I've got a couple of glass Saratoga bottles, like the one pictured below.
I'd like to remove the paint from them, but I don't want to use paint thinners or similar solvents. What household tools can I use to remove the paint?
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Is it paint, or some sort of label? Some of these answers may also work on paint, but knowing what sort of paint may be critical to know how to get it off most easily.– EricaAug 9, 2016 at 14:46
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May I ask, is a heat gun an option for you? Is the bottle really glass or is it plastic?– John VukelicAug 9, 2016 at 14:49
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@Erica It's applied directly onto the glass, so I assume it's paint. I can't post images of my bottles at the moment, but google has some higher res images– jackwiseAug 9, 2016 at 14:50
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@JohnVukelic It's glass, just checked the Saratoga website. I'll update accordingly.– jackwiseAug 9, 2016 at 14:50
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Okay. Heat gun is out. Store bought paint removers is out. That leaves home receipes. I have not tried a homemade solution but the internet tells me there are: recipes for homemade paint removers. brighthub.com/environment/green-living/articles/100411.aspx– John VukelicAug 9, 2016 at 15:22
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5 Answers
The label is probably a silk-screen label called Applied Ceramic Label, which after screening, is baked onto the container. It's very difficult to remove. Scraping and scratching might remove it, but your bottle is going to be much the worse for wear.
I found a How to Clean site that claims using a brewer's cleaning product, Star San to soak off the label. It's an acidic product, available online.
They advise soaking your label in a pan or bucket containing Star San for 24-48 hours and that the printing will just magically begin to fall off when given a bit of a shake.
No indication of what this does to the bucket - the stuff is supposed to clean-up brewing supplies in just a couple of minutes.
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We use it for our brewing. I'm not sure about this usage but it won't do anything to the bucket as long as it's a hard plastic. It's great stuff for cleaning but I've never used it for this purpose, so I'm not sure if it will work or not. Here's a website that sells it and that has more info about it: northernbrewer.com/star-san Note the warning: "It is safe for use on all surfaces, but use caution since it is an acid; contact with soft metals, rubber, and plastic should be kept to a minimum."– CatijaAug 9, 2016 at 17:29
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@jackwise I checked your link. If I really wanted to remove the ACL, I would give the Star San a shot. No hint from Saratoga of what their multiple attempts might have entailed :).– Ast PaceAug 9, 2016 at 18:31
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If the label is actually made out of ceramic, nothing short of Hydrofluoric Acid will dissolve it, and that will eat the whole bottle.– user24Aug 9, 2016 at 19:37
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2Time for someone to experiment with different bottles, I guess.– user24Aug 9, 2016 at 22:04
Your best bet is probably a razor blade. You can also buy them with handles as "glass scrapers" with the decorating supplies, for getting paint off windows. Steel wool shouldn't scratch glass unless you really lean on it or i's got grit in it, so may be handy for the last bits. Heating the bottle first may soften the paint (to heat it without the risk of cracking, put it in a cold oven and turn on) but it may just make the paint smell bad.
This assumes that there's enough of an edge for the blade to bite. It's also possible that the design is etched. You may need solvents to get the last little bits off - acteone (nail polish remover) is worth a try if that's more acceptable.
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Acetone and white vinegar were my first hunches, since they seem to take care of everything - I'll try those out when I can.– jackwiseAug 9, 2016 at 15:21
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I've found acetone to be good in a few cases but often useless. I doubt vinegar would help, though it may be good for a final clean.– Chris HAug 9, 2016 at 15:23
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If it does turn out to be a ceramic as suggested in another answer this is unlikely to work very well– Chris HAug 10, 2016 at 6:01
Looked at a few videos, a dude was using apple cider vinegar. Same bottle as yours, wet à Scottie with plain white vinegar, put it in a ziplock overnight and wipe off the paint. No razor blade, no scratching...just vinegar on a Scott towel (thouroughly damp). Might be fine after 3-4 hours dunno... I used the same Scottie for 2 bottles...
If it's low temperature ceramic firing could it be heated in your home oven to highest possible temperature and rubbed off or at least smeared/smoothed? Heat safe gloves obviously needed.
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1Your solution is in the form of a question. Can you clarify whether this is an approach you're merely speculating about and putting it out there for comment, or it's a solution known to work at least in some cases? Thanks.– fixer1234 ♦Oct 21, 2021 at 13:36
I'd use a kitchen blow torch, but be careful.
I recommend applying heat, then using fine wire wool to prevent scratching.
