Cleaning Glue Off Bottles

[Smeagol]

I have acquired a shit load of 660mL woodstock bourbon bottles. They are clear but are a pretty cool shape. The problem is they have the foil style sticker and whilst the label comes off after soaking the glue residue is really hard to clean.

Anyone got any helpful hints?

 

[wee stu]

Try a citrus based spray cleaner, and elbow grease.

 

[Weizguy]

I have acquired a shit load of 660mL woodstock bourbon bottles. They are clear but are a pretty cool shape. The problem is they have the foil style sticker and whilst the label comes off after soaking the glue residue is really hard to clean.

Anyone got any helpful hints?

[post="54457"][/post]​

First tip - Use eucalyptus oil to get glue off, unless you have plenty of paint thinner and don't mind damaging your skin. Otherwise, just leave the labels on. They will stop light entering that part of the bottle.

Second tip - Following on from the light strike comment above - You prob should find a really dark place to store the beer (cupboard or fridge). Even low levels of fluoro light can cause your beer to get skunky.

Thanks for your time
Seth

 

[Smeagol]

I have acquired a shit load of 660mL woodstock bourbon bottles. They are clear but are a pretty cool shape. The problem is they have the foil style sticker and whilst the label comes off after soaking the glue residue is really hard to clean.

Anyone got any helpful hints?

[post="54457"][/post]​

First tip - Use eucalyptus oil to get glue off, unless you have plenty of paint thinner and don't mind damaging your skin. Otherwise, just leave the labels on. They will stop light entering that part of the bottle.

Second tip - Following on from the light strike comment above - You prob should find a really dark place to store the beer (cupboard or fridge). Even low levels of fluoro light can cause your beer to get skunky.

Thanks for your time
Seth

[post="54463"][/post]​

Yeah I've heard that the clear glass might be a problem.
I plan on putting a ginger beer mix in these, and yes I have a nice dark cupboard area in the garage where the brews live!

Thanks for the tip.

 

[mikem108]

Warm water and a pot scrubber, rips it off in no time


I try to minimise ammount of chemicals used in the brewing/cleaning process.

 

[johnno]

Try soaking in bleach overnight. I have found this helps.

cheers
johnno

 

[Beerpig]

A buxom wench with a sturdy scourer & some nailpolish remover

 

[Wortgames]

I'll vote for a long soak in bleach, it's the laziest option. When I still bottled my brew, I kept a bin in the backyard full of weak bleach solution. All my empties got a quick rinse then dumped in the bin. Come bottling time I always had a bin full of pristine sanitised bottles - no bugs, no gunk, no lables - just rinse and go.

 

[Tony M]

A buxom wench with a sturdy scourer & some nailpolish remover

[post="54467"][/post]​

Toluene dissolves the glue instantly,much better than nail polish remover (acetone) and you wont need so many beers that night.

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

I acquired 300 Sapporo Draft bottles that also have a foil label.

They came off easily after I soaked them in the laundry tub with detergent and hot water for about 8-10 hrs. I then used a scraper i found in the kitchen which easily peeled back the label and rubbed of the glue.

I then had to scrub them as they had shit growing in them as they hadn't been cleaned after initial use.

Gave them a good rinse (about 3 times) then PSR, then rinse twice (just to make sure there is no detergent residue)

A keg system is looking good right about now!

 

[Jesmol]

A buxom wench with a sturdy scourer & some nailpolish remover

[post="54467"][/post]​

Toluene dissolves the glue instantly,much better than nail polish remover (acetone) and you wont need so many beers that night.

[post="54481"][/post]​

Toluene is also one of the more nasty chemicals, its is very carcinogenic

I've always found dishwasher powder and boiling water a good way to get label off cleanly, even chapagne bottle labels.

 

[RichLum]

Filling up the bath with napisan and soaking the bottles a couple of days works fine for me.

Sometimes I have to get a plastic scourer to get all the glue off but it wipes off real easy.
Some labels seem to just float off as the glue dissolves in the bleach but some the glue just turns soft and gooey and you need to scrub off with the scourer.

Also leaves your bath nice and shiny and white

Rich

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

While we are on the topic of cleaning bottles,

I did an oatmeal stout (MSB Kit) and the head retention was really bad. It had quite a big head at first but then disappeared in about 5 seconds.

This was the first brew i put into my sapporo bottles which were cleaned with detergent but would've been rinsed at least 5-6 times as well as sterilised with PSR twice befreo being filled.

Would have there still been residue? or was it just the brew?

 

[Plastic Man]

Mountain Goat bottles were shocking to get the labels off - but I think they have changed labels lately as the new ones come off a tad easier.

I soak in a nappy san solution for a few days, give the labels a quick scrap with one of those metal scaper thingys - which lets the water get under the lable a bit, sprinkle a bit more nappy san in, (Aldi brand = cheap), and a few days later get thescaper happening again and they come off easy. The nappy san gives the insides a good clean as well.

 

[dickTed]

I originally started taking labels off, but now I leave them on.

Now I just fill the laundry sink with hot water, and a good slurp of white king. Take two stubbies at a time, fill them and put them back in their crate, then top them up to the brim with a little jug. They stand there for an hour, then they get this treatment...

 

[dickTed]

Oops, this was meant to be the second picture...

 

[jgriffin]

I just soak them in a bleach solution for a week. 90% of the labels fall off, just give them a 5 sec wipe with a bit of scotchbrite to make suare all glue is removed, and that's it.

 

[Weizguy]

While we are on the topic of cleaning bottles,

I did an oatmeal stout (MSB Kit) and the head retention was really bad. It had quite a big head at first but then disappeared in about 5 seconds.

This was the first brew i put into my sapporo bottles which were cleaned with detergent but would've been rinsed at least 5-6 times as well as sterilised with PSR twice befreo being filled.

Would have there still been residue? or was it just the brew?

[post="54488"][/post]​

Just asking. No offence intended, but...did U use a kilo of sugar with this one?
That might explain the head. Or it might be the kit produced by a Megaswiller who owns Mac's in uNZud. Marketed here as JS, and as Mac's in its homeland. This is not a bad thing. But it is a fact. Maybe there's sugar in the can...?

BTW, the bottles. I'm getting to hate the bottles, as U must B 2. Sometimes it's best to ditch the bottles, or recycle via the lhbs, where U might even get money 4 it. Or advertise it on this forum. Let someone take advantage of U...

Deep Seth

 

[Samwise Gamgee]

Hey Seth,

Nah, no sugar added, just 2x1.7kg Extract.

Or it might be the kit produced by a Megaswiller who owns Mac's in uNZud. Marketed here as JS, and as Mac's in its homeland.

hehehe, i reckon this is it!!

BTW, the bottles. I'm getting to hate the bottles, as U must B 2. Sometimes it's best to ditch the bottles, or recycle via the lhbs, where U might even get money 4 it. Or advertise it on this forum. Let someone take advantage of U...

A very very good idea!!!

Cheers, :beer:
am

 

[Ross]

If you need a quick removal option - a spray of mozzie repelant makes them fall off....