-design it to fit. God bless the home computer. 
I have just started using a label from Avery that is *removable *and it really_ IS_ removable. Peels right off in 1 piece w/o any residue on the bottle at all. It's a beautiful thing. Avery # 22827 - they are about $.50 per label, but they go on and come off really easy. I don't know if they are available in bulk. 
I also made an adjustable "bottle cradle" for putting on the labels...........but now I'm wandering off topic again. ;-)


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## winepittsburgh (Apr 9, 2018)

Riperoo said:


> Have some empties I have been saving up and was wondering if anyone has any easy peasy tricks for getting labels off. I was thinking of soaking like 3 or so at a time in a five gallon bucket with some sanitizer, thought that might help, but I am sure it has been done before, so, thought I would ask......Thanks in advance!!



Soak in a 6 gallon bucket of hot water with B-Brite for 24 hours. Refill with hot water the next day to soften the glue again and scrape off with a butter knife. Some labels will fall right off and some will be more stubborn. Any residue can be removed with a paper towel with mineral spirits on it. Just make sure to keep the mineral spirits away from the opening on the bottle. I have heard people use brillo pads with some success to get the residue off also but I have not tried that method yet. Good luck!


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## Scooter68 (Apr 10, 2018)

For scraping labels I generally use a paint scraper (One that holds a single edged razor blade.) That sharp edge works well as long as you use common sense. You might look into making yourself a little support bracket to brace the bottles against as you scrape them.
BUT first things first:
1) See if the label will dry peel without shredding. Some will, most will not but even if you just get the top layer off that shorten your next step . (Anytime you find a label you can peel off totally dry, make a note of that brand!)
2) Soak the bottles in hot water with B-Brite or Oxyclean. Remember that this is not a one step process, you will most likely have to do two scrapings or peel by hand the top layer and scrape the adhesive layer. 
3) _Rinse, Rinse, Rinse. _ ANY soap or Oxyclean or any thing you use to help with label removal needs to be be long gone before your declare victory and store the bottles or fill with wine. 
4) Start early. Generally I try to locate bottles for a batch as soon as possible after I start the wine. (We who suffer from some OCD like to be on top of these things.) Doing that means you have plenty of time to get the labels off, rinse, and let the bottle set while you design a label that befitting both the wine and the bottle.


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## Ajmassa (Apr 10, 2018)

For the stubborn glue remnants I read a tip here a while back that worked amazing. Might even be this thread actually After the whole soak and scrape- rub on oil- ANY oil. Let sit for a minute. Remove that stubborn glue with anything- I just used a coarse sponge with vegetable oil. Worked like a charm.


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## BigMac (Apr 15, 2018)

Getting back to the original question.
It comes down to effort.
I have used my pressure washer at the end of the summer and cleaned like 30 cases of bottles by the curb.
The neighbors think I am crazy.
So that gets the paper off but not all of the glue.

So the next topic is glue.
Crap, so I am a glue guy, I have 15 kinds of glue in my shop, I can fix darn near anything.
But why oh why do wineries use glue with a 5 ton tensile strength that can hold a roof on a house in a hurricane.
If the glue doesn't come off pretty darn easily, then toss the bottle.
It's not like bottles are a limited commodity.

I mean, what do we know for sure?
Your friends are lushes just like we are.
So they can just bring you more bottles.

Or, hmm, buy more wine. Not saying I do that, but...

Cheers


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## DougL (Apr 17, 2018)

I'm a total newbie here and also to the wine making. I've tried most of the soaking methods, and found them frustrating. For me, this is the fastest way I've found to remove labels.
1. Take a sharp utility knife and scrap off the paper label (emphases on sharp)
2. spray the remaining glue with WD40 and let it set for a few minutes
3. Take a fine steelwool pad and remove the glue.
4. Wash the bottle with what ever.
WD40 is made from fish oil, there is nothing in it that will harm you.


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## Doug’s wines (Apr 17, 2018)

Hi @DougL Good to have another Doug around and congratulations on your first post. I like your removal method, however just Wd40 does not have fish oil in it. That is a debunked urban legend. Also afaik, the formula for wd40 is not public and it is not edible. It is flammable though.


