another method for label removal: washing soda

[mike_g08]

For years, I have used an overnight soak in an ammonia solution to remove labels (per Papazian's recommendation). That has worked pretty well, but takes time, and a fair amount of ammonia (and smell).

I recently found that washing soda in hot water will soak off the labels in short order, maybe 1/2 hour or so. I used about 1/4 cup in a gallon of hot water, but I suspect less will do the job.

 

[Pappers_]

What is washing soda? I'm unfamiliar with it.

 

[imasickboy]

It's sodium carbonate. Similar to baking soda, but not quite. I use it in my homemade laundry detergent. You can find it at the grocery store or walmart near the laundry products. The Arm & Hammer brand will look like a giant box of baking soda.

 

[whovous]

http://www.mommypotamus.com/how-to-make-washing-soda/

Everything you ever wanted to know about washing soda. Short answer: Baked baking soda.

 

[Pappers_]

Great, thanks!

 

[madscientist451]

I use 3-4 heaping tablespoons of regular baking soda in about 2 gallons of water for label removal. I let the bottles sit for a while, sometimes overnight. If the labels don't come off easy, they're chucked out. Some brands come right off, some don't. Sierra Nevada, Dogfish Head, Sam Adams are a few that come off real easy.

 

[JoshGuitar]

When I wash bottles, I throw about a dozen bottles in a sink full of hot water and Oxy Clean Free (PBW works too but Oxy Clean is cheaper). Make sure to fill the bottles with the solution too, to soak all the beer residue out. After 10-15 minutes you can easily peel the labels off (with most brands). Occasionally you have to scrape the label off with a butter knife or spoon. With some brands that's not enough and the label is really stubborn - I have enough bottles that I just recycle those ones. After a total of a half hour or an hour of soaking, I use a green Scotch Brite to scrub off any remaining label material or glue. Pour out about half of the Oxy Clean and give it a good shake, then dump. Fill it halfway again, shake, dump. Then give em a good thorough rinse and stick another dozen bottles in the sink. I've never used a bottle brush.

As the Oxy Clean solution cools down, it takes slightly longer to soak off the labels and beer residue, but not much. You can either keep using it cold, or ladle half of it into a pot, bring it almost to a boil, and mix it back with the cold stuff. One sink full of solution will easily clean several cases of bottles if you have a backlog. Sometimes I'll just leave it in the sink for a day or 2 and slowly pick away at 3-4 cases of bottles.

 

[mike_57401]

Oxyclean contains sodium percarbonate and sodium carbonate. That will do the job in a similar, maybe better fashion. It is a bit more money, too. ($1/ lb vs $1.50/lb to $3.00/lb, depending on size).

 

[Stillraining]

How much of that there baked baking sode does ya figor I's be needin for this here batch? Theys been sokin fer a couple weeks now and still some stuck pretty fierce

Much abliged pard.

 

[mike_57401]

That's a pretty big batch. 15-20 gallons in there? What chemical was added in the first place? You need to first check that whatever is in there won't react adversely with sodium carbonate.

I'd add 1-2 cups of washing soda, and let em soak a day or so.

 

[Stillraining]

Ya probably 20 to 25 gallons.... There is nothing in there just water..Its been so darn cold here lately nothing bad would grow anyway.

I will give your stuff a try..Thanks mate