How to remove labels from glass?
- Thread starter Frederick McGuire
- Start date
vapor 4 life
Well-Known Member
my inexpensive daily driver for oil is a Dirty Rico. I would love to remove its label. In fact labels deter me from buying many cool pieces with terrible labels.
bridgesoid
Well-Known Member
Hi Frederik, I bought the exact same piece 12 months ago and completely removed all the labels, it looked soooo much sexier afterwards! Scientific FTW.
I bought a large bottle of simple green concentrate from Bunnings, soaked the piece in undiluted concentrate for 4 days and then lightly rubbed the label off with the rougher green side of a kitchen sponge.
Had to return the piece to soak briefly a couple more times to the simple green between light rubs. You don't wanna rush it and risk scratching the glass. I've also successfully removed labels from some older Black Leaf tubes for friends after they saw how well mine went. On some of the newer pieces however the labels couldn't be removed without risking scratching the glass (all black leaf stems were like this too).
Enjoy the new piece, why any of these companies have to have such garish massive labels covering their glassware is beyond me. You don't see Riedel covering half the visible surface of good wine glasses with their logo....
I bought a large bottle of simple green concentrate from Bunnings, soaked the piece in undiluted concentrate for 4 days and then lightly rubbed the label off with the rougher green side of a kitchen sponge.
Had to return the piece to soak briefly a couple more times to the simple green between light rubs. You don't wanna rush it and risk scratching the glass. I've also successfully removed labels from some older Black Leaf tubes for friends after they saw how well mine went. On some of the newer pieces however the labels couldn't be removed without risking scratching the glass (all black leaf stems were like this too).
Enjoy the new piece, why any of these companies have to have such garish massive labels covering their glassware is beyond me. You don't see Riedel covering half the visible surface of good wine glasses with their logo....
u bwade wunner
Well-Known Member
just a tip .I have that exact dub bub Frederick.
being cheaper glass, when its smelly moreso than built up with resin, I put it and stems, bowls etc separately in the dishwasher on hot cycle.
Funny thing I've noticed is the label has almost faded away.I imagine two more d/w cycles and the label will have gone forever
I wonder though if repeated dishwasher cleaning will damage Boro? you mentioned a crack you found under your e label.I expect heat and expansion of the glass inside a hot d/w could work that crack some more.I guess for a cheaper glass piece its ok.D ont expect i d put any expensive glass in my dishwasher though.
But to conclude I pop w/p and stems bowl side down into my d/w using the cutlery basket for stems fragile items and start the cycle.1 hour or so and my glass is clean.even the d/w has problems cleaning the back enclosed perc.prerinse in alcohol loosens resins and the finish tablet does the rest.
but yep careful iso/salt cleaning for expensive glass all the way!
being cheaper glass, when its smelly moreso than built up with resin, I put it and stems, bowls etc separately in the dishwasher on hot cycle.
Funny thing I've noticed is the label has almost faded away.I imagine two more d/w cycles and the label will have gone forever
I wonder though if repeated dishwasher cleaning will damage Boro? you mentioned a crack you found under your e label.I expect heat and expansion of the glass inside a hot d/w could work that crack some more.I guess for a cheaper glass piece its ok.D ont expect i d put any expensive glass in my dishwasher though.
But to conclude I pop w/p and stems bowl side down into my d/w using the cutlery basket for stems fragile items and start the cycle.1 hour or so and my glass is clean.even the d/w has problems cleaning the back enclosed perc.prerinse in alcohol loosens resins and the finish tablet does the rest.
but yep careful iso/salt cleaning for expensive glass all the way!
Bumping this old thread rather than steering the Pinnacle Hydrotube & Chandelier thread off topic.
I first tried a 12, then 24 hour soak in acid magic (less funky muratic acid). At 12 hrs. the gold ink came off easily with a non-abrasive kitchen sponge. Even at 24 hrs the black ink showed no signs of weakening, so I gave up using acid magic, and switched to a product that is safer for indoor use. I was tired of freezing my butt off in the garage.
I used Bar Keepers Friend and the same kind of non-abrasive kitchen sponge for the majority of the removal. I've not experimented enough to know what acid-based cleaner is the most effective, I just used what I had on hand.
The bad news is it took an awful lot of effort, about two hours scrubbing per label. If this wasn't the perfect storm of circumstance, I would've returned the piece in a heartbeat.
I first tried a 12, then 24 hour soak in acid magic (less funky muratic acid). At 12 hrs. the gold ink came off easily with a non-abrasive kitchen sponge. Even at 24 hrs the black ink showed no signs of weakening, so I gave up using acid magic, and switched to a product that is safer for indoor use. I was tired of freezing my butt off in the garage.
