Cleaning out old bottles?

[NOLA_Ken]

What's a good way to get dried on gunk out of old dug bottles? I've tried soap and water, windex, etc, and I have a bottle brush but it's not the best for getting at all the stuff....

I just dug a nice little assortment and will post some pics later on today.

 

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[Harry Pristis]

What's a good way to get dried on gunk out of old dug bottles? I've tried soap and water, windex, etc, and I have a bottle brush but it's not the best for getting at all the stuff....

I just dug a nice little assortment and will post some pics later on today.

​

You can use just about any cleaning product (except Whink) to clean a bottle. Hydrochloric (muriatic) acid will not harm the glass. LimeAway is commonly used if you have limey deposits or iron deposits. If the glass is "sick," that is, decomposing, no cleaning product will remove the sickness.
What I have found generally useful is laundry bleach.
I fill a bottle with tepid tap-water to which I add a tiny amount of laundry detergent (because it is non-sudsing) and a dollup of laundry bleach. I let it soak for a few hours.
Whatever residue is left I remove with a home-made brush. I use a stiff wire coat-hanger for this purpose. I cut the hook portion away. I bend the smallest possible loop on one end of the wine and a large loop on the other. The larger loop will be the handle.
I cut a lengthwise strip of scrubbing pad (a Scotch-Brite knockoff from the dollar store) wide enough to generously cover the small loop. I roll the strip of scrubbing pad around the small loop and secure it tightly with several wraps of thin copper wire. String or a rubber band could be substituted for the copper wire. The copper is too soft to scratch the glass, but is relatively impervious to chemicals.
If you wish to use a commercial bottle brush, try this. I affix a small patch (about the size of the brush diameter) of scrubbing pad to the tip of the brush using polyurethane cement (Plumbers Goop, Shoe Goop, etc.). This patch not only makes the brush more effective in corners and at the bottom of the bottle, it also cushions the tip of the wire brush from any "hammer effect" in manipulating the brush inside the bottle.

 

[Kevo_DFX]

Put a handful of BB's (yes, the projectile for air guns), a little bit of water and a touch of dish soap. Shake vigorously. Think of a rock tumbler in reverse.

Works like a charm!

 

[bottles10]

CLR is a good product to use. Removes calciem lime and rust mix with warm water. ware rubber cloves. will burn hands if to strong. Let bottles soak over night

 

[ticm]

I use sand and a little water just enough to cover sand and shake until clean.

 

[mamabear]

I learned many yrs ago to clean coffee pots with lemon juice & salt. swirl it around in the bottle & it should help, but the best thing I've found is the tablets used to clean dentures. it works great.

 

[jkinney720]

for rust and calcium use undiluted works toilet bowl cleaner. use glove and scrub bottles with brush to remove lime and calcium the rust will wipe right off. for sick bottles use a prolonged soak in 3n1 oil and scrup with the rough side of a sponge.

 

[antlerman23]

Put a handful of BB's (yes, the projectile for air guns), a little bit of water and a touch of dish soap. Shake vigorously. Think of a rock tumbler in reverse.

Works like a charm!

i do the same thing, and it works great!!! i never thought of making a bottle brush though... off to the dollar store!

 

[TheElementOfSand]

Sand, water, + cleaner of your choice

 

[MrSchulz]

White Vinegar straight. Fill the bottle up 3/4. Pick up some small metal bb's or cleaned pebbles and shake them inside. Use a bottle brush. Then rinse with soap and water, then straight water, and sit upside down to make sure all the condensation goes out

 

[Catobra]

Was going to recommend a few things, Ken but everyone here has those covered plus some-thanks for the tips everyone (now it's time to go dig the bottles in my basement and clean them...... : )