Sediment cleaning and label removing

[Daren Fetcko]

Hello all! I am new to the site and fairly new to wine making. I have two problems that I am looking for assistance with:
1. I recently made a batch of wine and when I went to start sampling after about a month, there was sediment in the bottom of every bottle. My local home brew supply store (South Hills Brewing) was very helpful in helping me with my problem but now I have a total of 25 liter bottles that are all stained from the sediment. I have been soaking the bottles in water and I have even tried used the stainless steel balls to clean the sediment but had minimal success. Is there a recommended solution I can use with the ss balls to try and clean this sediment out?

2. I use the captain morgan liter bottles for my wine making. Recently capt morgan went from a glued on paper label to a plastic type label and the plastic label is a bear to remove. Other than elbow grease, is there any type of solution that I can soak the bottles in to remove these stubborn plastic labels?

Thanks for your time!!

Daren

 

[Redbird1]

Are you trying to remove the staining or is there still sediment inside?

 

[dcbrown73]

The bottle is stained from sediment? I've never heard anything like that. That would suggest all my glass carboys would be stained since that is where my wine stays until all sediment has dropped.

As for removing labels. I have a label remover / scraper, but I gave the entire process up and just buy bottles. Mostly because I have OCD in that I want my final product to be very consistent and look as good as possible since I give some away as gifts.

 

[Daren Fetcko]

Are you trying to remove the staining or is there still sediment inside?

After about a month of the bottles laying on their side in my rack and then pouring the wine out to be served (it tastes fine) there is staining / film / sediment (?) remaining on the inside of the bottle. I tried using a brush and the brush does not remove the stain / film / sediment. As a matter of fact, you can see the swirl marks the brush made but there is still 'stuff' left on the inside of the bottle...

 

[GreenEnvy22]

Get something like oxyclean free from a grocery store, or the pink bleach powder from a home brew store. Mix in bottles, shake well, let sit 48 hours, shake well, rinse.
I've never had a problem like this though. Glass is usually quite difficult to stain, and sediment usually comes off for me just with hot water and shaking hard.

 

[dcbrown73]

After about a month of the bottles laying on their side in my rack and then pouring the wine out to be served (it tastes fine) there is staining / film / sediment (?) remaining on the inside of the bottle. I tried using a brush and the brush does not remove the stain / film / sediment. As a matter of fact, you can see the swirl marks the brush made but there is still 'stuff' left on the inside of the bottle...

I would try a mix of really hot water and oxiclean free and let it soak for a while.

 

[Daren Fetcko]

Get something like oxyclean free from a grocery store, or the pink bleach powder from a home brew store. Mix in bottles, shake well, let sit 48 hours, shake well, rinse.
I've never had a problem like this though. Glass is usually quite difficult to stain, and sediment usually comes off for me just with hot water and shaking hard.

Thanks - I will try that!!

 

[Redbird1]

It does indeed sound like there might be a fine film left over, which would explain why the SS balls wouldn't be very effective and why the brush just left marks. I think your best bet would be a hot soak in oxiclean free like others mentioned and then a good scrubbing with the brush.

 

[sour_grapes]

You LHBS (South Hills) may also have a product called PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash), which works wonders. (It is similar to Oxyclean.)

 

[Daren Fetcko]

I would try a mix of really hot water and oxiclean free and let it soak for a while.

I would try a mix of really hot water and oxiclean free and let it soak for a while.

You LHBS (South Hills) may also have a product called PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash), which works wonders. (It is similar to Oxyclean.)

THANKS ALL!! Your help is appreciated. I have had fun so far making wine and look forward to continuing!!
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!

 

[Ajmassa]

I just recently needed to remove stains and old grime from carboys. An Oxy clean soak overnight was suggested and worked great.
Also when you end up with label glue being stubborn, I found another great remedy on this forum that worked for me very well. They suggested Rubbing oil (any oil) all over the area and let sit for a couple minutes. I used olive oil. By the time I had three or four oiled the 1st one was ready to scrub. Any scrubbing pad could work and I was amazed at how easy this stubborn glue came off.

I'll try to find that thread to post the link.

 

[Daren Fetcko]

I just recently needed to remove stains and old grime from carboys. An Oxy clean soak overnight was suggested and worked great.
Also when you end up with label glue being stubborn, I found another great remedy on this forum that worked for me very well. They suggested Rubbing oil (any oil) all over the area and let sit for a couple minutes. I used olive oil. By the time I had three or four oiled the 1st one was ready to scrub. Any scrubbing pad could work and I was amazed at how easy this stubborn glue came off.

I'll try to find that thread to post the link.

Thanks! that seems to be the general consensus (Oxyclean) so I am going to try that later this weekend - Thanks!!

 

[GreenEnvy22]

Thanks! that seems to be the general consensus (Oxyclean) so I am going to try that later this weekend - Thanks!!

Just make sure you get Oxiclean Free, not regular oxiclean. no perfumes in the free one.

 

[Daren Fetcko]

Just make sure you get Oxiclean Free, not regular oxiclean. no perfumes in the free one.

YIKES - THANKS!! Didn't realize there was a difference and almost used the regular Oxyclean...THANKS!!

 

[GaDawg]