Removal of labels from filled bottles?

[treacheroustexan]

I normally remove my labels before I fill them. I bottled a beer that turned out better than I thought and I never removed the labels. I want to enter it in a competition and now need to remove the labels. Suggestions? I thought about the goo gone spray.

 

[SilverZero]

Soak it in a bucket with some water and oxyclean. If it's a nice label it will slide right off and you can use a green scrubbie to get the residue off. Or tear the labels as much as you can and use Goo-Gone. Or just use a razor blade outright. How do you normally remove labels, and why wouldn't that work now?

 

[treacheroustexan]

Soak it in a bucket with some water and oxyclean. If it's a nice label it will slide right off and you can use a green scrubbie to get the residue off. Or tear the labels as much as you can and use Goo-Gone. Or just use a razor blade outright. How do you normally remove labels, and why wouldn't that work now?

Well I guess normally I use super super hot water.

 

[phug]

What's your label adhesive? If it's gelatin, dipping the bottle in a mug of boiling water for ten seconds should do

 

[treacheroustexan]

What's your label adhesive? If it's gelatin, dipping the bottle in a mug of boiling water for ten seconds should do

They're commercial bottles I never took the label off of to begin with.

 

[NoIguanaForZ]

My suggestion would be about 2 cups baking soda to 5 gallons water in lukewarm water, or about 1/2 cup DIY PBW (google that phrase) for the same 5 gallons. (I normally use half those amounts, but that's in hot water). Set the bottles upright in it, and keep the caps out of the water. You'll want a wide, shallow rub of some sort. Then, use a plastic bristle brush to scrub off the glue residue and you should be good.

 

[Homercidal]

Soak in warm (not hot) water and see what happens. You may want to tape around the crown area before using Goo Gone. I use it sometimes on empty bottles, and although it work really good on most stubborn labels, it has a very strong aroma. I don't think you want it up under the crown at all.

Wash the whole thing well with dish soap to remove the Goo Gone after the label is cleaned off.

 

[treacheroustexan]

Thanks all!

 

[messiah]

Oxyclean is a waste of money. Get Arm and Hammer Washing Soda. NOT BAKING SODA. It should be in the same isle for way less money with the same active ingredient that will remove labels (and the main ingredient for cleaner clothes too).

 

[NoIguanaForZ]

Oxyclean is a waste of money. Get Arm and Hammer Washing Soda. NOT BAKING SODA. It should be in the same isle for way less money with the same active ingredient that will remove labels (and the main ingredient for cleaner clothes too).

Washing soda, including Arm and Hammer's, is 100% sodium carbonate. Oxikleen combines sodium carbonate and sodium percarbonate.

 

[messiah]

Washing soda, including Arm and Hammer's, is 100% sodium carbonate. Oxikleen combines sodium carbonate and sodium percarbonate.

Exactly. Sodium carbonate is all you need remove standard labels with ease, and washing soda is crazy cheap. I find it works just as well as oxiclean in the wash with detergent, but your mileage may vary there.

 

[NoIguanaForZ]

Exactly. Sodium carbonate is all you need remove standard labels with ease, and washing soda is crazy cheap. I find it works just as well as oxiclean in the wash with detergent, but your mileage may vary there.

How effective is it for cleaning carboys or brew pots, in combination with sodium metasilicate but without the percarbonate component?

 

[Homercidal]

How effective is it for cleaning carboys or brew pots, in combination with sodium metasilicate but without the percarbonate component?

I find it effective for "gunk" in fermentors and bottles, etc. For cooked on brown stuff and mineral deposits its useless. Use an acid wash for that stuff and a bit of scrubbing/wiping. The brown stuff usually comes off pretty good.

I also quit using Oxiclean for bottles and carboys. With my highly alkaline water it would often leave white film and spots that needed an acid rinse to remove. I found it was more time effective to do a 1-2 hour soak in plain hot water for labels and wash the inside with a bottle brush on a drill if the inside needed cleaning.

 

[SilverZero]

Just remembered - I used to use dilute ammonia to remove my labels. It should still work on full bottles, no heat required. Might take some rinsing to get off the bottle, but it shouldn't hurt anything.