How to Remove Labels From Wine Bottles – I also want to see my professional cleaner in every state get new jobs and opportunities. In this page, I’ll explain how you how to remove labels from wine bottles without them being damaged with common household items that are easy to find in your house.
If you’re a wine and craft beer enthusiast, a winemaker, or a crafter (or are just curious!), you may find yourself needing to remove wine labels from bottles. Here, we offer an overview and specific details on how to get a label off of a wine bottle for a variety of purposes. As you’ll see, there is no one-size-fits-all methodology for removing wine labels.
Before we continue our how-to, though, a little about the KnowWines blog. We are an Amazon.com affiliate and we do receive a small commission if you purchase items through our affiliate links at no cost to you. The commissions we receive help us pay for web hosting fees, products to test, our podcast, and other costs associated with running this site. Thanks for using our affiliate links and supporting our independent blog!
Table of Contents
Why remove the label from a wine bottle?
Wine enthusiasts and scrapbookers may want to remove a wine label to save it in a wine journal or scrapbook. Private-label winemakers remove labels for the purpose of re-use – they remove commercial labels from the bottle before adhering to their own. Last, artisans and crafters often use wine bottles or wine labels for crafts such as wine bottle glassware (affiliate link), wine tile coasters (affiliate link), or framed wine labels as wall or desk art (affiliate link).
What should I consider before removing a wine bottle label?
First, remember to keep the bottle you want to remove the label from! Far too often, a wine bottle disappears from the table or from the party before one thinks to save the label. Once the bottle disappears, the only option remaining is to send a self-addressed stamped envelope (via snail-mail) to the winery or restaurant and ask if they have an extra label from that vintage. Explain that you did not keep your bottle and that you want the label for your wine journal.
Next, determine if you are able to take the bottle home with you or if you must remove the label there at the event. Not being able to take the wine bottle home will significantly reduce your options for removing a wine label. Your only options then are the Lift-Off Method and the “kindly ask your server or sommelier if they can remove the label for you” approach!
Once you have the bottle home, you’ll need to assess the label and the associated adhesive. Determining which item you wish to keep – the label or the bottle – will dictate the method of removal you use.
How do I decide the method of label removal for a particular bottle?
What is the label constructed of? If the label is plastic (more like a sticker) it will be less permeable to water. If it is plastic, then removal will often require heat or physical means (such as a razor) regardless if you are trying to save the label or just the bottle.
If the label is paper, then it is more permeable to liquids and a different removal method may be needed depending on if you are trying to save the label or the bottle.
Labels adhere to wine and beer bottles through a variety of adhesive polymers. These include pressure-sensitive adhesives (sticker-like) and water-based glues. Since many of us are not adhesive experts, we will be assessing the label using visual assessment to guess the composition of the glue and to select the label removal method with the highest likelihood of success.
To assess the adhesive construction, take a razor or knife and lift a corner about ¼ inch. If the adhesive looks like traditional glue, the use of a detergent and water-based method can be considered. If the adhesive looks more sticker-like in consistency, then heat or physical means (razor, peeling) will be your best bet.
How to Remove Labels From Wine Bottles
You should try one of these methods to remove labels from wine bottles without damaging them. Depending on the type of paper and glue used, some methods may be faster and efficient than others. If one way does not work for you, move on to the next.
Wet Methods
Wet label removal methods are suited for removing wine labels from both full and empty bottles. If the label is attached using conventional glue, it is permeable to water, and wet removal methods can be applied.
1. The OxiClean Method
Oxiclean is great when removing labels. Soak the wine bottle in Oxiclean solution, and the label comes off pretty quickly.
It does an excellent job of removing stains and loosening rigid adhesives. This method has been tested on different labels, including paper, glue, and plastic bottles with stickers.
- Pour ¼ cup of OxiClean into a bucket full of water (preferably one gallon).
- Immerse the wine bottle into the solution.
- Check after 30 minutes. You will likely find the wine label intact floating on water, depending on the kind of adhesive used on the label.
- Using a sharp knife, gently lift the edge of the label. If it does not peel off easily even after soaking, you may need to elbow grease. If this method does not work, you may need to apply a dry method.
- Put the wet label on a waxed paper to prevent the damp sticker from sticking on the counter.
Ajax, a standard household cleaning solution, may act as a perfect alternative to OxiClean when OxiClean is unavailable.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a valuable household item essential in baking your favorite cookies and label removal on bottles.https://3c741a25c8304f014ad38444b046fdf0.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-38/html/container.htmlIt is the best method for removing labels on FULL wine bottles that does not affect the wine quality.
Here are the directions
- Soak the wine bottle in warm water with 5-10 tablespoons of baking soda for 30 minutes.
- After 30 minutes, the label will likely float on water. If not, remove the bottle and peel or wipe it off with a rag.
