I love washing bottles

[Runningwolf]

NOT!!! Got about 16 cases cleaned here in the past several nights and have at least 50 more to go yet. The good news is no more bottling for a month or so. This is a good time to get the chore out of the way with no pressure.

 

[pjd]

Dan, I will buy those 50 cases from you then you wont need to wash them!
Phil

 

[Julie]

Gee, I'm sayin this is false advertisement!!!!!!!!!! I was getting ready to pack up all my bottles and drop them off so you can clean them since you love doing this!

 

[Runningwolf]

Dan, I will buy those 50 cases from you then you wont need to wash them!
Phil

Phil just let me know when. Actually this Saturday would be a good day if you can make it. I probably have 15-20 cases I can help you out with. It'll be a deal you won't want to refuse!

 

[pjd]

Phil just let me know when. Actually this Saturday would be a good day if you can make it. I probably have 15-20 cases I can help you out with. It'll be a deal you won't want to refuse!

Dan, I can be there Saturday! I will take anything you can spare. Just pm me your address and best time to meet up.
Thanks!
Phil

 

[Runningwolf]

PM sent! See you Saturday.

Julie you're always on patrol!

 

[soccer0ww]

50 cases? Wow! I find doing the bottles for a 6 gallon batch to be a pain..At least it looks like you have a fairly decent setup for doing the bottles.

 

[Runningwolf]

You know, I always thought about the process being such a pain and never thought about the set up. You're right having a laundry sink in the basement and a floor that can get wet without issues does mean everything. I couldn't imagine trying to clean the bottles in the kitchen. Plus I can walk away from the mess you see in the picture for the night and clean up tomorrow wthout catching heck from the wife.

 

[roadpupp]

Running Wolf

For this if us new to cleaning bottles. Would you share your technique? You obviously have this down to a science. I have read thread where folks give their process but the steps you take the tools you use and the chemicals you prefer would be a big help to is new guys. Thanks

Roadpupp

 

[ibglowin]

If you enjoy this you are one sick puppy! I would pay you if you were closer!

 

[Runningwolf]

Chad I'll be happy to tell you what works for me but there is many other ways that works for others. This is always one of the biggest debates.

If I pick up a large amount of bottles that are not rinsed and knowing I won't get to them for a while, I'll rinse them all first (fruit fly and mold control) and seperate by color then stow away.
This last batch I picked up were already rinsed clean and I knew I'd be cleaning them soon, so I am cleaning as I unpack them. They all drain on bottle tree over night and then seperate by color and store away.

Cleaning:

I fill my laundry sink full (about 34) of upright bottles. Make sure you plug the sink first. Then with my buon vino spray wand, I fill each bottle with hot water. Nest I add 2-3 scoops of oxy clean to the sink and fill with hot water about an inch or two higher then the labels. About an hour later I scrape the labels with a razer scraper usually taking off just the top layer on half the bottles. A lot of the labels will already be floating off. Let them soak about another 45 minutes then scrape of the rest of the glue again with the razer knife. 30 minutes later I pull the plug on the sink and rinse all the soap off the bottles and sink with the spray wand again. The last thing I do is rinse the bottles off under hot water using a scotch brite pad getting off the last bit of glue then hang on tree to dry.

Like I said earlier, some labels come right off, others are a bear. If you got bottles with shiny laminated labels, peel the first layer off withing 1/2 hour of being in hot water. Some people use wd40 and other sprays to get the glue off and it works good but then you need to deal with the oily film on the bottle.

I use Avery labels on all of my wine and these labels float off after a short time soaking.

 

[Redtrk]

Great job Dan but i'm now tired after just looking at all of those.

 

[roadpupp]

Thanks! I just picked up a box of oxyclean yesterday for this application. Sorry to drill down even more but roughly how big is your sink and what size is your scoop?

Roadpupp

 

[KenS]

Chad I'll be happy to tell you what works for me but there is many other ways that works for others. This is always one of the biggest debates.

If I pick up a large amount of bottles that are not rinsed and knowing I won't get to them for a while, I'll rinse them all first (fruit fly and mold control) and seperate by color then stow away.
This last batch I picked up were already rinsed clean and I knew I'd be cleaning them soon, so I am cleaning as I unpack them. They all drain on bottle tree over night and then seperate by color and store away.

