Used wine bottles

[Ivywoods]

I recently obtained 40 wine bottles. What are your best suggestions for removing labels, adhesive and thoroughly cleaning? Also does anyone use their oven on a low setting to dry them before storage? I plan to store these in a plastic tote until needed.

 

[Sunshine Wine]

I peeled off the ones that would come off easily and tried to get the rest off as much as I could. Then I scored the ones that didn't come off easily with a razor, then I sprayed them with goo gone and let them sit for quite a while. Then I scrape them with the razor blade and it came off really easily. Then washed them in hot, soapy water. Then I washed them in the dishwasher, let them dry, sprayed the inside of the dishwasher with star san, Sprayed the bottles inside and out with star san and put them back in the dishwasher to dry. Was much easier than I thought it would be. I learned that little trick from a friend because we both do canning and sometimes there are jars that have stickers on them, so we need to get the stickers off and that was an easy way to do it. Hope this helps!

 

[cmason1957]

Hottest water you can produce, oxiclean. Let soak until water cools off. Many labels will float right off others get the Labelnator, sometimes need goo gone to remove incredibly sticky glue, but not often.

 

[Ivywoods]

Hottest water you can produce, oxiclean. Let soak until water cools off. Many labels will float right off others get the Labelnator, sometimes need goo gone to remove incredibly sticky glue, but not often.

Labelnater?

 

[MrTea]

I put bottles in the oven at 350° for ten minutes and the labels peel right off with absolute ease while they are still hot. The heat apparently breaks the bond of the adhesive or something like that. Just make sure to use oven mitts on both hands and be aware that the bottles take a while to cool off.

Most bottles will have residual adhesive that can be easily removed with goo gone, 90% rubbing alcohol or acetone.

Granted there are some bottles that have such stubborn adhesive residue that's not even worth the effort so I toss those in the trash.

 

[Ivywoods]

I put bottles in the oven at 350° for ten minutes and the labels peel right off with absolute ease while they are still hot. The heat apparently breaks the bond of the adhesive or something like that. Just make sure to use oven mitts on both hands and be aware that the bottles take a while to cool off.

Most bottles will have residual adhesive that can be easily removed with goo gone, 90% rubbing alcohol or acetone.

Granted there are some bottles that have such stubborn adhesive residue that's not even worth the effort so I toss those in the trash.

I do a lot of canning but usually have enough jars that have been passed back and forth in my family they don't have labels on them. We always label on the disposable flat lid. I used the goo gone on some, was careful to not get it inside the bottle but I worried I might get a little in there.

 

[Scooter68]

In addition to the above you can also try a hair dryer on the label DRY - then see if it will peel off in one piece. Sometimes I've had success putting hot water inside the bottle while keeping the label dry -then try to peel it. That's always my goal - to remove it in one piece. If that fails then into the hot water soak. More often than not it takes two clearing soaks. The first for the paper and the second for the adhesive. As cmason1957 says - sometimes you end up using goo-gone BUT if I run into those labels I try to remember NOT to pick those bottles out of the recycling bins anymore.

Also look into using the Grill cleaning scrubbing pads or coarse scotch brite pads one in while the glue will ruin one but most times the gunk they catch will wash out.

Also the Clear and foil labels are usually much harder to remove as the water won't work on them. After a while you learn what brands have the nasty adhesives and avoid those bottles.

Make a list of the good and the bad as you go then you can be more selective when you visit the recycling center. Remember oxyclean and dawn dish soap are a lot cheaper than goo-gone and you don't have to wash again to get the goo-gone/adhesive remover residue off.

 

[Old Corker]

My process is the pretty much the same as @cmason1957. I use a tool I found in the kitchen drawer used for cutting dough to scrape the labels off. Not sure what it's called but looks like the thumbnail below. Stainless steel scouring pad to clean the glue while still in the cleaning water. This works on 90% of the bottles. Some producers use a glue that requires a solvent to break it down. I set those aside and then take them outside and clean the residue off with denatured alcohol (preferred) or whatever else I have. Let them air dry then store until ready to sanitize and fill. For me cleaning labels is the least favorite things about this hobby and I put it off as long as possible in the hopes that someone else will do it. So far only my wife has volunteered.

 

[Rice_Guy]

I once did appliance repair, the heat gun was the magic to remove brand stickers which always hide assembly screws

In addition to the above you can also try a hair dryer on the label DRY - then see if it will peel off in one piece. . . the Grill cleaning scrubbing pads or coarse scotch brite pads one in while the glue will ruin one but most times the gunk they catch will wash out.
. . . again to get the goo-gone/adhesive remover residue off.

good summary for glass bottles

 

[Old Corker]

After a while you learn what brands have the nasty adhesives and avoid those bottles.