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## Scooter68 (Apr 18, 2018)

if you wouldn't eat or drink it, beware of using it in or around you wine. Most of all be sure ALL traces are removed of it before it gets near your wine. Many speak of the dangers of oxiclean, but again with sufficient rinsing and using follow-on standard dish washing soap, rinses and then sanitizer, you should be safe. 
I just would be very cautious about using any oily or petroleum products even for cleaning the outside of a bottle. They have a way of lingering around. And really, for me at least, there are so many empty bottles at the recycling center that I don't need to deal with the difficult labels, move on to one that come off easier. 

(Any bottle with a 'clear' background, I avoid for that same reason, "Many fish in the sea" to chose from.)


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## Zintrigue (Apr 18, 2018)

I have a great method, not sure if it's been mentioned.

Water reaches boiling point at around 212F, so I lay the bottles in a cold oven and set it to 225F. Set a timer for 20 minutes and walk away. When I come back, I use a pot holder to grab the neck of the bottle and my finger nails to just grab the labels and peel them right off. No mess, no trouble. Easy. Just make sure you keep them hot in the oven while they're waiting to get peeled, else the labels will cool too fast and not come off.

Then all the bottles go in a hot bath of oxyclean (scent and dye free) to soak another 20 minutes. Laundry room sink is golden for this. Labels that didn't come off in the oven (there are the rare few) come right off in the oxy bath. An old credit card does the trick for the .01% of gunk that is resistant to both methods.

Hope that helps.


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## TallTexan (Apr 18, 2018)

As mentioned by another member, I use a paint scraper with replaceable blades...do be very careful and always scrape away from you and the hand that is holding the bottle. I wear heavy rubber gloves (like you'd wear when cleaning the house or washing dishes) and they have saved me from a near cut and help me to keep my grip on the slippery bottles. I soak about 10 bottles at a time in a sink full of *very* hot water with just a drop or two of clear non-scented biodegradable dish washing soap (no particular brand...check anywhere that sells dish washing liquid). I only soak about 5 or 10 minutes, and begin to scrape while the bottles are still very hot to touch; this is where the heavy rubber gloves are essential, as otherwise the glass would be too hot to hold. With some labels I am able to get the blade under the edge and slowly push and lift the label at the same time and it comes off all in one piece. Some labels float off in the hot water (LOVE those!). Others are a real hassle and come off in pieces with lots of scraping. I truly believe that heating the glass with the very hot water and working with the bottles while still hot is the key, as this softens most adhesives. I've tried dry scraping at room temp and it is very messy and leaves the adhesive behind. After I've gotten the labels off I make a pass with a bottle brush then shake the hot soapy water really well in the bottle and empty it. Once I have a box of about 15 or so I rinse with clear water using a pressurized bottle rinser that screws onto a traditional faucet, drain on a bottle tree, then sanitize all of the bottles just prior to bottling. The only time that I use unscented Oxyclean is when there is visible mold remaining in a bottle after I've done the initial soapy hot water wash and tried to remove it using a bottle brush. If I have enough spare bottles, I forgo the Oxyclean and just toss the moldy bottle in the trash and move on. If using Oxyclean, I rinse several times with hot water and again with the pressure bottle washer to be sure that there is no residue before proceeding to drying and sanitizing. As I'm sure all will agree, label removing/bottle washing is the most labor intensive part of the whole winemaking process, and the least pleasant. I'd probably purchase new bottles if I lived in an area that had a supply store nearby, but right now all of my supplies must be shipped and the nearest supplier charges $30 per box of 12 bottles for shipping...and I am not exaggerating the shipping cost. The hubby says I need to open a supply store here; it's tempting.


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## wolo50 (Apr 18, 2018)

1. *Boiling water* into the bottle to the top of the label. Avoid getting the label wet. Let set a few minutes. Leaving the hot water in the bottle, the label will peel off on most bottles leaving a small amount of glue. 
2. If some of the label remains, pour boiling water on it and scrape. 
3. Remove glue with Krud and plastic coarse mesh scouring pad with hot water still in bottle. After glue is loosened, wipe with dish clothe.
yes, you need to handle with care but it works

boiling water and Krud having proven the most effective.


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## Evan_J (Apr 19, 2018)

Very useful thread!

Some wine (and beer) brands use labels and glue which are easily and completely removed after an overnight soak in plain cold water. When you have done this enough to recognize a few preferred brands, make a list of those. Don't pick up or accept any others. That greatly reduces time-consuming scraping, chemicals, solvents, washing and rinsing.

