Removing bottle label glue.

[brews foresight]

Hello all!
I had a quick search but couldn't find anything on this topic, sorry if it has already been discussed.
I've been donated a bunch of used bottles by a friend for my next brew, i've been cleaning them up and have had no trouble removing the labels but the glue left behind is a bugger to get off. (i think kernel use Araldite or similar)
Has anyone got a trick to getting their bottles looking like new again?
Any help would be appreciated.
Cheers!
dc

[Gipsy]

Fullers are the same so I just leave them on now if I save them

[Old Elver]

I soak off as much as I can and then apply some White Spirit (...no not my beer!!!) on a scourer pad.
Seems to do the job with most labels.
OE

[vbloke]

... And let's not forget TheDoctor's slow-and-steady technique in this post.

[bobmcstuff]

Nail polish remover does a good job.

However, if you ever needed an excuse to drink more Bath Ales, the labels come off really easily leaving no residue...

[tommidolcetto]

metal scourer and hot water works for me

[PhilB]

Hi Brews

Personally, I've now got enough people saving all their empties for me, that I can afford to put any that are the wrong shape, size, colour or have labels too hard to get off into the recycling ... of course I don't tell the "donors" that they just ended up in my recycling bin instead of theirs

You might want to have a read of this thread ...
viewtopic.php?f=7&t=5820
... there are a couple of other ideas there worth considering, that I don't think have been mentioned here yet. For example, there is Madlen's "leave in solvents for days" approach ... or stuntmunky's "peanut butter" approach

Cheers, PhilB

[brews foresight]

cheers for the help!
sorry i hadn't spotted that other thread!

[Hopadoodledoo]

I can only speak for my method, which works a treat. Never needed to try anything else. I recently did about 30 Thornbridge and Proper Job bottles in one go, it took about an hour and a half. Not bad I reckon

[rog79]

hmmm, I don't bother, as long as the inside of the bottle is clean Im happy. Some bottles have such a strong glue that after you first take it off while youre drinking it you can pick it up and the bottle sticks to your hand pretty tightly - which I tend to think isn't a bad thing,,, wouldn't want to lose it now would I

[brum_57]

A good hot soak and scrub in oxy-clean (or similar brand) soon gets the labels and crud off. The brand I use is from Lidl's and costs a couple of quid for a big tub. Great for a general purpose cleaner.

Cheers - Kev.

[MattB]

If you're like me you'll get to a point where you don't really need the hassle of the plastic labels. I do still buy commercial beer and so my stock is always replenishing.

+1 for the Bath Ales too, they do come off easily. A lot of the Wadsworths ones come off easily too.

The most annoying is the Wychwoods, which come off, but then you can't use with most cappers!

[TheDoctor]

I'm switching (slowly) to Landlord bottles.

The label comes off in seconds in plain water. No residue.
The bottles are easy enough to see through when filling and pouring, but are brown glass.
London Pride bottles are similar, but I find them a bit dark and this makes them harder to fill and pour.

[Phets]

WD40 was able to remove the glue on a couple of fancy St Peters bottles I wanted to keep, not sure how cost effective it is though.

[Bumpkin]

Shepherd Neame labels float off in the dishwasher and the bottles are embossed with "Britains oldest brewer" which makes me feel important. (and old)

[Hopadoodledoo]

Shepherd Neame labels float off in the dishwasher and the bottles are embossed with "Britains oldest brewer" which makes me feel important. (and old)

But probably not as old as Old Elver. He can remember when yeast was just a fungus with ideas above it's station