Cleaning:

I fill my laundry sink full (about 34) of upright bottles. Make sure you plug the sink first. Then with my buon vino spray wand, I fill each bottle with hot water. Nest I add 2-3 scoops of oxy clean to the sink and fill with hot water about an inch or two higher then the labels. About an hour later I scrape the labels with a razer scraper usually taking off just the top layer on half the bottles. A lot of the labels will already be floating off. Let them soak about another 45 minutes then scrape of the rest of the glue again with the razer knife. 30 minutes later I pull the plug on the sink and rinse all the soap off the bottles and sink with the spray wand again. The last thing I do is rinse the bottles off under hot water using a scotch brite pad getting off the last bit of glue then hang on tree to dry.

Like I said earlier, some labels come right off, others are a bear. If you got bottles with shiny laminated labels, peel the first layer off withing 1/2 hour of being in hot water. Some people use wd40 and other sprays to get the glue off and it works good but then you need to deal with the oily film on the bottle.

I use Avery labels on all of my wine and these labels float off after a short time soaking.

This is almost the same process I use, but I let the oxyclean get inside the bottles as well. I always have to a lot more rinsing to make sure I get all the oxyclean out when I'm done, and I get nervous that I'll leave some residue behind that will ruin a bottle of wine.

How do you clean the inside of the bottles?

 

[GrandpasFootsteps]

I wash bottles in bulk too. I'm about to start on a batch of about 150 bottles. I actually really enjoy it, although by the time I get through about 50 bottles I do not enjoy it anymore.

1. I put the bottles upright in two large plastic tubs that are taller than the bottles.
2. Pour a smidge of OxyClean Free into each bottle and around them.
3. Fill each bottle with water from the hose spray nozzle.
4. Fill the remainder of the tubs so the bottles are submerged.
5. Wait a few hours or overnight.
6. One by one, I scrape off the label with a razor blade then use the drill attached bottle squeegie/shami attachment to clean the inside
7. Use the hose attached brass upside down bottle sprayer to rinse the inside thoroughly - 5-10 seconds of pumping for each.
8. Rinse the outside thoroughly.
9. Put on the bottle tree.

Now, if the label ends up being a nuisance, I set those bottles aside for extra treatment. I use "Goof Off" to remove those remaining labels. Those do not get a re-soak. I'm afraid of the chemical getting inside. So after I clean them with the Goof Off, I wash the outside carefully (the inside has already been bottle brushed) and put them on the tree. Usually out of 100 bottles, I get 10 with difficult labels.


My own Avery labels come off without trouble of course.


I mounted my brass bottle sprayer onto a homemade PVC pipe holder with base so I don't have to hold it in one hand and the bottle in the other. I just set it next to my cleaning station and I rinse them single handed. Very convenient.


I wish I had room and a location to use hot water for the soak. But my cleaning space is on the back porch or in the driveway. I could run a hose from the kids bathroom sink, I suppose. I have a sink hose attachment in there for filling the fish tanks already...

 

[Runningwolf]

Thanks! I just picked up a box of oxyclean yesterday for this application. Sorry to drill down even more but roughly how big is your sink and what size is your scoop?

Roadpupp

My sink is just the standard deep laundry tray you get at Home Depot for about $50.00. Nothing special.

I do not use any soap inside my bottles. My bottles are immediately rinsed out after use with hot water and then rinsed at least twice again with very hot water before being sanitized just before bottling. I use a bottle washer attached to the faucet for one cleaning and the Buon Vino Spray Wand for the final one.

 

[Runningwolf]

Tonight I cleaned started cleaning some 375 ml ice wine bottles. The sink will hold about 4.5 cases. I utilize a milk crate to help hold the bottles in place or upright.

 

[WineYooper]

The only thing I do different then this is fillet most of the label off. Then I soak them in a tub from Fleet Farm with oxy clean and if there is tough glue I either spray with WD40 or goo be gone and it all comes off with a simple wipe. I definitely rinse well and let drain. It is time consuming but usually I do with the tv on which is mindless anyhow so no dig deal. Oxy clean does take care of most glues but I watch how much gets to my sump pump.

 

[Runningwolf]

Oxy clean does take care of most glues but I watch how much gets to my sump pump.

What is the concern? I have a lift pump on my sink to pump up to the main sewer line. I often wondered about folks with septics, as to how the oxy clean and other sanitizers effect them or if they do effect them at all.

 

[SarahRides]

We have septic, I haven't worried too much about oxy clean, but I never dump the sanitizer down the drain. If I have a significant amount to get rid of, I just dump it out in the woods. (dumped it out in the lawn once not even thinking......and got a dead spot in the grass! ). I bet the septic loves it when I pour all that yeasty sediment down it though!