I now reject burgundy bottles (tapered neck, no shoulder, larger diameter, require more rack space for wine storage) in favor of bordeaux style, with shoulder. I also reject those with larger external diameter at the opening (shrink capsules won't fit over these). And I absolutely reject any threaded bottles, because whether you replace the old aluminum cap, or buy a new one, they still often leak. That does not happen with corks.


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## Doug’s wines (Apr 19, 2018)

@Evan_J leave those burgundy bottles for me! I am just too anal to put Pinot, Chardonnay etc in a Boudreaux! Wouldn’t taste right (yeah I know it’s mental!)


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## sour_grapes (Apr 19, 2018)

Doug’s wines said:


> @Evan_J leave those burgundy bottles for me! I am just too anal to put Pinot, Chardonnay etc in a Boudreaux! Wouldn’t taste right (yeah I know it’s mental!)



Here is a thread you may be interested in: https://www.winemakingtalk.com/threads/do-you-worry-about-bottle-shape.57871/


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## linjanbri (Apr 24, 2018)

Hi from Australia
I wash all the bottles in hot water and baking soda. The ones whose labels lift after about five minutes I leave to soak. The others are rinsed and dried and I put them in the oven at 250 celcius for about 5-10 minutes. You need to be very careful not to burn yourself taking them out, but when out I hold the neck with a tea towel, and use a butter knife (clean edged) to lift a corner and peel off.
I spent the afternoon doing this last week and delabelled about three dozen bottles in 2 hours. I hate having to scratch the labels off, takes a lot of time and is messy.
I will have to look at that de labelling tool!!


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## jgmann67 (Apr 25, 2018)

I process bottles once the bin is overflowing. It's nice lately because most of the bottles in the bin are from my own wine - soak in oxy green, scrub inside the bottle to get rid of the occasional reside, rinse, spritz with Kmeta and let them dry. The labels come off very easily. 

This weekend, I processed 4.5 cases of bottles (there's no room in the burgundy bin).


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## Rmarr (Apr 26, 2018)

Ajmassa5983 said:


> For the stubborn glue remnants I read a tip here a while back that worked amazing. Might even be this thread actually After the whole soak and scrape- rub on oil- ANY oil. Let sit for a minute. Remove that stubborn glue with anything- I just used a coarse sponge with vegetable oil. Worked like a charm.


This is my wonder glue remover, except I add my oil to bakeing soda to make a paste. This paste eats through glue like nothing else I have ever done. After the glue is removed I let them sit on the counter for 15 mins and wash it off with a little dish soap and water. The bottles come out looking brand new.


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## winggolder33 (May 1, 2018)

Riperoo said:


> Have some empties I have been saving up and was wondering if anyone has any easy peasy tricks for getting labels off. I was thinking of soaking like 3 or so at a time in a five gallon bucket with some sanitizer, thought that might help, but I am sure it has been done before, so, thought I would ask......Thanks in advance!!


No soap in bottle!


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## rustbucket (May 2, 2018)

winggolder33, the way I avoid getting soap in the bottles when de-labeling is to fill them with warm water and seal them with old corks that I push into the openings.


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## winggolder33 (May 3, 2018)

Riperoo said:


> Have some empties I have been saving up and was wondering if anyone has any easy peasy tricks for getting labels off. I was thinking of soaking like 3 or so at a time in a five gallon bucket with some sanitizer, thought that might help, but I am sure it has been done before, so, thought I would ask......Thanks in advance!!


Some of them simply peel off in one piece, no soaking required. Others, (most) require a soak under water, no SOAP!, and a fingernail or paring knife scraping. Finish with a Chore Girl cleanup of the glue. You can use a little dish soap on the OUTSIDE.


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## winggolder33 (May 3, 2018)

rustbucket said:


> winggolder33, the way I avoid getting soap in the bottles when de-labeling is to fill them with warm water and seal them with old corks that I push into the openings.


That will sure work, but I prefer not to soak in soap.


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## GaDawg (May 3, 2018)

I have learned triage. If I have a label that is very difficult, I throw it away


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## crcarey (May 4, 2018)

I put all bottles in oven at 225 for 15 minutes. Most labels peal right off. The ones that don't are usually papery types that fall right off in water. Use a fresh razor blade and change them often. Final Cleaning with scotchbrite pad from dollar store. Did use steel wool but didn't last as long and would get rusty. I have delabeled thousands with ease, but took a while to learn oven trick and master the process. Oh ya, I pull bottles out hot with a rag (be careful).


