Label removel - easy

[jamesngalveston]

Thats smart.

 

[JohnT]

Thats smart.

Works like a charm. I can clean the labels off a bottle in about 20 seconds, compared to 5 minutes of scraping.

 

[TahunaJR]

Yet another method is to build a "bottle cradle" of chicken wire that will hold the bottle steady while hitting it with a pressure washer. I use a 1600psi washer and the labels, glue, and any other crud just disappears!

I especially like this method because I only use water. No other solvents used.

Also, I have used this method for hundreds of bottles. There has never been a time where a bottle broke. Still, I use gloves and a facemask when doing this.

JohnT, love the prospect of this option. Can you provide a picture of the "bottle cradle"? I am interested in its design.

Joe R.

 

[JohnT]

JohnT, love the prospect of this option. Can you provide a picture of the "bottle cradle"? I am interested in its design.

Joe R.

will do,

Here is a drawing. it is rather simple....

This shape holds the bottle at a bit of an angle with the bottom of the bottle "uphill" and the neck "downhill". A "U" shaped piece of chicken wire has flanges that can be secured to the sides using electrician's staples.

The force of the water should be directed from the neck of the bottle to the bottom.

 

[FABulousWines]

Hmmm. Are you removing the chicken wire with each bottle or is it loose enough to pull out the bottle and replace with the next?

I like this idea. I have a PW that'll remove chrome off a bumper so I don't see why this would work!

 

[JohnT]

Hmmm. Are you removing the chicken wire with each bottle or is it loose enough to pull out the bottle and replace with the next?

I like this idea. I have a PW that'll remove chrome off a bumper so I don't see why this would work!

it's loose enough to pull out the bottle. The wire stays affixed to the unit.

 

[Boatboy24]

Using the pressure washer, don't you end up with shredded paper and glue sprayed all over the place? I love the thought of this method, but it sounds like it could be messy.

 

[JohnT]

Using the pressure washer, don't you end up with shredded paper and glue sprayed all over the place? I love the thought of this method, but it sounds like it could be messy.

Yes, but I do this outside on a gravel drive. Let it dry, then use either a leaf blower or rake to clean up.

You would probably have the same mess doing it by hand.

 

[Downwards]

My process with bottles is this.
1. fill them with boiling water to soften any crud that might be inside and so they won't float when I add boiling water to the outside (in a bucket) to soften labels.
2. With hotpads, agressively shake out the water inside into the sink (actually I use the water to fill the next bottle if it's still hot, but only 2-3 bottles this way).
3. Scrape the label with an old kitchen knife. Most labels come off very easily after being soaked.
4. Now the glue is easy to work with, bottle is still really hot. I use steel wool soaked in dish soap. Steel wool is only good for one use this way, so I do a lot of bottles like this. Wife and I knocked out 4 cases Sunday like an assembly line.

These bottles get looked into at the end for any obvious stuck on crud. They get the bottle brush if something is seen, other wise they go on the bottle tree and then into cases waiting to be used.

More boiling water inside AND k meta rinse just before using BTW. That's usually on a different day of course.

For my own use, I have labels, but I don't put them on unless they are a gift for someone. For home use we just put a colored band (what are those called?) on the neck that tells us what kind it is after we cork them. That way prepping the bottles is WAY easier the next time. All my friends know too- if the bottle comes back, I'm more inclined to give you another one.

 

[JohnT]

For my own use, I have labels, but I don't put them on unless they are a gift for someone. For home use we just put a colored band (what are those called?) on the neck that tells us what kind it is after we cork them. That way prepping the bottles is WAY easier the next time. All my friends know too- if the bottle comes back, I'm more inclined to give you another one.

Downwards- I do exactly the same thing. I prefer to keep the labels off so that do not have to scrape them off later. I built a series of wine racks with diamond shaped bins. Each bin can fit 5 cases each. To ID the wine, I just use 1 or 2 "neck tags" (those paper ID tags that slip onto the neck of a bottle) to ID the bin.

I also have an "empty bottle" bin. This is a large box (5' by 5' by 5') mounted on casters. My procedure is to pull a bottle, consume it, then immediatly rinse 3 times with hot water (inside and out). I then place on a bottle drying tree. When dry, the empty goes straight into the "empty bottle" bin for reuse.

 

[Longtrain]

I collected many bottles from friends when I got started making wine.

I place them in the laundry sink, oxyclean and the hottest water from the tap. After a soak for an hour or so, most labels will just slide off, a razor scrapper for the more stubborn ones. Used to use Goof Off for the glue what wasn't soluble, but now if they don't give up their labels easily, it's off to the recycle bin.