Last Updated on March 14, 2023 by Lydia Martin
Whether you are planning to start a wine labeling business, save the label, or reuse wine bottles, removing wine bottle labels needs the proper method and materials to avoid damage.
We have created a complete guide on how to remove labels from wine bottles that are simple to follow and with the help of everyday household items. Read on.
9 Methods In Removing Labels From Wine Bottles Without Damaging Them
9. Chilling & Steaming Method
Materials Needed: Freezer, steamy or humid room, knife
Instructions: One of the most effective label removal methods to try is the chill and steam method. Place empty wine bottles inside the freezer for around 25 minutes.
After chilling, leave the wine bottles in the humid room for thirty minutes to sweat. Using your hands or knife, remove the label carefully.
8. Steaming Method
Materials Needed: Pot and water
Instructions: Using steam is another way to remove sticky labels from a particular bottle. Put the water in a pot and bring it to a boil.
Put the empty wine bottles over the boiling water for around 15 minutes to soften the sticky adhesive. You can use your hands to remove the remaining labels.
7. Soap Method
Materials Needed: Dish soap or liquid soap, water, and a small bucket or container
Instructions: If you want to remove wine bottle labels but are not in a hurry, you can use soap as a removal method, especially if it has paper labels that are permeable to liquid [1].
Fill your empty wine bottle with water, then pour dish soap into a container or bucket with water. Have your wine bottles completely submerged in dish soap and water for 1-2 days.
6. Oven Method
Materials Needed: Oven, oven mitts, razor or knife
Instructions: If you are a collector of framed wine labels, skip the wet methods and go for dry methods to avoid any damage.
Remove the remaining wine inside the bottle and remove the foil cap or wax bottle cover to avoid bad odor.
Get a baking dish to prevent the bottles from rolling. Heat the wine bottle in the oven for 5 minutes at 350 F, then remove the labels with a knife.
5. Ammonia Method
Materials Needed: Small bucket, gloves, household ammonia, and water
Instructions: Ammonia is commonly found in households [2], but use gloves when dealing with it for safety precautions.
Pour water into a bucket and add ¼ cup of household ammonia. Fill your empty wine bottle with water and place it inside the bucket with the ammonia mixture for 30 minutes.
Cover the bucket to ensure that the vapor will not spread out. Use gloves when you remove wine bottle labels, then wash them with cold water to remove residues.
4. Label Lift Method
Materials Needed: Spoon and label lift
Instructions: Label lifts are plastic sheets with adhesive, and they overlay the current label and fully remove it. You can practice on beer bottles first.
Place the label lift over the wine label and rub it for 2 minutes with the back of the spoon. Slowly peel the label.
3. Baking Soda Method
Materials Needed: Towel, rag, baking soda, sink or bucket, and steel wool (optional)
Instructions: If you have full wine bottles, baking soda is the most effective technique to remove the label because it cannot affect the wine.
Put warm water in a sink or bucket and mix in 5 to 10 tablespoons of baking soda. Mix it well and soak the label part of the wine bottle for 30 minutes.
Wipe the wine bottle with a rag to remove the baking soda mixture. Use steel wool or your fingernail for the remaining sticker.
2. Hairdryer Method
Materials Needed: Razor and hairdryer
Instructions: If you have a hair dryer, you can easily remove wine labels on empty wine bottles.
Run the hot air over the wine label for around 5 minutes. As the glue gets hot, you can remove the wine label easily with a razor.
1. Hot Water Method
Materials Needed: Hot water, sink or bucket, gloves, towel, steel wool
Instructions: Fill the sink or bucket with very hot water and soak empty wine bottles for around 5 minutes.
“As a wine lover, I started peeling off labels to keep a souvenir of a shared moment”
– Eric Inglessis, Sales Manager & Wine Label Collector
Slowly fill the wine bottle with hot water and position the bottle upright for 10 minutes. You can remove the label with steel wool or your fingernails afterward.
FAQs
Does Goo Gone remove wine labels?
Yes, Goo Gone can remove wine labels. It is an adhesive remover you use on the remaining adhesive for wine labels.
What is the easiest way to remove a wine bottle label?
Using baking soda is the easiest way to remove wine bottle labels. It is easy to follow, and the materials needed can be found at home.
Why should you remove labels from wine bottles?
Private label winemakers and wine labeling business owners remove the labels for reusing purposes. At the same time, some wine enthusiasts remove it for wine journals and decoration.
In A Nutshell
Removing wine labels from wine bottles may require patience, but you can effectively remove them properly with the right methods.
Baking soda, steaming, and hairdryer are easy and effective label removal methods for wine bottles.
But if you want the best and guaranteed most effective way, execute the hot water method to soften the glue and easily remove it.
References:
- https://www.britannica.com/science/permeability-physics
- https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/ammonia/default.html.
Lydia Martin hails from Redmond, Washington, where you’ll find some of the best cocktail bars and distilleries that offer a great mix of local drinks. She used to work as a bar manager in Paris and is a self-taught mixologist whose passion for crafting unique cocktails led her to create Liquor Laboratory. Lydia can whip up a mean Margarita in seconds! Contact at [email protected] or learn more about us here.