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## Jal5 (May 4, 2018)

This may have been posted before but the best scraper is a carpet cutting knife. Good handle and a curved blade. Fits the shape of bottle very well. Less likely to cut my fingers since using this.


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## Evan_J (May 5, 2018)

Doug’s wines said:


> @Evan_J leave those burgundy bottles for me! I am just too anal to put Pinot, Chardonnay etc in a Boudreaux! Wouldn’t taste right (yeah I know it’s mental!)



I know, it took me a while to get over that too. There isn't much difference, but my storage racks will hold 30 - 31 bottles of Bordeauxs, but only about 28 Burgundys, per shelf. For whites, I currently use easily delabeled Bordeaux bottles, from one brand of pinot grigio, that is popular at the place where I get most of my used bottles.


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## szap (May 5, 2018)

I have a can of naphtha and found that it works great to remove the glue left after removing the labels. Just spray on and wipe off. Make sure no open flame and have good ventilation. There are a handful of wine makers that use a vinyl type label. (7 deadly zins is one example.) I have been able to remove these with a heat gun. This won't work on paper labels.


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## Scott Harbison (Oct 27, 2018)

Removed labels last night. Soaked bottles in hot water with chlorine free Oxy Clean for 4-5 hours. Scrapped off labels with a large putty knife, then used WD 40 on a paper towel to clean off bottles. Worked like a charm! Sanitized bottles with K meta and letting them dry now.


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## mainshipfred (Oct 27, 2018)

Scott Harbison said:


> Removed labels last night. Soaked bottles in hot water with chlorine free Oxy Clean for 4-5 hours. Scrapped off labels with a large putty knife, then used WD 40 on a paper towel to clean off bottles. Worked like a charm! Sanitized bottles with K meta and letting them dry now.



So what's going in?


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## Scooter68 (Oct 27, 2018)

There are so many different types of adhesives used that no one method works all the time. 

I've found some soak right off in hot soapy water. 

Others will peel cleanly if you put hot water in the bottle but don't get the label on the outside wet. 

There are even some really nice ones that peel off cleanly with no heat, no water just a little careful fingernail work and gentle even pulling.

Others require soaking scrubbing, rubbing and occasionally the use of glue solvents. 

(Of late I have personally adopted a "No Solvent" policy for at because of, 1) Cost, 2) Additional labor to remove the solvent itself, and 3)The risk of solvent residue lousing up a bottle or batch of wine.)

Often I find the more exotic the label, the more issues removing it. Clear labels lead that group followed by labels with foil and labels with cutouts.


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## Scott Harbison (Oct 27, 2018)

mainshipfred said:


> So what's going in?


My first Merlot kit. My first wine making effort of any kind! The wine is ok. As I've mentioned on here before, it's thin and my oak chips and spiral didn't give it much of a boost. But it's drinkable and I'm going to take it all the way through!

I have a WE Eclipse Lodi Cab that's currently in a barrel borrowed from @Johnd , so I'm using this kit experience to learn as much as I can before I finish that one. It's tasting much better than the Merlot. The Cab will probably get bottled somewhere around March, unless John needs his barrel back before then.


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## Johnd (Oct 27, 2018)

Scott Harbison said:


> My first Merlot kit. My first wine making effort of any kind! The wine is ok. As I've mentioned on here before, it's thin and my oak chips and spiral didn't give it much of a boost. But it's drinkable and I'm going to take it all the way through!
> 
> I have a WE Eclipse Lodi Cab that's currently in a barrel borrowed from @Johnd , so I'm using this kit experience to learn as much as I can before I finish that one. It's tasting much better than the Merlot. The Cab will probably get bottled somewhere around March, unless John needs his barrel back before then.


 
Ha!!! That’s not my barrel anymore, it’s yours, my contribution to “paying it forward” in the winemaking world!


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## winojoe (Oct 28, 2018)

I use a razor scraper if the label will not peel.

Hold the bottle by the neck, and scrape away from you.
Clean anything left with hot water and a Brillo pad.

Anything that is really gummy is not worth my time and gets thrown in the trash.

Anyone that returns bottles that are not rinsed gets no more wine.
I explain why and usually have no more problems with them.


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## mainshipfred (Oct 28, 2018)

winojoe said:


> I use a razor scraper if the label will not peel.
> 
> Hold the bottle by the neck, and scrape away from you.
> Clean anything left with hot water and a Brillo pad.
> ...



