Removing (commercial) wine labels

[Hinermad]

Now I've got that bottle sitting looking at me in a Mexican standoff. I'm not about to quit yet and it's not ready to give up it's residual adhesive. I'm about to go out to the shop for some acetone or maybe some of my homebrew "Ed's Red" gun solvent/lube. Speaking of acetone, anyone tried nail polish remover?

I wouldn't count on nail polish remover. I've tried it on label adhesive before and was disappointed. (It has acetone but it's pretty dilute, and sometimes has other stuff like fragrance and moisturizers in it.) Try the Oxy first, then maybe give it a swipe with baby oil or even cooking oil on a Scotchbrite pad and see if that'll soften it.

If you're going to use gun solvent, I've discovered that Hoppes #9 will remove photocopier toner from vinyl. Use at your own risk though.

Dave

 

[blackeagle603]

Anything Hoppes #9 will do, Ed's Red will do better (1qt ea Kerosene, Acetone, Dex II or better ATF, 16oz lanolin), but none of the new fangled solvents bring as many good memories as the smell #9.

 

[cbw]

I dry scrape the labels off commercial wine bottles with a razor blade (carefully).

Then I pour (liberally) 90 proof rubbing alcohol (from Walmart ... make sure you get the 90 proof) onto a paper towel and wipe most of the residue glue.

This will get rid of most of the glue.

Some bottle require a coating of Skin-so-soft (ask your wife) ... then rubbing with steel wool.

Wash inside/out with one step.

Store upside down in a wine box with a paper towel on the bottom of the box.

Then on bottling day, rinse inside with k-meta in a sulphiter ... good to go.

 

[blackeagle603]

Well Ed's Red and scrap polo shirt cloth worked fabulously well on the Yellowtail residual adhesive. Dunno how it would work on an intact label yet.

Now about that smell...

We'll have to wait and see if the dish detergent was enough to deal with that.

 

[JDuclos]

I saw many of you are commenting on how this takes up the sink. I just took of some labels on a bunch of beer bottles. I used a cooler I had, laid the bottles in and some cleaner and filled it up with hot hot water. The cooler insulated the water and it was still pretty hot to the touch after 12 hours.

Once you fill it up, hold the lid on and tilt the cooler from side to side to fill the bottles with the water, then top off and let it sit!

 

[Rossnaree]

Just a note on soaking that some newcomers may not have considered --- before soaking, partially fill the bottles with water or the solution that you'll be using for the soak (in order to keep them from floating, tipping to the side, sinking and filling up), then place them standing right side up in the container. Otherwise, when they lie horizontally in the solution that dissolving the glue, that glue residue will be on the inside of the bottles and is not necessarily easy to remove.

Most Finger Lakes region labels are a nightmare to remove, most European labels are easy with the very notable exception of the dozens of Hans Gangl bottles donated to me, and they have been the absolute worst. I was recently lamenting the problems with removing those labels (even the oxyclean didn't give consistent positive results) and was told to soak a cloth in rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) and lay it on the label for a minute or so, and the entire thing - label and glue - would come clean. I had read about that in this thread before, just didn't bother to try it. I had gotten to the point of just refusing all bottle donations (no matter how many times, or how adamantly, I tell people to at least RINSE the bottles out when they're still fresh, almost none come without dried-on sludge and vinegar smells!!!) and just going out and buying new bottles. Inspect, rinse, and sanitize is a much more efficient use of time, labor and resources. I guess it's a trade off in the end.

- Tim

 

[bmd2k1]

Giving the oxiclean overnight sink soak($1store version) a try [emoji111]

 

[Blacksmith1]

Let me know how it works. I've been doing hot water bleach and dawn with a copper scrubber.

 

[bmd2k1]

Definitely made it easier - but depends on bottle source -- Trader Joe's came right off -- Aldi Winking Owl bit more work -- Generally...more expensive vinos took more elbow grease.

I've got the 22 I need to bottle up my Welch's vino at some point [emoji111]

 

[kh54s10]

I wanted my bottles to be all the same so I bought them. Now I use generic oxyclean and soak in a bucket if I have a few and in the sink for less. The labels that come with kits usually come of easily. I use a nylon scrubby for any leftover glue.

For commercial bottles (beer for me) if the label doesn't come off easily they get recycled. On to another brand.

 

[Mumathomebrew]

I fill them with water and let them sit overnight in a pan of water. If the labels don't just fall off, then I give a tentative scrape to one corner with a knife. If the glue stays sticky underneath then they get junked. If it scrapes and cleans with a scratchy pad and washing liquid then I may persevere. Some labels will peel dry if the glue is warmed slightly in the oven first but after six or so bottles then your fingertips tend to follow too.

I absolutely HATE bottles with non soak-able off-able labels.... it is inconsiderate in the extreme. I learn which fall off easily and only buy those wines.

The latest resort is to design my own labels to be slightly larger than the commercial ones and stick them over the top. No removing at all. Just costs a bit more in sticky printer paper.

Very nice friends give bottles with the labels already off. Reward those sorts of friends with wine and jams.