Removing label glue from bottles

[Deebee]

Got all my hopes up when I saw this post, but were dashed when i saw the replies! God I hate those plastic labels! St Peters and St Austell are the worst!

maybe these need to soaked in ammonia or acetone then rinsed and washed afterwards. Acetone in water should do the trick if its strong enough... nailvarnish remover even mght do the job?

[JayM72]

I think I'll take the lazy route and make sure I only re-use bottes that have paper labels!

[Blackaddler]

Got all my hopes up when I saw this post, but were dashed when i saw the replies! God I hate those plastic labels! St Peters and St Austell are the worst!

Oh great! I was given a few dozen assorted bottles yesterday, and there's some St Austell amongst them. I haven't started on those yet.

There seems to be no end of different types of label and glue used on beer bottles. Some a re real pigs.

The worst so far are the Rebellion Red bottles. A sort of metallic plastic label. Soaking is no good, and it even laughs at a sharp knife! I think I might have to try a blowlamp and scraper!

Edit: The metal foil labels came off easiest when dry. Lift one corner with a thumbnail or blunt knife until you can get a grip, and then pull. The whole label will come off in one go. The slower the pull the better, as you will leave glue on the bottle if you pull too fast.

Edit#2: A scraper which uses a Stanley knife blade, plus an old towel got the rest of the glue off. It's taken me hours of hard work to clean about 25 to 30 bottles.

[JayM72]

Congrats on your persistence!

I've decided that if ever buying beer I one of the factors will be 'How easy will the label be to get off?'! All others will be sent to to the recycling bin with no chance of reprieve! I really don't understand why the labels have to be so secure.

Cheers
Jason

[ADDLED]

Those Williams Bros labels are a beeyatch, and White Shield arent much better. Fullers labels are dead easy though.
Ive just de-labelled 40 odd bottles by stacking them into a 60l fermenter, tipped in a mugful of washing soda and filled it from the hot tap and left them alone for a few days. Most labels were off, only a few Westerham Freedom labels still on but the glue had become tacky so they scraped off quite easily. Good thing is they get a clean from the soda too and just need a rinse.

[Deebee]

Citrus cleaner for cleaning skis will likely work too. score the lable and then rub it in. Alternatively maybe soak the bottles in solution of the same?

what about white spirit or acetone.

[Jolum]

Acetone Works wonders in removing the gluey mess left behind

Although personally If the label does not come of with a 15 minute soak in a hot bleach/Oxyclean Solution then the bottle hits the recycling bin

Same here. It's all about being selective with the bottles you use.

[bungle666]

i just use a mettalic scraper and hot water with fairy liquid!! not had too much of issue with that and some patience!!

B..

[greenxpaddy]

Agreed about those new fangled super stick plastic labels. Name and shame

Wainwrights
Theakstons
Humdinger
Oban Brewery

I am now going to be looking at labels when I buy beer in the supermarket.

I soaked some bottles for 24 hrs in a big bin. This did soften the glue even on the plastic labels but they still leave a sticky residue which didn;'t come off int he dishwasher. Suppose I could boil them but can I really be bothered? Think the recycling bin is the way to go !

[WishboneBrewery]

Stick to buying German wheat beers and other things with paper labels, German & Belgian bottles tend to be re-used rather than our British Recycling where the bottles get crushed and put in Breezeblocks or Road surface!

[Cully]

Bernard dark labels just float off in a touch of warm water, and they are cracking swing tops. LIke someone above, if a green scourer or brillo pad wont shift the glue I bin 'em.

[bungle666]

if your struggling with sticky marks/residue I have found that those soap filled scouring pads work well for removal of the sticky!

B..

[greenxpaddy]

I didn't recycle in the end. Must be mad. Once the plastic label was off while still wet I used a stanley knife blade and scratched the glue off. It can be done really quick this way.

No, I'm not doing yours....

[attheshorts]

try saled cream and yes it does work

[PaulDavidSumner]

I steep in a spare FV and then brillo pad them. But I've still kept bottles which were a nightmare to take the label and glue off; the idea is that I can drink those, and the ones I give to relatives & friends are spotless. I don't think glue on the outside of the bottle will cause any contamination when steeping the bottles to sterilise...maybe OPs point is why make all the effort of bottling if a few bottles are sticky with glue? Do any other members include a few sub-standard bottles when bottling?