I get unrinsed bottles back as well. What kind of sense does that make. I'll try a quick rinse with the bottle washer but throw most away.


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## bstnh1 (Oct 28, 2018)

mikey1273 said:


> I soak in the hottest water I can with some dish soap. the labels from most local PA winery's comes off with in an hour or less. I scrub with a stainless steel scrubber to get all the paper and glue off. Some more big commercial wines and some labels in general are just a pain and leave glue goop... then its time for goo gone and a rewash



I agree! A stainless steel scrubber works great to remove glue residue, etc. Most labels will soak off, but for those that won't, I use a razor blade scraper.


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## gabe (Oct 28, 2018)

Riperoo said:


> Have some empties I have been saving up and was wondering if anyone has any easy peasy tricks for getting labels off. I was thinking of soaking like 3 or so at a time in a five gallon bucket with some sanitizer, thought that might help, but I am sure it has been done before, so, thought I would ask......Thanks in advance!!


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## gabe (Oct 28, 2018)

I’ve been using the tool called labinator. Works fairly decent curvicture fits most bottles
Gabe


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## Scott Harbison (Oct 28, 2018)

Johnd said:


> Ha!!! That’s not my barrel anymore, it’s yours, my contribution to “paying it forward” in the winemaking world!


Thank you @Johnd! Can't tell you how much you've helped me along in this journey! Truly appreciate your kindness and mentorship!


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## porkchopmessiah (Oct 29, 2018)

I scrape off first, a rag sprayed with wd40 will dissolve glue then wash exterior of bottle


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## kevinlfifer (Oct 29, 2018)

I tried something new this week. 

I usually use Oxiclean, but if left them soaking to long the bottles developed a mineral like crusty film inside and out that required use of the bottle brush on every bottle. There was always some bottles with the sticky residue requiring charcoal lighter fluid to remove.

I used Dawn. I first drew the very hot water (3/4 of the laundry tub sink), then added 1/4 cup Dawn, that way no massive build up of bubbles. Sank the bottles and let them set 12 hrs, All the glue turned into a white slime. Not a single bottle needed solvent.


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## Dom Lausic (Oct 29, 2018)

Depending on the type of label that was put in the bottle, I try to slowly remove them first. If you're careful, they'll often come off in one piece. If not, then leave them on. I then get the sink full with warm water and some PBW. Softens everything going right up. Then use a plastic scraper to remove the labels. Then use a plastic scrubby (scouring pads for cleaning dishes) and that takes off any remaining glue. Some bottles are really easy, other labels a little tougher.. .. 

I find me technique changes depending on the label, but kitchen sink, warm water, PBW, knife, plastic scraper and scrubby are my tools of choice. 

PBW and warm water are the key to softening glue and labels!


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## sour_grapes (Oct 29, 2018)

kevinlfifer said:


> I tried something new this week.
> 
> I usually use Oxiclean, but if left them soaking to long the bottles developed a mineral like crusty film inside and out that required use of the bottle brush on every bottle. There was always some bottles with the sticky residue requiring charcoal lighter fluid to remove.
> 
> I used Dawn. I first drew the very hot water (3/4 of the laundry tub sink), then added 1/4 cup Dawn, that way no massive build up of bubbles. Sank the bottles and let them set 12 hrs, All the glue turned into a white slime. Not a single bottle needed solvent.



Really!? I like this idea. I have always used PBW or oxyclean (very similar). Never thought to use Dawn. I'll try anything once!


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## Wayne Freeman (Oct 29, 2018)

Riperoo said:


> Have some empties I have been saving up and was wondering if anyone has any easy peasy tricks for getting labels off. I was thinking of soaking like 3 or so at a time in a five gallon bucket with some sanitizer, thought that might help, but I am sure it has been done before, so, thought I would ask......Thanks in advance!!



I fill the bottle with boiling water just past the top of the label(s) and wait about two minutes. The labels peel off easily. Hold the neck of the bottle with a hot pad for safety's sake. There will be some residual glue, which is easy to rub off with a paper towel with some cooking oil on it. The advantage to this is that you don't get the labels wet and there's less mess.

The method of heating the bottles in the oven at 350 degrees works, too, but the bottles are more difficult to handle at 350 degrees than they are at less than 212 degrees.


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