I have a number of bottles from supermarkets that I've been cleaning and sterilising but I've noticed that a number of them now have plastic labels as opposed to the paper labels. These are really difficult to remove and when they are, they leave an incredibly tough adhesive residue on the bottle that neither boiling water or white spirit will remove. Does anyone know of any solvents that will take this stuff off?
How to clean stubborn bottles?
- Thread starter WelshPaul
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BarnsleyBrewer
Active Member
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If they're a pain I just throw em in the recycle bin...
Fill the bottles with hot water (that's hot tap as opposed to kettle) and leave them to stand for a couple of minutes, then sometimes the labels will peel off taking the glue with them.
If the glue still stays on the bottle I agree with the others, recycle and find something different.
If the glue still stays on the bottle I agree with the others, recycle and find something different.
mashman
Active Member
There is a product called "Sticky Stuff Remover" which I think you can get from stationers. Never used it yet so can't comment on it's efectiveness.
Mike1981
Regular.
I do what Moley said, fill with hot water and leave to stand. If theres any glue left on after ive took the label off, i run the hot water from the tap over the glue, and quick scrub with the scourer side of a sponge seems to work for me.
Although i tend to stick to either magners bottles or newcie brown ale bottles, Seem to have easyish to remove labels.
Although i tend to stick to either magners bottles or newcie brown ale bottles, Seem to have easyish to remove labels.
Holts Brewery (my employer) use these plastic labels, I can confirm that it is NOT worth the effort to remove the lables. The adhisive is stuborn, I tried white spirit, baking, acetone etc.. NOTHING works.. ended up using wire wool/pan scurbbers and you use one of those up on about 6 bottles.. Makes me sad because I brought 60 home the other day...
screamlead
Landlord.
Try petrol - i have the same problem here with plastic type labels on wine bottles.
Even after a 3 day soak they wont come off so i scrape most off with a blunt knife then spray petrol on the gunk with a small spray bottle then give a quick scrub with one of those scourer sponge things and it gets it all off.
Those metal scourers were just clogging up with the stuff.
Then i give the bottles a good rinsing with soapy then clean water - does the trick for me. :thumb:
Even after a 3 day soak they wont come off so i scrape most off with a blunt knife then spray petrol on the gunk with a small spray bottle then give a quick scrub with one of those scourer sponge things and it gets it all off.
Those metal scourers were just clogging up with the stuff.
Then i give the bottles a good rinsing with soapy then clean water - does the trick for me. :thumb:
Shayler
Active Member
I just used brothers bottles, easy to peel the label of but lots of sticky stuff that doesnât come off. Couldnât be bothered to get rid of the sticky stuff just stick a label over it
Vossy1
Landlord.
Another vote for this product, it does work, though I tend to avoid those type of bottles nowadays :grin:
jinxy72
Well-Known Member
i put all my bottles through the dish washer ... run on high temp setting and the lables either come off by them selves or just rub off ... any that come off dont do any damage as are stopped by the filter on the bottom.... plus the bottles get steri'd by the dishwash :thumb: just re-steri them before you use them
guyb
Regular.
I have a couple of 20litre bins ( car boot woman for £1.50) as she must get foodstuffs in them. Soda crystals, fill with water, soak em a couple days - altho now i just use some 16mmx22mm labels on the caps run thru the printer (labels from staples- about £3.49 for 600)
Printer spits em out in about 5 secs.
I can't be arsed to spend time removing labels, they come off after a few times, and if not, I tend to leave them on, or toss em
Those staples labels are handy, as you can scribble the og, type and date on one, then stick it on the fv so u don't forget, especially if you have more than one brew on, and have identical fv's !!
Printer spits em out in about 5 secs.
I can't be arsed to spend time removing labels, they come off after a few times, and if not, I tend to leave them on, or toss em
Those staples labels are handy, as you can scribble the og, type and date on one, then stick it on the fv so u don't forget, especially if you have more than one brew on, and have identical fv's !!
ian edwards
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Try acetone works every time for me
Shayler
Active Member
Oven Pride works very well just tried. Smear it on the bottle and leave for an hour, didnât even have to scrub just wipes off
greencheapsk8
Well-Known Member
PETROL WORKS
Just saying, ive never come across anything that a water soak or petrol wouldnt disolve.
No need to soak, just soak the label, scrape off, and bubb with a petrol rag.
Works a charm :thumb:
Just saying, ive never come across anything that a water soak or petrol wouldnt disolve.
No need to soak, just soak the label, scrape off, and bubb with a petrol rag.
Works a charm :thumb:
Egon
Active Member
I work in the food industry and we use labels on our cases that have adhesive made in hell itself. I use a product called "label remover" (genius name that! ) from RS. You can buy it in maplins too. I have a couple of these plastic labelled bottles, i'll have a go and see if it does any good, reporting back....I also have isopropyl alcohol wipes, they might be able to shift it. Again, i'll give it a shot and report back...:)
(alternatively, make up your new labels and stick them over the top! I have reams of 76x102 labels that i haev stored up, ready to abuse my priveliges at work, making labels for my grand cru!!!)
) from RS. You can buy it in maplins too. I have a couple of these plastic labelled bottles, i'll have a go and see if it does any good, reporting back....I also have isopropyl alcohol wipes, they might be able to shift it. Again, i'll give it a shot and report back...:)(alternatively, make up your new labels and stick them over the top! I have reams of 76x102 labels that i haev stored up, ready to abuse my priveliges at work, making labels for my grand cru!!!)
Cyclops
Landlord.
Egon said:I work in the food industry and we use labels on our cases that have adhesive made in hell itself. I use a product called "label remover" (genius name that!
(alternatively, make up your new labels and stick them over the top! I have reams of 76x102 labels that i haev stored up, ready to abuse my priveliges at work, making labels for my grand cru!!!)
Tried label remover, didn't want to shift the plastic ones, nor did the alcohol wipes, I presume you mean tego wipes that come in those plastic cylinder containers? We have labels at work aswell ideal for printers :)
