My husband and I dig up old bottles as a hobby to display. My problem is how do you clean the insides. Soaking doesn't help, nor shaking them with soapy water. Any ideas from someone that has encountered this problem? Thanks.
Try filling the bottle about halfway with water. Add a couple of tablespoons of ammonia. Using a funnel, pour in a couple of tablespoons of raw rice. Shake vigorously, then rinse. The rice "scrubs" the inside of the bottle. Hope this helps.
Whiting is a very fine polishing powder which will not scratch glass, and can be found in the Paint Dept. (Generally used to thicken paint)
Dampen the item with a soapy solution and sprinkle whiting onto/into it, then rub it clean. You'll have to improvise on your 'rub' device, depending on the neck opening. I'm not aware of any chemical solution that will clean glass safely enough to remove aged debris. Remember: Whiting will not scratch the glass, but your rubbing device can.
In Germany miners used to clean their bottles mixing sand into the soapy water. Shake from time to time.
You could try vinegar. It cleans my tall, narrow vases really well. Just pour enough in to fill the bottle almost to the top.
How about using a portion of a denture cleaning tablet and fairly warm water. Let it soak for a couple hours. Then use a baby bottle brush. You should be able to find a bottle brush for about $1 at the dollar store. And the denture cleaning tabs are usually at the dollar store too.
Pour some dry rice in the bottle and cover rice with white vinegar. Leave plenty of room for shaking movement. Shake well, let sit 10 minute, repeat untl bottle is clean.
Soaking overnight with Oxi Clean and then using a brush will work well. Also soaking overnight with automatic dishwasher detergent removes a lot of grime.
Since the dirt is held on by a biofilm of protein, the thing to use is an enzyme detergent such as an enzyme laundry product. That will cut the dried film that is so stubborn.
Crush up a denture tablet and put it in the bottle filled with very hot water, sometimes it take 2 soaks but it works! Good luck
Try using cascade dishwasher detergent but you must use hot water!
Soak overnight in soapy water and then rinse and refill bottle part way with very warm water and salt ... Cover the top and shake vigorously ... It might take a couple of tries but it usually works ...
Try some small aquarium pebbles in hot vinegar. Also, if you can get a long brush into them, that might help.
Hello. Pop a denture cleaning tablet inside and leave overnight. In the morning add some rice and give it a good rigorous shake - this should loosen any dirt particles.
Monique
Maybe try to find some long brushes in the fish tank section of your store. Also try adding some bleach to hot water and dishwashing liquid and leave that soaking for a few hour or over night before using the brush.
TRY SOME AWSOME FROM THE DOLLAR STORE WITH A BABYS BOTTLE BRUSH
What about a baby bottle brush?
Hi when my kids were younger, I didn't have a bottle brush so I would fill bottle half way and put a paper towel in it then put top on and shake it. It worked really well and I could then fish it back out with a pen or pencil. Cheap and it worked.
This post is in response to "debijs" post of putting dry rice with white vinegar in a bottle. I had a bottle that was extremely dirty on the inside. it was caked with dirt.
I did the denture cleaner since they are only $1 at the dollar store. Worked like a charm!! Didn't even need a brush. Thanks so much for the idea!!
I read that if you put fat screws, nuts or washers in with the cleaning solution, swirl it around it would loosen some of the "stuff", especially on the bottom.
I used popcorn kernels since I didn't have any aquarium rocks like another commenter suggested, it worked perfectly!
