Old bottles buried in a rural dumpsite for decades I want them clean

Question

They are discolored mainly on the inside.  I ran them through the dishwasher to see how they ended up.  The dirt was gone.  I tried soaking in vinegar next and after a day or so used a toothpaste to assist.  Not impressive.  409, eh.  Who knows the secret?  I would rather not melt the paint off of the outside of the bottles because there is some local history there.  Thanks for your help.

CK · Answer

If they're clean but still look a little discolored on the inside, maybe you could call it quits and say 'Hey the discoloration is part of the history of these bottles.' ;-)

Sharon · Answer

I had some old jars that I soaked in pure vinegar for several days and they came clean except for etching that had occurred over time.  thus would not work if u untend to keep the labels in tact.

Andrea S · Answer

Soak them in CLR to get them shiny. If there is paint inside, if it's oil paint, swish with turpentine and rinse. Swish with goof off if it is latex. The thing is goof off is really expensive, it comes in a small can. So after the rinse pour it back into a can and reuse it. Use it outside because it stinks. Eventually it will evaporate so close the bottles with something while you swish so you don't run out too fast. If it doesn't take the paint off completely, it will soften it at the least, so use a bottle brush to move the paint out of the bottle. Do not mix chemicals.

Lori Johansen · Answer

Have you tried 'LA's Totally Awesome' de-greaser/cleaner? Works great for us! You can find it at the Dollar Tree stores.http://www.dollartree.com/household/cleaning/all-purpose-cleaning/20-oz-Totally-Awesome-Cleaner/500c501c502p8056/index.pro?method=search

Swan Road Designs · Answer

Even though all the above suggestions seem valid, what you have is something called 'sick glass.' There is no real way to bring it back to what you want it to be, that is, clear and shiny. A way to minimize the look of the cloudiness, you can wipe a very thin film of mineral oil over the outside. That will somewhat lessen the foggy/cloudy appearance. You will not get rid of the damage done to the glass. Having sat in the dump/ground for years is what caused the glass to get 'sick.' Minerals from the soil and other pollutants have etched the glass.

Janet Pizaro · Answer

ok so dont give up there may be a another solution. Try denture cleaner.

Karen hayes · Answer

I've had good luck with rice, just put some in the bottle and shake (a lot). Just use a cheap long grain type rice

Gail lichtsinn · Answer

These may be etched from the elements..If they are theres no fix i know of

Theresa Bradshaw · Answer

I personally like these bottles the way they are and I know a lot of collectors do too. I've sold quite a few like that. I've gotten mine from old ranch dump sites, and sold them at flea markets and on eBay.

Jeanette S · Answer

What a treasure you have found!! I have picked out the ones I want so don't do a thing to them! HA! I am a bottle freak! I love the shapes, the color...they make me happy! (Freaky!)

I have no suggestions for you except clean them as much as you can and enjoy!

Anne · Answer

Try some over-the-counter hydrogen peroxide in a couple of bottles. Pour it in full strength;let it set for 20 minutes; brush/scrub out what you can with an old electric toothbrush. Good luck.

LuAnne Larson · Answer

I like the way they are, make a lovely fall grouping with the brown esp!

Nora Dolan · Answer

Try some CLR; it will help with some of the problems, at least.

Linda Santo · Answer

I have some old glass telephone insulators with the crusted black all over them. I soaked them in Wood Bleach (oxalic) amazing!

Mary trevena · Answer

Try false teeth cleaner and rice.  Let the cleaner work over nite and put the rice in in morning and shake. Can repeat. Mary

Mary trevena · Answer

Try false teeth cleaner and rice.  Let the cleaner work over nite and put the rice in in morning and shake. Can repeat. Mary

Z · Answer

Personally, I'd think of it as patina and live with it. As you said the painted labels are part of it's local history. It's like its wrinkles. They give them character.

Lisa · Answer

Oxiclean is actually a really good cleaner. make a little blend with some warm water, and then you can pour it inside (to keep outsides as they are) or soak entire bottle. You will see it bubbling away while it's cleaning. (A similar product is used in breweries to power away scale, etc, from bottles & other equipment.) Just rinse well as commercial Oxiclean has a little fragrance, if you will put drink into the bottles later.

