Ran out of pbw can I use one step to remove bottle labels
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I expect that would work fine. One Step is more of a cleaner than a sanitizer in my mind anyway (StarSan is my sanitizer of choice). Hot water and a good long soak are the other important ingredients for removing labels.
BBL_Brewer
Well-Known Member
One step works. It actually works pretty good when you first mix it up. Might leave a little film of glue behind when you pull the label, but it will rub right off. An hour soak should do with fresh, warm solution. Once it cools and you run a few batches of bottles through it you will get to a point where you have to soak the bottles over night.
I use the cheap version of oxyclean you find at the dollar store to remove labels. This saves the PBW for using with my equipment since it is more $$$.
madscientist451
Well-Known Member
I use three heaping tablespoons of regular baking soda ina a gallon or so of hot water, takes the labels off pretty good. I also works with cold water, but I like the warm water on my hands.....save the one step for an emergency if you run out of your regular sanitizer.
I use the cheap dollar store oxi-clean stuff for all my cleaning needs. it's dirt cheap and will peel labels off no prob... does a nice job on the buckets too. always soak em overnight and never ever had a problem
If you mix dry 2 parts of the cheapo dollar store Oxy (aka Sunclean) with 1 part TSP (found in the paint dept at Lowes), you'll have a DIY version of PBW at a fraction of the cost. I use that to clean, StarSan to sanitize.
rave808
Well-Known Member
Do you use the powder version of tsp also if I would use 2 tablespoons of oxiclean I would mix 1 tablespoon with it right?
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Yes and yes. I usually mix up a big batch of it in a bucket then store it back in the oxi tub and another container.
This is what I do for all my cleaning, but I use Oxyfree from walmart just look for the green top not the yellow one.
One big scoop in a 5 gal bucket of Hot water and let them sit over night.
you may have to wipe off the glue residue but it comes off easy.
Just a Note the TSP does contain phosphate and this is known for ecological problems, (http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infxtra/inftsp.html), so use with caution.
I use oxiclean versatile just for the fragrance free. Interested if the dollar store version is fragrance free now.
Anyone know?
Answered my questions
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sun-oxygen-cleaner-278173/index3.html
https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f39/sun-oxygen-cleaner-278173/index3.html
BBL_Brewer
Well-Known Member
It's better to use sodium metasilicate than sodium triphosphate (TSP). Red Devil TSP/90 is what you want. It's actually not TSP at all, it's sodium metasilicate. Mix that 2:1 with oxy and it's as close as you can get to PBW. PBW has a surfactant in it as well, so you could also add a small amount of powdered detergent, but it does pretty good without it. Just be careful mixing it up. You don't want to breathe the dust. Pretty nasty stuff. If you've ever gotten a whiff of PBW dust, you know what I mean.
petrolSpice
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I just soak them in plain water over night and the labels are easy to peel off. It varies from beer to beer though. Tossing in some oxyclean makes them come off quite a bit easier.
GHBWNY
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1/4 C. OxyClean in hot water in a cooler overnight with the bottles.
rave808
Well-Known Member
I went on amazon and under description for tsp/90 it says not to use with glass
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rave808
Well-Known Member
you want to use regular TSP... not the TSP/90
This, right here.
Warm water, a sprinkle of baking soda, wait 30 minutes. The labels float off the bottles without any effort a lot of the time.
GHBWNY
Well-Known Member
Yeah, it does. Not sure there is one, single sure-fire solution for every adhesive out there. Particularly stubborn in my neck of the woods are Southern Tier labels. The glue gets soft and stringy but does not come off without the ol' thumbnail and then significant scouring with a Tuffy pad.
rave808
Well-Known Member
Yeah but if you look up the pbw msds sheet it has the same ingredient that's in tsp/90 not the tsp phosphate version
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hmmm, I might be wrong. I always thought it was the regular TSP and not the TSP "green" stuff, but it's been a while since I researched it. I usually don't even use the tsp, just the oxiclean and it works great... I soak for 24 hours though
Puddlethumper
Well-Known Member
OneStep does an excellent job of removing labels. It is a good cleaner too. I choose to use StarSan to sanitize following cleaning.
rave808
Well-Known Member
If all else fails use WD-40. That stuff will stip pretty much any adhesive. Just put enough on to soak the label, peel then wipe down with a paper towel.
three pounds of a six pound bucket of Sun Oxygen Cleaner from Walmart mixed with one pound of Red Devil TSP-90. I throw it all into a plastic fermenter bucket, roll it around on the floor for a bit, and poor it back into the Sun bucket. It works well for me.
Agreed. Never used the oxyclean on them, however I don't disagree on his point in using it.
I just fill my utility tub with hot water and then dunk all of the bottles in and let them soak while I'm doing something else (generally on brew day). Just make sure you get enough water in the bottles to keep them submerged.
It could be as little as 15 minutes, but usually I don't get back to it until 30 minutes to an hour and most of the labels are falling off by themselves. Then use a credit card or similar plastic scraper to get the labels off. If there is still some glue residue, I use a Scotch-Brite type pad to scrub it off.
If I still have stubborn labels, it's not worth my time and effort. I just chuck those in recycling.
No chemicals needed. Keep it simple.
jrgtr42
Well-Known Member
Call me crazy, but why bother taking the labels off in the first place (other than submitting for competitions and so forth)
I just keep my homebrew in it's own box, and use a sharpie to indicate what's inside.
Over time most labels will wear off just by washing and sanitizing.
I just keep my homebrew in it's own box, and use a sharpie to indicate what's inside.
Over time most labels will wear off just by washing and sanitizing.
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