# removing labels, again



## jamesngalveston (Jun 20, 2013)

a friend came over and I was removing some labels...while doing so she remarked she runs hot water over bottles, then puts a layer of shampoo on it.lets it sit for about 10 minutes and just scrapes it with a knive.
tried it and it worked like a charm, was not hard at all.
just another way...i guess


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## robie (Jun 20, 2013)

Hey, it's whatever works! I might try that next time.


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## Loner (Jun 20, 2013)

I have a wire wheel on my bench grinder. Anything that doesn't come off with a putty knife after a 24 hour soak gets a visit to the bench grinder. It works in seconds and leaves no visible scratches. ALWAYS wear eye protection when using a bench grinder.


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## Julie (Jun 21, 2013)

LOL. well that is a new one on me, a bench grinder but if it works. I normally soak, then I use a window scraper and any residue after that I use a stainless steel pot scratcher.


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## Sammyk (Jun 21, 2013)

I get used bottles from a winery. They said fill with hot water and they just peel off easy. By time I fill 18 bottles that my canning sink holds, I can go back and just peel of the first one filled. Try not to get water on the outside of the bottle as they do come off harder than if you just fill with hot water to the top of the label.


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## jamesngalveston (Jun 21, 2013)

loner i tried that, the little wires kept coming out and hitting me..i quit


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## Juggernaut (Jul 28, 2013)

What's been working for me is filling a 5 gallon bucket 3/4 full of hot water with a 1/4 scoop of Oxyclean free. I let them soak for 15 minuets and then start peeling the labels off the easy bottles. I then take a scuff pad and wipe the remaining glue from those bottles. For the bottles that have hard to remove labels, I scrape them off with a box cutter, and then use the scuff pad. Some labels don't use a water soluble glue. When I come across these, I just throw them in recycling.


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## jamesngalveston (Jul 28, 2013)

I have a 250 quart igloo for offshore fishing, i stuff it with bottles, pour a qt of bleach fill with water, and a week later, if i have time i remove the labels.


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## Duster (Jul 28, 2013)

jamesngalveston said:


> I have a 250 quart igloo for offshore fishing, i stuff it with bottles, pour a qt of bleach fill with water, and a week later, if i have time i remove the labels.



I can't say for sure because I haven't taken the chance. I have heard that bleach should never come in contact with any wine making equipment otherwise you can end up with chlorophenol problems


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## Runningwolf (Jul 28, 2013)

Labels are a funny thing. I can get labels from some wineries that just peel right off after 10 minutes of a hot soak while labels from another winery are a SOB. Another interesting discovery, I'll get bottles of different colors from the same winery and the color of the bottle determined how hard it was going to be to get the labels off. I have no idea why but maybe the clear and amber bottles would be real tough but the green and blue bottle wouldn't be too bad. Same label type and glue only the bottle was different. Np explanation.


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## dessertmaker (Jul 29, 2013)

Bleach is fine on bottles if you clean them really well. If I do a bleach soak on bottles then I rinse them all inside and out several times and do a clean water soak in a different container for the same amount of time I did the bleach soak. Then I rinse them again in scalding hot water. But it's more effort than its worth. I've only done this once when I was dealing with really dirty bottles and horribly gunky labels and had run out of my usual cleaner.


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## sgx2 (Nov 6, 2013)

Try spraying stubborn glue spots and partially glued on labels with WD40 -- works surprisingly well. Rinse well, and ensure you don't get any inside the bottle.


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## grapecrusher (Dec 11, 2013)

I'm not as patient. I use a razor blade. The straight ones that u use to scrape paint off windows. It's fast and then I rinse off residue. Use goo begone and Brillo pad for stubborn glue


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## Fabiola (Dec 12, 2013)

jamesngalveston said:


> a friend came over and I was removing some labels...while doing so she remarked she runs hot water over bottles, then puts a layer of shampoo on it.lets it sit for about 10 minutes and just scrapes it with a knive.
> tried it and it worked like a charm, was not hard at all.
> just another way...i guess



I do the same, but using liquid dishwashing soap...


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## vernsgal (Dec 12, 2013)

I load all mine in a cooler with bleach and hot water over night, all the labels just wipe off, those that don't I use SOS . Then soak in water with K-meta


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## Broge5 (Dec 20, 2013)

I just picked up about 200 used bottles from some people on craigslist. Glad to hear all these ideas, I've got a lot of labels to peel.


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## tingo (Dec 21, 2013)

I ordered a label peeler from labelnator.com. Saw it in winemaker mag. Its on its way now. Ill let everyone know how it works as soon as i try it.


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## almargita (Dec 22, 2013)

In the .process of cleaning labels from severall cases froma wine tasting event, some come off easy, others are a real bear!! These bottles are almost twice as thick & heavy as regular wine bottles, must have been from some good stock! A lot labeled from 2007 thru 2009.

Al


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## cmason1957 (Dec 22, 2013)

I have a labelnator and for very stubborn labels, it can't be beat. It makes easy work of any and all labels.


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## wildvines (Jan 27, 2014)

The easiest wSy to remove labels is putting your bottles for 10 min in oven at 350. Labels peel right off bit leaving any residue


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