Secrets for removing labels

[grapeman]

I'm not up on household cleaning products. You are all using TSP like you all know what it is. Does it mean Tri-Sodium-Phosphate? Am I the only dummy left?

 

[Wade E]

Since you know more than me about it I would say no!

 

[masta]

I'm not up on household cleaning products. You are all using TSP like you all know what it is. Does it mean Tri-Sodium-Phosphate? Am I the only dummy left?

Ding Ding Ding..you are correct:


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

 

[Wade E]

Cool, Ill have to give it a try because I have some stubborn labels.

 

[NorthernWinos]

I'm not up on household cleaning products. You are all using TSP like you all know what it is. Does it mean Tri-Sodium-Phosphate? Am I the only dummy left?

Yes...TSP is Tri-Sodium-Phosphate...except in this State...No Phosphates...T.S.P...sold as Phosphate free...should just be called Tri-Sodium.....It doesn't work like it use to...

It can melt a pair of rubber gloves if you store them without rinsing them off...use to use it on the filters on my range hood and also like Masta said for cleaning decks and removing mildew before painting outdoors.Edited by: Northern Winos

 

[AAASTINKIE]

I layer my bathtub with bottles and cover them with HOT water with a dash of bleach, tip the bottles up to fill with the bleach water to kill any germs on the inside (I get so many wine bottles, if any are moldy they go back) when the water is cool enough to work in I scrape the labels off with a razor scraper, then I clean with 3m scotch pad, if any glue is still on I use an orange spray cleaner, it is not a solvent and washes off with water. After this I wash the insides with the brass bottle washer to remove any bleach residue. If you need to clean inside I suggest making a power cleaner like this:

Edited by: AAASTINKIE

 

[OGrav]

Thanks for all the ideas. I was considering cutting the tip off of a bottle brush. I have a couple of the bottles soaked over last night with a mixture of CLR type stuff and water, we'll see if that did anything. A solution of ammonia didn't. I glad someone asked what TSP was, I wasn't sure myself. I didn't think of trying vinegar, I'll try that definitely.

 

[PeterZ]

Instead of vinegar, avoid the smell and go to a pool store and get "pH Down", which is nothing more than hydrochloric acid (aka muriatic acid). About 1 fl. oz. per gallon should do it for hard water deposits.

On the other hand, if your local water is high in silica, and you have silica stains, you want to use caustic soda (NaOH) or caustic potash (KOH). Don't make the solution or the caustics too strong or leave it in too long because it can etch glass.

You can find out what your water analysis is by calling your local health department or water board, or the utility supplying the water, and asking them to send you an analysis. I can interpret it for you.

Romona, and other Houstonians, your water is moderately hard with low silica.

 

[JohnnyK68]

I soak all my bottles (wine & Beer in OxyClean mixed with hot water. After a few hours most labels are floating. I clean them off well, and before using them they get soaked in easy clean and rinsed. I havent had any problems yet.

 

[AAASTINKIE]

I was at Wally world today and bought one of the 4" razor scrapers in the paint dept. think I'll give it a try on the easy labels.

 

[NorthernWinos]

Got one of those on my shopping list too...

 

[Wade E]

I just finished 115 bottles! Phew! Just used hot soapy water, and razor
blade, and scrubber pad. 90% came right off and the other9% needed the
help of the razor. Threw 1 bottle out as the glue just kept smearing
and I wasnt going to go out and get solvent for 1 bottle. My hands are
squeaky clean and wrinkled!

 

[grapeman]

OK Wade, now fill those bottles up!


By the way, my hands aren't always squeaky clean, but they are wrinkled

 

[ScubaDon]

I love the brush / drill set up. Going to rig mine up like that.

 

[Wade E]

Appleman, I have the wine to fill those bottles up but just waiting till it warms up because if I do fill those bottles I will have no wine in carboys and wont be able to do any due to temps! Empty wine making area makes daddy go crazy!

 

[Lodi Wino]

I filled a large beverage tub with my bottles and some oxy clean and left for a bout 3 days, what didn't just fall right off, came of real easy with the magic eraser

 

[GrapeApe]

Wade, 115 Bottles?? How I envy thee. I only did 13 and my hands were like prunes!


I followed the suggestion to add some oxygen cleaner to the hot tap water and it seemed to make a big difference. The other trick is the razor scraper. I found that going side to side did a better job at taking the glue off with the label vs. going top to bottom with the razor. Definately worth the $5 investment. (Do a search in your favorite search engine for "RS42C" if you need to find one).

Thanks for all the tips. One thing is for certain, I enjoy filling them and emptying them over cleaning them.


GrapeApe.

 

[pkcook]

Hey GrapeApe,


Not sure if you label your wine, but if you use plain paper and glue sticks you will never have label problems again. Warm water and a 5 minute soak and the labels are floating and all you have to do is lightly rub the bottle and the glue is gone!


Got this tip from this forum, like so many other good tips!

 

[GrapeApe]

Thanks PkCook. I was looking for a glue stick that said it would work on glass, but could not find any. The one I bought is a "UHU stic".


We just finished bottling our first batch yesterday, so I'll be giving the glue stick a try within the next day or two. Hopefully it will do the job, but if not, any recommendations for proven glue sticks that will keep the labels on tight until the next round?


Thanks again!


GrapeApe

 

[NorthernWinos]

I think any glue stick will work....This time I bought an Elmer's from WalMart....Have used other brands and they have all worked just fine.