Removing painted on labels?

Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Bluespark

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2012
Messages
417
Reaction score
28
I have some high ABV mead that I want to bottle in a month or six, so I've been keeping my eyes open for some half sized or ice wine bottles. I've only found them online or very expensive at a local home brew shop. I stopped by the recycling center yesterday for another 1gallon jug (0.50$) and found a box of 12 ice wine bottles for 3$ !!! The only problem is one has a painted on label I can't get off.

How do you take these off?
 
Star san or CLR...soak for a few hours and it wipes right off.
 
I've had mine (Stone beer painted bottles) come off purely by accident using a stainless steel scrubber.
7812589.jpg
 
Have you tried a starsan soak? --- it is seriously easy.

No, never...but I tried bleach, oxyclean, detergent, scotch brite pads, steel wool and plastic brushes. Never made a scratch in the painted one's.

Heck I even tried boiling a bunch...

The plastically foil lables are a nightmare as well.
 
No, never...but I tried bleach, oxyclean, detergent, scotch brite pads, steel wool and plastic brushes. Never made a scratch in the painted one's.

Heck I even tried boiling a bunch...

The plastically foil lables are a nightmare as well.

So, the issue with all of your methods, they were not acidic. Apparently an acid solution is needed for the paint. I have heard muriatic acid and acetic acid (vinegar) both working as well... but since several gallons of vinegar is expensive, and star san is already on hand for brewing, I use that. And it works great. I've probably done 150 stone bottles through the same tub full of 2x strength star san.


The plasticy ones do suck... the labels come off, but without using adhesive remover like goo-gone, WD-40, goof-off.... well, they are not getting clean. And I really don't want to soak bottles in that, so I just toss them and don't buy those beers anymore.
 
Back
Top