Re-using bottles and Removing the labels

[harryjpowell]

Lots of good info on putting labels on. I assume most here reuse their bottles and need to remove the labels at somepoint.

I have all but stopped putting a label on if I know i'm going to drink it in the next 6 months.

What do you all find the easiest way to remove the label. Quickest, safest, cleanest etc...?

 

[midwestwine]

Just soaking them in hot water for about an hour and then scrape then with a knife is they dont come off easy

 

[non-grapenut]

I soak 'em in the tub with 1/2-1 cup of cheap Oxyclean "sun"...I note which label float off easily and lean towards encouraging my friends to continue purchasing those types of wine! The difference is in the glue. Water-based will dissolve in water, rubber-based dissolves in oil. If you have a bunch of bottles with the rubber left on them still, oil up a paper towel and use elbow grease to rub the glue off. Letting the oil soak on those areas a little while helps, too.

 

[robie]

For me the soaking is just too messy.

I use a window scraper and scrap the labels off while they are dry. I then rub the bottle with a glue dissolver to dissolve the glue. Next, I wash it well, inside and out; then proceed onto sanitizing and filling.

I have a wooden jig that holds the bottle and keeps my hands and fingers out of harms way. If you hold the bottle in your lap with one hand and scrap with the other, you will need to be very lucky to not slip, especially on a dry label, which requires a lot of scrapping pressure.

 

[pwrose]

Well I haven't reused any bottles for wine, however the easiest way that I have found to get the glue off after your scrape the lable off is cooking oil and a dry rag. It is amazing what cooking oil does to glue on lables.


PW

 

[Larryh86GT]

I just removed some labels today. I've found an easy way to do it. First I fill the bottles with clean water. Then I fill a container with warm water and place the bottles in the the water. The water in the bottle keeps them from floating and I do not get any glue or any other funky stuff in the bottle. I let them soak 24 hrs or so. Take a bottle out of the container and empty the water out of it and then with my razor scraper I scrap the labels off. They come off easy and most of the glue comes off with the label. I remove the little remaining glue on the bottle with a wet sponge. Comes off with little effort and then I dry the bottles making sure all the glue is gone. If not then a little more wet sponge does the trick. I end up with nice clean bottles. Now I can wash and sanitize the bottles and they are ready to go.

Larry

 

[sjo]

Oh Bummer, screw tops!

 

[Tom]

yea... I hope you dont cork them...

 

[Wade E]

I used to do the soak and used to do about 45 bottles at once in my bath tub for an hour with as hot of water as would come out and also use 2 good scoops of Oxy clean or Sun Brand (Walmart) Oxyclean. I have stopped doing that about 1 1/2 years ago and have been doing the dry method like Robie stated and find it way faster, much less of a mess, and is WAYYYYYYY easier on my back. If you use a new razor for bout every 30 bottles it takes no time at all cause when you get those nasty sticky labels the glue just gets really sticky when warm and actually makes it harder IMO. I use the razor in quick motions down the bottle and it just takes everything off easily, just make sure to keep all your extremities out of the way. I do this in my sink wuth the bottom end of the bottle in the drain part as that holds the bottle very still for me. This process is just used for commercial labels as mine come off with a quick hot water rinse but stay on very well otherwise. Heres a pick of the old way.

 

[robie]

While dry scraping, to help me hold the bottle, I have a wooden jig that the bottle sets in. The top end of the jig, where the top of the bottle rests has a large screw screwed into a wooden stop plate. I slip the top of the bottle over that screw (no rough edges to damage inside of bottle). That holds one end of the bottle.

The other end is held secure with my thumb ON THE BOTTOM OF THE BOTTLE, pushing against the stop and screw at the top. The bottle rests between two wedges, like you see on many wine racks. This keeps the bottle from slipping to either side.

I use a clamp to hold the jig secure to a bench or the kitchen counter.

The jig costs 5 dollars to build; keeps my fingers safe, and makes scrapping a lot faster. Because it is all clamped down, you can really put some muscle into it.

 

[Runningwolf]

post a picture please

 

[Slyder73]

Lots of good info on putting labels on. I assume most here reuse their bottles and need to remove the labels at somepoint.

I have all but stopped putting a label on if I know i'm going to drink it in the next 6 months.

What do you all find the easiest way to remove the label. Quickest, safest, cleanest etc...?

I put labels on all my bottles. I print nice labels on plain paper, cut them out and apply using simple kids school glue stick.

To get them off, just running the label under warm water for 10 to 15 seconds and they pretty much fall off. Quick wipe and done.

As for new bottles I"m taking the label off from a commercial place, I do something similiar to the pic with the bucket above. Let them soak for a bit in hot water, but filled with clean water so the necks are not below the water and dissolved clue and gunk won't get inside the bottles. Then scrape, scrub, steel wire etc.

 

[Larryh86GT]

yea... I hope you dont cork them...

Corks? No, I'm using screwcaps.

 

[non-grapenut]

corks, screwcaps...c'mon guys. Don't tell me you would refuse a glass of any of our wines from either method. I use screw caps for my bulk storage and the 'to be consumed while I wait for others to age' stock. Then, Corks for bottles to age.

 

[Larryh86GT]

Oh Bummer, screw tops!

Bummer? I thought the post topic was about how to remove labels. I was attempting to contribute something positive on the forum that worked for me that others might want to try and I get bummer? I don't know why I bother posting..

But to get back on topic, how do you remove your labels??

 

[Maestro]

Forgive my ignorance, but why is corking a screwtop bottle bad??

 

[Larryh86GT]

I believe the glass is thinner in a screwtop bottle and the pressure of the cork may break the bottle.

Larry

 

[Tom]

Yep its thinner and may break under pressure

 

[Maestro]

Oh.......crap.

We gave a bottle away as a gift that was corked in screwtop.

 

[sjo]

Bummer? I thought the post topic was about how to remove labels. I was attempting to contribute something positive on the forum that worked for me that others might want to try and I get bummer? I don't know why I bother posting..

But to get back on topic, how do you remove your labels??

Sorry
Off to the corner for my first time- any one in there now.