I also do this. But if I particularly like a bottle for it's style or quality I will do a little extra to re-use it.

 

[balatonwine]

All the above are good suggestions.

But let me add an idea by "thinking outside the box (bottle?)".

Wine labels are lovely. If you are only going to insert your home made wine, for yourself and friends and family, why remove them? Why not make them part of the "package" and preserve the art they are? And clearly promote you are doing good by recycling .

To indicate what is currently in the bottle, and so not to try to pass of your wine as something else, I suggest either getting a good grease pencil and write on the glass what is in the bottle, or simply use a small sticker indicating current content.

Yes, I know my idea is "unusual". But I do a lot unusual things.

 

[Scooter68]

Old Corker - I agree - I've found some really beautiful bottles including 10 with their original glass stoppers and shaped like a rose on the bottom. I believe it was designed by someone familar with the habit I saw in germany - You carry flowers with the bloom down to preserve their shape and then turn them upright to present to the lady. In this case turning the bottle upside down shows off the rose shaped base of the bottle.


That find had me looking into buying glass stoppers* until I realized how size sensitive they are and that won't work with using recycled bottles. Still have those bottles and I ask for those back if I give the wine away. The Red Raspberry wine in the bottle with the glass stopper has the best looking bottle but the hardest to put a label on that won't wrinkle. That's the other thing to consider when collecting bottles - will your labels fit that bottle or do you have to buy a different shape and re-design your label.


This 'group photo shows my progression through label designs from my first year, Peach on the right end to Apple Cider 3rd from the left.

* You have to buy about 400 at a time in a single size and they run about $.50-$.75 each if I remember correctly. I made a post on here little over year ago I think.

 

[cmason1957]

Labelnater?

Yep, sold online, costs about $10 + s&h Bottle Label Scraper | Label Remover Tool – Bottle Blade

 

[Old Corker]

I've found some really beautiful bottles including 10 with their original glass stoppers and shaped like a rose on the bottom

We have half a dozen or so of those. My wife bought the wine because of the bottles (yeah, that's a thing too). I did not think about re-using the glass stoppers though. Just corked them. How did you seal them?

 

[Rembee]

@cmason1957 as luck would have it...the Labelnater is out of stock lol
I was going to order me one

 

[Scooter68]

We have half a dozen or so of those. My wife bought the wine because of the bottles (yeah, that's a thing too). I did not think about re-using the glass stoppers though. Just corked them. How did you seal them?

Those glass stoppers can be reused. Just sanitize it (I used StarSan) and use them again. If you watch a video about how they are installed - It's disgustingly simple. And once they are in there A shrink seal with keep it there. They self seal with no problem - In the right size bottle.

 

[MHSKIBUM]

Yep, sold online, costs about $10 + s&h Bottle Label Scraper | Label Remover Tool – Bottle Blade

Much cheaper options: #1 Fill bottle with hottest tap water but keep label dry. After a couple minutes, most labels peel off without sticky residue if you pull label off slowly. I use needle nose pliers to put from edges. Save water by pouring hot water into another bottle with a label.
#2 Spray label with WD-40. Leave overnight. Label should peel off easily.
#3 Totally Awesome from Dollar Tree. Spray on as with WD-40 and leave overnight.
With persistent labels, use a combination of the three.

 

[glennwing]

Paper labels I soak overnight in oxy clean. Peel label off and then soak the adhesive for a few hours. A little scrubbing takes off the residue.
vinyl or plastic labels I heat with a heat gun and then peel. After that I use a rag with mineral spirits to wipe off adhesive.
then wash them.

 

[Vin S]

I recently obtained 40 wine bottles. What are your best suggestions for removing labels, adhesive and thoroughly cleaning? Also does anyone use their oven on a low setting to dry them before storage? I plan to store these in a plastic View attachment 70500tote until needed.

I put the bottles in an old cooler I pour in bleach and oxy clean( or use step1) fill the bottles with enough hot water to keep from floating then fill the cooler with hot water close the lid and that it stay for 2-3 days
You will see some labels will peel off by themselves
The rest I use a Labelnator
If there is still glue I use glue be gone and steel wool
Sounds like a lot of work but I can do 4 cases in less then an hour

 

[Al Hatfield]

I use the oxyclean soak method. Some labels don’t come off right away but I use the back of a butter knife to scrub them off. Secret for the glue afterward is a Mr Clean Magic Eraser. I’ve only had a few glues it couldn’t handle.