Re-Using Bottles

[Elmer]

Yep, and to top it off the place I get new for 8 bucks wants 6 for used

I am lucky that family and friends all drink wine and all save thier bottles for me.

However this means that where ever I go, I walk out with an empty bottle.
people give them to me at work (in stealth mode), functions. So I have them all the time.

The issue I have is that as much as I tell people I can not use screw tops, people still give them to me. So my recylce bin gets filled with them.

if de-labeling takes more than 15 minutes for a bottle, I toss it!

 

[SouthernChemist]

One of the perks of being in a chemistry lab is that we have baths of isopropanol (rubbing alcohol) and hydroxide base (lye). It's very good at cleaning laboratory glassware and removing organics. I usually bring the bottles that have hard to remove labels and put them in the 'base bath'. Works every time. As far as I am concerned, I'm just cleaning glassware.

I do find, though, that most labels come off after soaking in some hot water and washing soda (sodium percarbonate). Many just float right off.

And it's always a little disappointing when people say they have bottles saved for you only to find out that they're all screw tops.

 

[BobR]

I have corked screw top bottles and so far I have not had a problem with them, BUT I have never heard of anyone mention if you can by replacement screw caps that would make these bottles reusable? It seems that there are more and more of these bottles out there and it is a shame to waste them and I understand the risk involved in corking them.

 

[roger80465]

I also use screw cap bottles and have not had a problem. I started using a double handle cork puller so that the force of removing a cork is distributed over the entire opening. I figure if I am going to reuse these bottles, I had better treat them carefully. The only bottles I have broken have been 'cork' bottles.

 

[kryptonitewine]

I used to use screw tops but then a local winery gave me a bunch of bottles. I used the screw tops for gifts to people I knew wouldn't return the emptys.

 

[Enologo]

I'm curious has anyone reused the screw tops with the original top? Can you get a good reseal??

 

[kryptonitewine]

I'm curious has anyone reused the screw tops with the original top? Can you get a good reseal??

I've reused gallon jug tops but only for short term storage. I've never reused smaller bottle tops. I would think they would be fine for short term but wouldn't trust them for long term.

 

[GaDawg]

I'm curious has anyone reused the screw tops with the original top? Can you get a good reseal??

You can buy 28mm screw tops. Just google "screw top wine bottles"

 

[BobR]

You can buy 28mm screw tops. Just google "screw top wine bottles"

Anyone tried these screw tops?

 

[botigol]

I recently tried a mixture of Oxiclean and TSP90 (2 parts to 1 part) in order to clean and remove labels on beer bottles and it worked great with just a soak; almost all of the labels just floated off. Wine bottles will be tested next.

I have ordered the 28mm caps and they did not fit my screwtop wine bottles. From my reading it seems that there are two sizes of screwtop openings, but I have only seen the larger (has to be 29 or 30mm) so far.

 

[Enologo]

I've reused gallon jug tops but only for short term storage. I've never reused smaller bottle tops. I would think they would be fine for short term but wouldn't trust them for long term.

Kind of what I was thinking. I also have a lot of gallon jugs and an assortment of other screw tops with the original tops though I haven't used them. What would you consider long and short term . I guess all of my wine would be considered short term at this point that's part of my problem getting it to age. I think I only have a handful of bottles from last year around this time.

 

[Winenoob66]

I hate cleaning labels. I get bottles from a local restaurant. Hot water and oxyclean don't work on this brand I'm going to put them in the oven next to see if that works.

Try scoring (Scratching it up) the label first before soaking it. Works great for me.

There is a little recycle station here by my house that is unattended all ya do is separate your colored or clear bottle when you throw them in. I go up there an use a Hoe to pull out the wine bottles and I get tons of them that way.(usually a hundred a trip) So cleaning them and delabeling them is a must.