How do you remove sticky labels from 100’s of glass bottles without strong chemicals or repetitive wrist actio

Question

The Problem –

Glass bottles are used for laboratory analysis. During sampling and analysis a variety of sticky labels are put on each bottle. 100’s of glass bottles are washed and prepared for reuse for sampling of river water. The bottles must be very clean and have no residue from sticky labels. The bottles get a good soak which removes most of the labels. Very stubborn sticky labels stay on the bottles which are then removed with a pallet knife. The large number or bottles to be prepared means that this work is very repetitive and hard on the wrists.

The Challenge –

I’d like a machine to remove these labels. Solvents have been tried to little effect and do not remove all types of labels. In fact solvents and other chemicals may contaminate analysis so are generally avoided or have been found to be too dangerous or costly to the environment.

I welcome any suggestions or if you can build a tool/machine or otherwise to solve this problem let me know.

The Challenge –

I’d like a machine to remove these labels. Solvents have been tried to little effect and do not remove all types of labels. In fact solvents and other chemicals may contaminate analysis so are generally avoided or have been found to be too dangerous or costly to the environment.

I welcome any suggestions or if you can build a tool/machine or otherwise to solve this problem let me know.

Further information -
We use Acetone as an aid. We have brillo and wire wool type pads. We brought "label remover" in aerosol form in the past (before my time) and I might trial that again.

A straight razor blade is too dangerous but I'm thinking a sharper blade like a paint remover for glass tool might help. so I will trial that too.

We have a steam cleaner, hasn't shown significant results.

We have insisted were possible on the use of easy-peel labels. However the labels are beyond the control of the laboratory.

I will try oils although I’m not sure how to soak

Further information -
We use Acetone as an aid. We have brillo and wire wool type pads. We brought "label remover" in aerosol form in the past (before my time) and I might trial that again.

A straight razor blade is too dangerous but I'm thinking a sharper blade like a paint remover for glass tool might help. so I will trial that too.

We have a steam cleaner, hasn't shown significant results.

We have insisted were possible on the use of easy-peel labels. However the labels are beyond the control of the laboratory.

I will try oils although I’m not sure how to soak 300/400 bottle in oil overnight.

Yet more information –

Some great suggestions. More work around ensuring all stakeholders understand the impact of non-easy-peel labels is an avenue I’m going to pursue. Not sure how to get a sufficient quantity of sea water on the boil. Skin-So-Soft seems a very expensive solution.

I’m the support manager, so I’m looking at balancing costs as well as reducing repetitive injuries. New containers every time would be costly and bad for the environment. We sell analysis to many private and government clients so a dirty bottle exterior would set the wrong tone for the quality of the analysis. Interesting ideas though!

Answer 1

A steam cleaner set up might do the trick.

Answer 2

iAfter a good soaking in water and the label still fails to come off I would just go after it with a rotary wire brush like what you would stick on the end of a electric drill most likely with a solvent(water/other that doesn't allow the glue to heat and spread or reattach to the surface. I suppose such a system could be Incorporated into a machine Heat may also be the only thing you need, say baking the more determined labels in an oven for a time to alter the state of the bonding agent.

Answer 3

If you do the oil soak thing, you're gonna have a heck of a lotta oily bottles to wash out with soap and water later. And they must be washed, rinsed, and dried thoroughly to avoid the contamination you speak about.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about scraping off the residue of the old label. Just tear it off the best you can, then stick a new "removable" label on top of the old one. It's not a perfect solution, but how important is the appearance of the outside of the bottle? It's the integrity of what's inside that counts, right? The easy to remove labels aren't expensive. Insist on them "only". If they send something else, go out and buy some of the removable kind.

I personally would not spend many man hours designing and building a machine to do something as simple as this to solve. If your lab won't spring for the right labels, tell them you'll be needing new jars for each set of experiments.

Answer 4

Any good hardware shop should be able to sell you alcohol for cleaning. (isopropyl alcohol or something like that?Not meths and you'd need protective cloves too). But as 'Tall Paul' states there are different types of adhesives used, some designed specifically to meet your requirement. You could try a search for 'easy peel labels' or similar. The company '3M' are real big players in adhesive products, might be worth a look.

Answer 5

For what it's worth, I clean and sanitize beer bottles with an overnight soak in a mix of TSP (even the non-phosphate "TSP") and bleach. You could probably omit the bleach. On the other hand, I have some labels (not beer bottle type) that would take a flamethrower to remove. Perhaps it would be easier to change your label supplier.

Answer 6

Try an old container filled with sugar soap and Baking soda in a bucket of water or in an old Bin. Fill the bottles with warmer water and let them sink to the bottom and soak for 24 Hrs. You will need to make a note of what quantities work best - A table spoon of Baking powder in 5 litres of water with a Tea spoon of Sugar soap works for me .

Answer 7

You can buy "Label Remover" in aerosol form. It does what it says on the tin. You need to leave it to soak.

Choose a better label supplier. Ask for "clean peel" labels. It's just a matter of what adhesive they coat the back of the paper with, and there are choices!

Answer 8

Soaking them in vegetable oil for a day and rinsing the labels off with warm water, over a colander, in the sink.

Answer 9

well oil seems to take off the label pretty effectively, so you can incorporate rubbing oil or baby oil into the machine in some way and a type of soap to get that off

iunno if im making sense ahaha sorry

Answer 10

A straight Razor

Answer 11

why waste time taking it off. PUT A NEW LABEL OVER THE TOP OF IT!!!!!! (fill out label first before applying) no contamination,the labels on the outside.......