- If it becomes difficult, use a fingernail or steel wool to remove the remaining parts.
- Allow the label to dry completely before using it.
3. Hot Water
Hot water is one of the simplest removal methods and works well when removing wine labels from EMPTY wine bottles.
You can use two methods, filling the bottle with hot water or soaking the bottle in hot water.You only need hot water, a towel, gloves, utility knife/razor blade, and steel wool (optional),
Here are the directions.
- Heat water using a kettle (or use hot water from the tap) and fill up your wine bottle. Remember to soak in the bottle in hot water first if using a kettle to prevent the glass from cracking from the sudden temperature change.
- Allow the hot water to stay for about 10 minutes. Wear your gloves since the bottle is hot and then use your fingers or steel wool to peel off the label. This is an easy clean method since the label does not get wet.
- Alternatively, you can simply soak the wine bottle in hot water and add a few drops of dishwasher detergent for about 10 -15 minutes.
- Dry the bottle using a towel and slowly peel off the label using the edge of a utility knife or razor blade
- Work slowly to avoid scratching or rubbing the damp paper as it can easily get damaged.
- Allow the label to dry overnight. If it curls up, you can flat press between pages of a heavy book only when completely dry.
Note: Soaking the bottle in very hot water may discolor the label, while more than two drops of dish soap may wrinkle or wilt it.
4. Ammonia
Ammonia solution is very effective in removing wine labels. However, you need to use this method in a well-ventilated room since the odor is quite harsh.
Follow the steps outlined below for positive results:
- Pour ¼ cup of ammonia in a gallon of water in a bucket.
- Immerse the wine bottle in the mixture and cover the bucket. Leave for 30 minutes.
- Put on gloves, and using a knife, gently lift the edge of the label and peel.
- Wash the bottle in cold water to remove the residue.
Dry Methods
Dry label removal methods you may want to try include:
5. Label Lift Method
If you want to keep the label in a wine journal or a photo collage as a souvenir, the label lift method is the perfect one. The Onephile Label Lift is one of the most popular label lifts and is available in packages of 10 or 50. If used correctly, the Onephile label lift gives the best results since the label comes off intact with no tears or creases. To use the label lift, simply follow the directions below:
- Gently apply the label lift over the wine label and rub for about 1-2 minutes using the backside of a spoon or any other hard object.
- Peel off the label.
- Trim the edges of the wine label using a scissor to achieve a neat appearance.
- Place the label in the wine journal or book.
- The result is an intact wine label that appears laminated on the downside.
6. Heat Method
You can use various heat methods while trying to remove wine labels such as oven and steaming.
Oven (baking)
This is an ideal method for those that do not like their wine label appearing laminated after removal. In addition, the oven (heat) method is convenient when the crafter wishes to make a wine label trivet or mount the wine label onto a photo collage or portrait for framing.
Ensure that there are no drops of wine left inside the bottle, and the foil cap or wax bottle cover is removed to prevent the release of a foul smell during heating.
Here are the directions
- Preheat the oven at 350 °F for 5 minutes.
- Put the wine bottle on a baking dish to prevent it from rolling around in the oven.
- Warm the empty wine bottle in the oven for 10 minutes to allow the adhesive on the label’s back to melt.
- Wear gloves, take the bottle from the oven to a coolin rack, and assess if the label is ready for removal.
- Use the edge of a razor blade or utility knife under the label and start peeling it from one end (Do not pull off the label using your fingers since tears may occur).
- Allow the adhesive to air-dry or leave it face down on a sheet of parchment paper to dry.
Steaming
Steaming off the label is an excellent technique if you do not want to submerge in water.Here are the directions to follow.
- Fill a large pot with water, about 1/3 full, and bring it to boil for about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Hold the empty wine bottle over the steam for about 30 minutes. Then, rotate the bottle a few times to expose both the front and back of the label to the steam.
- Make sure that you are wearing gloves since the glass will be hot. Then peel off the label using a razor blade or utility knife. Gently lift it off from one corner of the and once it loosens up, liftoff the entire label. You should have it in one piece.
- If it does not loosen up, hold the bottle over steam for another 10 or 15 minutes.
- Allow the label to air-dry overnight. Place it on a sheet of parchment paper with the adhesive side up.
7. Chill and Steam Method
The chill and steam method is almost similar to the heating method but less effective. Below are the procedures to follow.
- Place the wine bottle in the freezer for at least 25 minutes
- Then, remove it from the freezer and put it in a steamy humid room for at least 30 minutes
- After sweating the label, try to peel it off with your hands
If this does not work, try another method like baking soda.
Conclusion
Remove glue, sticker, even the sharpie stain from wine bottles for reuse, no matter how ugly the labels are. Effective and safe method to remove paper/ sticker label from glass bottle/ jar can be recycled and reused.