professor_oak
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This is the first post I'm doing on this forum for the record
I thought it might be helpful if I shared my process for removing labels and recycling bottles for your own use. I'll start by saying if your like me you think that paying for bottles that don't have labels on them is just plain stupid, I mean what's the point of buying them new if your just going to have to clean them again anyway? So I've experimented for a while to find the best way to remove labels I've tried goof-off, I've tried soaking them in star-san, in vinagar and in bleach but nothing seemed to have any better effect than plain water. I'd also tried boiling them which worked but it took a long time and made a complete mess. But I've recently discovered that using just a splash of my favorite degreasing soap can take labels off with the adhesive about a 15min soak so here's my step by step process to efficiently cleaning and recycling used bottles.
Step 1: Drink Beer
We only drink non-alcoholic beer on a regular basis and I like the shape of the buckler bottle, it's got a little bit of the stubbier shape that you see with some pale ales but it still looks like a normal bottle.
Step 2: Soak
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455404144.849293.jpg
I use a stainless steam table pan that I have for making maple syrup, you can really use anything as long as it's deep enough to take the air out of the bottle and lay it side ways.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455404419.766648.jpg
The next thing I do is fill the pan up with water (obviously) and put two splashes of "Super Clean" industrial degreaser in. They're other degreasers out there that will probably work but in my opinion nothing cleans as well as super clean it's a little pricy but it's super handy and a little goes a long way.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455404489.832226.jpg
In the first five minutes you should see the labels start to crinkle in the next ten to fifteen minutes they should be a breeze to peel off.
3. Peel and brush
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455404752.344086.jpg
The labels should come off without much of a fight if they don't you might need either more time or more soap. I then dump the soapy water back into the steam table pan and brush any remaining adhesive or label residue off and soak them in plain water to get the soap out.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455405112.460148.jpg
4. Final Rinse and dry
I then give the bottles a thorough rinsing with hot water to make sure all the degreaser Is out, if you used too much soap this could be tedious.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455405267.296441.jpg
Then what I do is put an old dishwasher rack over some drying cloths and go watch tv. You could temporarily take the rack out of your dishwasher, I would recommend finding one if your going to be recycling bottles because bottle dryers are needlessly expensive and it works just as well.
If it's above freezing outside where you are it's probably easier to do step 2 in a plastic storage bin and just give it 24 hours but it's too cold for it where I'm at and doing it the way I did only took about 2 hours to do 50 bottles and it was a lot better than paying for them
I thought it might be helpful if I shared my process for removing labels and recycling bottles for your own use. I'll start by saying if your like me you think that paying for bottles that don't have labels on them is just plain stupid, I mean what's the point of buying them new if your just going to have to clean them again anyway? So I've experimented for a while to find the best way to remove labels I've tried goof-off, I've tried soaking them in star-san, in vinagar and in bleach but nothing seemed to have any better effect than plain water. I'd also tried boiling them which worked but it took a long time and made a complete mess. But I've recently discovered that using just a splash of my favorite degreasing soap can take labels off with the adhesive about a 15min soak so here's my step by step process to efficiently cleaning and recycling used bottles.
Step 1: Drink Beer
We only drink non-alcoholic beer on a regular basis and I like the shape of the buckler bottle, it's got a little bit of the stubbier shape that you see with some pale ales but it still looks like a normal bottle.
Step 2: Soak
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455404144.849293.jpg
I use a stainless steam table pan that I have for making maple syrup, you can really use anything as long as it's deep enough to take the air out of the bottle and lay it side ways.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455404419.766648.jpg
The next thing I do is fill the pan up with water (obviously) and put two splashes of "Super Clean" industrial degreaser in. They're other degreasers out there that will probably work but in my opinion nothing cleans as well as super clean it's a little pricy but it's super handy and a little goes a long way.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455404489.832226.jpg
In the first five minutes you should see the labels start to crinkle in the next ten to fifteen minutes they should be a breeze to peel off.
3. Peel and brush
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455404752.344086.jpg
The labels should come off without much of a fight if they don't you might need either more time or more soap. I then dump the soapy water back into the steam table pan and brush any remaining adhesive or label residue off and soak them in plain water to get the soap out.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455405112.460148.jpg
4. Final Rinse and dry
I then give the bottles a thorough rinsing with hot water to make sure all the degreaser Is out, if you used too much soap this could be tedious.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1455405267.296441.jpg
Then what I do is put an old dishwasher rack over some drying cloths and go watch tv. You could temporarily take the rack out of your dishwasher, I would recommend finding one if your going to be recycling bottles because bottle dryers are needlessly expensive and it works just as well.
If it's above freezing outside where you are it's probably easier to do step 2 in a plastic storage bin and just give it 24 hours but it's too cold for it where I'm at and doing it the way I did only took about 2 hours to do 50 bottles and it was a lot better than paying for them