I love washing bottles

[thesnow]

How do most of you, clean the Interior of your bottles? What do you use as a cleaner? do you brush? maybe brushing not so good after all may scratch interior. I usually mix one tablespoon of Metabisulfite Potassium per Liter of water then spray inside each bottle, fast one shot rinse in cold water and dry overnight.

 

[thesnow]

I also use Chloroclean (Pink stuff) one teaspoon per litre for really stubborn stains, then you I need to rinse at least five times in hot water.

 

[Flem]

I use B-brite. One tablespoon per gallon of hot water. Fill the bottles, brush well with a bottle brush, rinse with hot water, rinse with cold water, store upside down in box until bottling time. For bottling, I spritz with
K-meta, hang on bottle tree and then bottle. It's what I do.

 

[Runningwolf]

How do most of you, clean the Interior of your bottles? What do you use as a cleaner? do you brush? maybe brushing not so good after all may scratch interior. I usually mix one tablespoon of Metabisulfite Potassium per Liter of water then spray inside each bottle, fast one shot rinse in cold water and dry overnight.

You really need to get one of these. They are inexpensive and will speed things up for you instead of a spray bottle.
http://www.finevinewines.com/XPListSubRe.asp?MM_PartNumber=4818

 

[pjd]

Thanks to Dan, I spent all morning cleaning 15 cases of bottles! I do appreciate him sharing his bottle stash with me. I also enjoyed our conversations. I am looking forward to Dan's wine party on June 9th! Thanks Dan!
Phil

 

[sully]

I will be bottling today in about a hr. i got 60 bottles i need to clean not looking forward to it =)

 

[thesnow]

I think I will try B-Brite and see how this product goes.

 

[Runningwolf]

Thanks to Dan, I spent all morning cleaning 15 cases of bottles! I do appreciate him sharing his bottle stash with me. I also enjoyed our conversations. I am looking forward to Dan's wine party on June 9th! Thanks Dan!
Phil

Thanks Phil, I also enjoyed the visit and look forward to seeing you guys on the 9th. I'll try to get Julie and Rodo's wife to behave but just remember what happen's in the celler....you know the rest of the line! Really some great wine makers from here and locally will be there and tons of wine to share. Also if you want to bring some to trade those Pittsburgh folks are really into it! LOL

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Dan you really need to get one of these setups ! So much easier and quicker when it comes to santizing your bottles.
Pm me if you need part #

 

[Runningwolf]

Steve thats the first time I think I've seen that paticular set up. I like it. I know there is another one out there that will do like 20 bottles at a time and you use a large plastic tote and a pump like you're using. Without floor drains it would be difficult for me to use but I really like the one you posted. I understand everything except the pump. It would be constantly running but you're only letting water out when a bottle is on the rinser. Can you explain that please and which pump it is.

 

[Mark64]

The pump he is using has a pressure switch built in. Looks like a Travel trailer water supply pump (30 PSI).

 

[WineYooper]

I'm a little behind but in response to the question about the glue affecting the sump pump. I don't have a lift station but a sump pump, there is a difference. My pump recently burned out due to the debris that goes down from the washer, it clogged the outside screen so the pump probably ran dry and overheated and burned out. If I had a toilet downstairs I would have a lift station, so I am just being cautious not to plug the screen and I now check about every six months so lint and other stuff does not restrict it. Just more work to save money.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

The pump he is using has a pressure switch built in. Looks like a Travel trailer water supply pump (30 PSI).

It actually can put out around 45 psi and it has a adjustable pressure control as well, yes it is the same design as a travel trailer water pump so it is sutable for potable water and so are the white water hoses as well. The pump runs only to build enough presure and it stops.
It literally has saved me hours of time using this setup !

The 6 gallon bucket has my sulfite solution in it - I will typically rince all bottles using hot water using the bottle washer in the sink and then proceed to the santizing stage. If I notice that there is some debris in the bucket - I know I proubly have a bad bottle or it needs to be cleaned better

 

[Runningwolf]

Steve with meta being so corrosive, I am assuming you flush it good with clean water afterwards? My last bottle rinser corroded just from being next to the meta for a long time.

Edit: Thats the only problem with posting from your phone. Spell check just changes words to whatever and you don't realize it.

 

[ibglowin]

Auto spell correct FAIL!

Steve with meat being so corrosive, I am assuming you fush it good with clean water afterwards? My last bottle rinser corroded just from being next to the meta for a long time.

 

[JohnT]

I normally purchse new bottles, but I do have the ultimate in label removers!

After pressure washing my deck, I wondered how it would work on a wine bottle.

I build a cradle to hold a bottle. (crude drawing below). A long plank on the bottom means that I can step on one end of the plank to keep the whole thing from flying away. I set my nossle on a "Wide Fan" pattern and had at it.

WOW, WOW, WOW, did this work. It really worked well, especially for those nasty plastic/rubber cement type of labels. From labeled to spanking clean in 30 seconds!

FYI, if you try this, MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE FULL FACE PROTECTION! I never had a bottle break on me, but I always error on the side of safety!

 

[jswordy]

That's innovative John! I might try that for the hard bottles.

Hey Dan, uh, are you getting close to your 200 gallons for this year? Heheheh...

I wash mine in the same laundry sink setup you do. Holds ~ 30 at a time. Only diff is, I just turn em upside down in cardboard bottle cases afterward to dry. I have 60 to go to have what I need for the strawberry, and probably 150 more banked up after that, since I got my bottle connection all worked out finally. It took me years to get a steady source around here, but I got it for now!

Have you figured out a way to keep the lil pieces of label from going down the drain? I have been using a coarse scrub pad as a drain "filter" after pulling the plug.

 

[Runningwolf]

Jim, I am within limits. Anything made now will bottled next year. I don't worry about the bits of paper going down the drain, it's really not that much.