Patrick Mack · Answer

i buy vantage toilet bowl cleaner. put bottles in toilet and let them soak, not really a shitty job at all...

Penny Stinson · Answer

I use Oxy-clean for this kind of thing (bottles, coffee pot). Put about a teaspoon in each bottle, fill up with hot water, leave overnight. Swirl a bottle brush in and rinse. If it's not all out, do it again.

Pam Ruby · Answer

When you get hard water build up inside or out there is a product called Lemi Shine and it removes tough spots and film and makes the glass shine again. It is in the grocery isle and it is a detergent booster but I run it in the dishwasher when your glass has a film and buildup film of hard water. Actually I like the look of the some of the bottles as you say 'gives them character and it does make them look antique' Pam Ruby, Burley, ID

Jinny Wilson · Answer

Don't wash away their character!

Ter2578248 · Answer

Soaking in white vinegar should remove hard water scale. To remove any dirt on the inside of a bottle, try using a bottle brush. If that still doesn't work, try some hot, soapy water and either bb's or small gravel inside the bottle. Shake well and the rocks/bb's will scrub the inside of the bottle clean.

CAmom · Answer

We used to clean our glass coffee pots with salt, lemon and ice. Pour a bunch of salt in, a little squeeze of lemon, and ice from the vending machine, so small chunks. (at home I bash up some cubes) For the smaller openings you might have to crush it pretty small - 
then swirl. The ice and salt scrub the gunk. The acid in the lemon helps cut the film and deposits.

Cynthia H · Answer

I bought some denture cleaning tablets at the dollar store (I don't have dentures) and have been using them for hard to clean containers like vases. Add the tablet to some lukewarm or warm water and it looks blue. When it clears after a couple of hours, rinse out and you'll be amazed at how clean things get.

Swan Road Designs · Answer

Again, if your objects have been hidden under dirt, rocks, gravel, etc. for years, no amount of rice, rocks, BBs, denture cleaner, CLR, LemiShine, lemon juice, vinegar, etc. will have any effect on the etching that the water and minerals in the soil have created. You might reduce, slightly, the cloudiness but don't count on it.

Depending on how old the glass is to begin with, another factor that needs to be considered is that much, much older glass may have been created from a formula containing faults that is unlike the glass made today.

Regardless of the method with which you choose to attempt to spiff up your glass items, do not soak them for inordinately long periods of time. The chemicals, such as CLR, can cause damage as well. So...only soak for a few hours at most. Older glass is at greater risk of soaking damage than glass made more recently.

Taffetal · Answer

CLR will bring some shine to the glass and reveal their varied colors. It will remove labels and crusted black film. I've collected similar bottles and they are not re-salable so why not use them for decor? Arrange a cluster of them on a tray and put one flower in each for a centerpiece. Or set some on a windowsill to catch the light.

Rose · Answer

Soak in water mixed with small box of baking soda.the whole tub!

Barbara · Answer

I use the salt/lemon juice potion to clean vases and even my coffee decanter. I'm not sure if the chemical reaction might harm the vintage glass, but it's worth a try on one or two to see if it helps. Use very warm water, but not boiling as it could break the glass. We have an old crock pot that doesn't get hot enough for food anymore, so I put it in the garage with old metal objects, plug it in on a timer for 1 hour and sprinkle everything with 1 cup of ordinary table salt. Next day, drain and wash as usual. Takes paint off of vintage cabinet pulls with a little extra scrubbing.

Dottie Unruh · Answer

I filled mine with very hot water, added 1/4 c. dishwashing detergent and a teaspoon of bleach. Let it soak for several days. Most of it came out, but some residue is still there.

Old bottles buried in a rural dumpsite for decades I want them clean

Suggested Project Book

25 Fun Things You'll Want to DIY Before the Spring Arrives

Other

More

Old bottles buried in a rural dumpsite for decades I want them clean

Suggested Project Book