Question about restoring old glass bottles - did a stranger give me bad advice?

I was at an antique shop in Boise last Saturday and this older guy told me to boil old soda bottles to remove sticky labels. Said to do it for 20 minutes. Well, I tried it on a 1960s Coca Cola bottle and the glass cracked right down the middle. Totally ruined it. He seemed so sure of himself too. Has anyone else had a bottle crack from heat like that, or did I just pick a bad one?

2 comments

2 Comments

patriciaellis19d ago

...and that's what you get for taking DIY advice from a random guy who probably learned everything he knows from 1970s TV commercials. I've messed up more glass than I care to admit, and boiling is basically playing roulette with old bottles. That thermal shock, you know, sudden heat meeting cold glass, it's a recipe for disaster. Your mileage may vary of course, but I've had better luck with a slow soak in warm water and some elbow grease. Or just use a hairdryer, that's way gentler and you won't end up with a 60 year old Coke bottle in two pieces.

ruby56119d ago

My neighbor swore by the slow cooker method for stubborn labels, so I tried it with an old whiskey bottle I found at a flea market. I set it on low for about two hours with just enough warm water to cover the label, and the glue practically slid off. No thermal shock at all, which was a huge relief since that bottle had some pretty cool embossing I didn't want to lose. I've also had luck with a paste made from baking soda and dish soap, left on for like 30 minutes, then scrubbed with a soft sponge. The hairdryer idea is smart too, I'll have to remember that next time I'm dealing with something really delicate. It's weird how much trial and error goes into cleaning old glass, but the payoff is worth it when you don't mess it up.