Removing labels from store-bought kombucha bottles

Removing labels from bottles · Watch on YouTube

Ange prefers to stay away from chemical-laden residue removers like Goo Gone — these methods don't cost a dime, and your bottles come out looking good as new (minus the free advertising for brands you hopefully won't need to buy much of anymore).

Removing labels

Some bottles, like GT's (Synergy), have a paper label overlaid with a thin layer of plastic. The trick is to heat the adhesive and peel the label off in one piece:

• Scalding water: fill the bottles with scalding-hot water (tap is fine if it runs hot enough, or boil some). Let sit 5–10 minutes, pour out, and carefully peel — most of the adhesive comes off with the label.
• Hair dryer: blast the bottle on the hottest setting for a few minutes, until the adhesive melts enough to peel.
• Water soak: if the label has no plastic layer and isn't waterproof, soak the bottle in warm water. Water-soluble adhesive lets the label fall right off; otherwise the soak dissolves the paper and makes it easy to scrub away.

Removing sticker residue

Still gunky after the label's off? Two DIY options:

• Baking soda + oil paste: make a thick paste of baking soda (not baking powder!) and any cooking oil — eyeball it, a little oil goes a long way. Smear over the sticky areas, wait 15–30 minutes depending on stubbornness, then scrub off with dish soap, water and a scrubby sponge.
• Oil "spot treatment": mix a teaspoon of olive or coconut oil with ~10 drops of lemon, orange or tea tree oil. Dab onto the gunk until fully soaked, then scrub off with dish soap and water.