Removing labels from bottles

[Russ Stewart]

I would like to know what other people do to successfully remove the labels from wine bottles for future use. I have had good luck with using a hair dryer to heat up the label and then peel it off. But, this does not work on some labels and I have trouble removing the glue completely from the glass. Any suggestions? Thanks alot!
Russ

 

[cpfan]

That's a new idea to me. The heat softens the glue and then you peel the label off. We've done the same thing by filling the bottle with hot water.

Rresidual glue can be removed with peanut butter. Spread it over the glue, and leave over night. Others use veggie oil or WD-40, but the peanut butter stays in place.

Steve

 

[Wade E]

I typically do about 40 bottles at a time in the bathtub with Walmart brand Oxiclean and hot water, ater a 2 hour soak most labels are floating except for a few really stubborn ones in which a quick razor scraping across the bottle works well while it is still wet and warm.

 

[rocpit1]

The resturaunts I get my bottles from will actually run them through their dish washer before I get them (they even have their wash lines remove the labels or foil from the necks). That removes most of the labels and usually only leaves the glue on them. When I get them home, I have a rubber maid Garbage can that I fill with soapy water and let sit for a day or two then I take them out and use a razor scraper and remove whats left. Very easy, very little work. Then I let them soak in rinse water then pre-sanitize, wrap foil over then ends and let sit til needed.

 

[Russ Stewart]

Thanks for the suggestions - I really like the soaking in the bathtub one. Sounds like a great way of removing a lot of labels at one time. I will try it!

 

[john750ml]

The best approach I have found is to use a single blade razor scraper(window cleaner type) under running hot water. When the paper is removed sprinkle comet cleaner on the residue glue and scrub with a steel scrub pad.

 

[Wade E]

Just started, should have taken a picture of when it was soaked for 2 hours with the Oxi and hot water although you wouldnt see much except for labels floating on the top, most of the ones that didnt just float off were wiped off with the swipe of a finger.

 

[Luc]

I typically do about 40 bottles at a time in the bathtub with Walmart brand Oxiclean and hot water, ater a 2 hour soak most labels are floating except for a few really stubborn ones in which a quick razor scraping across the bottle works well while it is still wet and warm.

I do the same except I use soda ash (household soda) which is
dead cheap and a good cleaner.

Luc

 

[TheTooth]

I keep a bucket of PBW in the garage. When I finish a bottle of wine, I submerge it in said bucket and leave it. Usually when I go out to put in a new one (a day or two later), the labels are floating on the surface of the water or peel right off.

 

[Wine4Me]

{soda ash (household soda)}
Does he mean baking soda or something else??
Sorry if this is a silly question to some!~

 

[Luc]

Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh the Internet !!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_carbonate

Soda Ash also called washing soda.

Luc

 

[shoes]

what about those dam ol' plastic lables that Hazzlit (Red Cat) uses? those things give me the blues! and its all my friends drink, so i'm stuck with using acetone to get the glue off any other suggestions guys?

 

[Wade E]

Those are the tough ones so there isnt much you can do with those except struggle. I use Straight-A cleanser as it works better IMO then anything else for getting labels off but most of the time I just use the unscented oxyclean(Walmart's Sun brand) and a razor scraper across the bottle.

 

[jbullard1]

Just a thought on the vinyl labels:
Heat with a hair drier then peel off, then use a solvent on the glue. I use brake parts cleaner because thats what I keep handy in my line of work. I just don't get any inside the bottle

 

[arcticsid]

What happened to just soaking them in warm water with a lil oxi clean, get a razor blade a "green" pad and clean em, or just do like Wade did, put the empties in the tub after the party, and make your guests bob for them. He/she who gets the leastest hast to wash the mostest? Just a thought.!LOL
Troy

 

[arcticsid]

I use alot of "recycled bottles" to reuse again. I make pickles, kim chee, chee kim, etc. Alot of these bottles are standard bottles and I have never had a problem cleaning them with warm water and soap. Maybe these wine bottles you all of speaking of may be tough, but I can't imagine needing chemicals to remove them. But if you insist, please be cautious smoking around them as you use this aggressive process. You think a champagne cork will fly far, try talking a wine bottle full of explosive liquid and firing up a stogie, homeowners insurance may not cover the results.

 

[jbullard1]

Just a thought on the vinyl labels:
Heat with a hair drier then peel off, then use a solvent on the glue. I use brake parts cleaner because thats what I keep handy in my line of work. I just don't get any inside the bottle

I forgot to add the legal disclaimer!
No smoking or open fires and use outside in a well ventilated area

I used this to get glue off 2 bottles with vinyl labels the others came off in the sink with warm water, liquid soap and a pad used for cleaning pans

 

[shoes]

I use alot of "recycled bottles" to reuse again. I make pickles, kim chee, chee kim, etc. Alot of these bottles are standard bottles and I have never had a problem cleaning them with warm water and soap. Maybe these wine bottles you all of speaking of may be tough, but I can't imagine needing chemicals to remove them. But if you insist, please be cautious smoking around them as you use this aggressive process. You think a champagne cork will fly far, try talking a wine bottle full of explosive liquid and firing up a stogie, homeowners insurance may not cover the results.

Troy, you have no idea about these stupid labels, they suck bad.its a total plastic label. when you peel them, ALL the glue sticks to the bottle, and its NOT water soluble either. i think they use them to give us homebrewers the blues!

 

[Wade E]

Try getting a lable off a Luna Di Luna bottle.

 

[cpfan]

Troy, you have no idea about these stupid labels, they suck bad.its a total plastic label. when you peel them, ALL the glue sticks to the bottle, and its NOT water soluble either. i think they use them to give us homebrewers the blues!

The following has worked for me with SOME plastic labels. Fill the bottle with HOT water. This will soften the glue. Peel the label off. May need a scraper to get it started. Depending on the glue used, it may mostly come off. Spread penut butter on the residual glue and leave overnight. Remove peanut butter with a small brush.

Steve