Sad I know.... but

[Bannon]

........I collect wine labels from bottles. Not any old lables you understand, but those from Sancerre and have so far got quite a few. My problem is that now with modern methods they are becoming a ****** to soak off. Special new sticky glue maybe.

Any tips on how to get em off?

Thanks guys as always.

[Alcazar]

There are two methods I know of for removing "sticky" labels etc:

Fill said bottle with VERY hot water, leave to stand for a few minutes, refill, (to keep water temperature up), use a hairdryer to further warm the label area, and peel it off very carefully.

Secondly, soak the whole label area with WD40, leave for about 15 minutes and then peel label off.

The second is only going to be any good if you WANT the label, if it's a "shiny" type of label, even then, the WD40 may desstroy it's aesthetic appearance

Incidentally, for those who don';t know, WD40 is excellent for getting the sticky type of label or it's residue off most impervious surfaces. DO test surface first though.

Alcazar

[letrangere]

Not in the least bit sad, we do the same and more.  Not only do we take them off, we then stick 'em in a book with comments on where we bought it, how much paid and what we thought of the wine.  (Re the last bit, you've never read such pretentious twaddle in your life!)  Have a collection going back almost 20 years, which we enjoy flipping through and re-reading.  Love Alcazar's tip about WD40, must try that for the rubbery gungy ones.  When we can afford it, we splash out on these special sticky things that you place over the label, rub with a wooden spoon and then rip off bringing the label attached to the sticky.  They go in a rather posh "wine label" leather binder that some generous soul once gave us for Christmas.  M

[Christine Animal]

That's a wonderful idea, keeping the labels and the comments.  We've got a collection of bottles, with the labels still on!  But that's also because I love the shapes of some of the bottles.  What is WD40?  Is it something French or English?

[Missy]

No more sad than collecting :

camembert labels like my Mother. 30 years at it!!

beer/fizzy drinks of all sort bottle top like my Father. At least 30 years!....

[Alcazar]

WD40, available in France as well as the UK. it's sold as penetrating oil in DIY stores etc, look for the blue and yerllow spray can.

Many other uses including water repellant on ignition systems, and tar remover from vehicle paintwork etc.

It WILL spoil a paper type label, however, as it's oil based

Alcazar

[Christine Animal]

Yes, thanks, I see the can now.  My husband has it as a degrippant I think round the car, on hinges and things (I think?).  But I had no idea it could be used for labels and glue.  It might get some old sticky tape glue off windows then, which I've hade a job to remove?

[WJT]

Hi, I just use ordinary vegetable oil for removing the sticky glue left from lables. By the way, I also use it to clean and shine my stainless steel appliances and splash back here in the UK, it works wonders.

[Alcazar]

Hey, we could turn this into a "Household hints" forum?

Seriously, yes, and oil will do for sticky resdue, but the thinner the better and easier to remove later whern it's done it's job, hence my suggesting WD40.

As regards old sellotape glue, and masking tape glue, if it's dried, try a NEW stanley blade or a single sided safety razor blade as a scraper. Used carefully, it doesn't mark glass etc.

I also use oil on my hob, oven and dishwasher to make them sparkle and easy to clean, but I nick the wife's Tesco baby oil, (again, very thin oil). Personally I never knew babies were so squeaky?

Alcazar

[letrangere]

I had my WD40 out twice tonight.  First to get some oil picked up on the beach off the soles of my feet.  Came off in seconds.  Then to take the sticky price label off a pair of shoes.  Am I alone in liking the smell? 

Other interesting thing about keeping wine labels with comments is to monitor price inflation.  Painful when I think how little we paid for a good bottle of white Burgundy (aka nectar) in the spring of '86....  M

[Christine Animal]

I'm going to start using it on all these things, never thought of it for that before.  Then I shall buy some shares in WD40!

Yes, we could start a "tips" section.  What about toilet cleaner to clean the sink, it gets all the stains and scale off (then you can rub oil all over it to keep it clean!)

[letrangere]

And how about flat Pepsi to clean the loo?  And presumably harmless to the fosse?  M

[Christine Animal]

Then what does it do to you when you drink it!  

[Alcazar]

I also sprinkle dishwasher powder in the stainless sink, and my dad's white resin one and it takes stains off a treat.

Flat Pepsi or Coke will also clean up brass if left to soak in it overnight.

Wickes paintbrush cleaner is a fantastic degreaser for bike/car/caravan parts, and water-soluble but not fosse friendly. I rinse it off with hot water in the garden, or from the garden hose. (When allowed!)

The car polish, Mer, is an excellent cleaner for uPVC window/door frames.

Drop one of those prewash tablets, (Vanish??) into a vacuum flask full of hot water to remove the tea/coffee stains in one go. (It fizzes over, so do it on a draining board or outside).

Apparently, (haven't used this myself), oven shelves etc can be cleaned easily after soaking all night in something like a baby bath with warm water and biological detergent, (washing powder), in it.

Any more?

Alcazar

[Bannon]

Thanks guys, and glad to see we've generated a whole new topic dedicated to WD40.... I love the smell as well!

[Bannon]

Thanks guys, and glad to see we've generated a whole new topic dedicated to WD40.... I love the smell as well!