I used Bar Keepers Friend and the same kind of non-abrasive kitchen sponge for the majority of the removal. I've not experimented enough to know what acid-based cleaner is the most effective, I just used what I had on hand.
The bad news is it took an awful lot of effort, about two hours scrubbing per label. If this wasn't the perfect storm of circumstance, I would've returned the piece in a heartbeat.
SYN uses sugar based decals so they come off easier - in fact if you have a syn tube and the sticker comes off - u can contact them for a replacement sticker and they will hook u up.
other decals like ROOR or Sheldon use Lead based stickers
those are also what we use here - they WILL not come off w/ a simple soak or a razor blade
they need to be dipped in hydroflouric acid - but this stuff is really nasty and i wouldnt advise anyone w/o a chem background to handle this stuff
other decals like ROOR or Sheldon use Lead based stickers
those are also what we use here - they WILL not come off w/ a simple soak or a razor blade
they need to be dipped in hydroflouric acid - but this stuff is really nasty and i wouldnt advise anyone w/o a chem background to handle this stuff
Frederick McGuire
Aggressively Loungey
Isn't that the stuff that can soak straight through your skin and start causing massive bone problems?
Nasty stuff indeed.
And a quick google says it dissolves glass
I've had PBW dissolve a label or 2 during cleanings, I take it I can assume those were sugar based labels?
No, I think redglassgallery was sharing the professional method of removal. I assure you, a non-sugar label can be removed with a weaker product and a shitload of elbow grease.Isn't that the stuff that can soak straight through your skin and start causing massive bone problems?
Nasty stuff indeed.
And a quick google says it dissolves glass
I've had PBW dissolve a label or 2 during cleanings, I take it I can assume those were sugar based labels?
Dont know if they have it locally, but I always use Goof Off to remove labels or label glue.Iso is actually best for cleaning when you dont want to remove labels
things that will remove labels over time is Simple Green, Grunge Off, and i think CLR and probably a few other harsh chemicals but wait for a couple other suggestions maybe theres something easier to work with.
i know grunge off will take labels off for sure because its happened to me with downstems.
my advice: if you dont want weedstar logo dont buy weedstar glass
http://www.goofoffproducts.com/product/pro-strenght-super-glue-remover
Works a charm every time!
The labels we're talking about are printed on the glass, and baked on. You can remove a self-adhesive sticker off of a piece of boro by looking at it wrong.
Ah, pass on the Goof Off then.... won't help with those!
yea that stuff soaks into your bones - nasty indeed.Isn't that the stuff that can soak straight through your skin and start causing massive bone problems?
Nasty stuff indeed.
And a quick google says it dissolves glass
I've had PBW dissolve a label or 2 during cleanings, I take it I can assume those were sugar based labels?
scientific shops use it to wash the glass free of contaminants. i have had some luck using HCL hydrachoric acid - its not as strong or dangerous - but also not as effective.
ataxian
PALE BLUE DOT
Big Logos ruin the looks of a nice glass piece.
I was cleaning a few of my adapters and noticed the ZEP Blue Container from HOME DEPOT took the ink off of the LSV WPA.
My adapters are not perfect however the point was logo removal.
BHOMG
Well-Known Member
yeah, you're gonna def have to go with some of the harsher chemicals mentioned here... and skip the orange chronic/green clean suggestions... those are mostly anecdotal of a label getting fucked up over time... you want a single clean and off solution... some of the acids mentioned + a razor blade is where you're headed cause most of the labels have been engineered over time NOT to come off, even when cleaning solution is used...
A bit of heat might help too... a flash of the torch to get the glue loosened up and then hit it with the blade
A bit of heat might help too... a flash of the torch to get the glue loosened up and then hit it with the blade
ou812?
Well-Known Member
Im on this wagon after receiving my VB Hydra tubes, found this vid of clr. Was enjoyable to see that logo melt if nothing else
If you dont want to soak,I have put gloves on and filled a spray bottle and worked it in with some 0000 steel wool so as not to scratch the glass............around a minute later, label GONE.. Any of the Calcium,Lime,Rust, removers will melt most ...not all... labels off. Just make sure your wearing gloves and glasses if working with full strength product.
I joined this site just so I could bump a five year told thread, but just so you guys know, Whink Rust Remover is well known in the tweaker community as a glass pipe cleaner, but it is basically diluted hydrofluoric acid. So it's very easy to obtain at a hardware store, probably even Walmart but would most likely work to remove decals/logos
biohacker
H.R.E.A.M
I have this and would love to make it clear. But they aren't really stickers, but seem baked on and impossible to remove. Would this tech work for these?
bake on logos can't be removed its bonded to the glass its baked at 1050F
we have tried everything mentioned in this point EXCEPT hydroflouric acid that stuff is nasty and is not joke if you get it on your skin.
best bet is to just get another piece or get a glass blower to cut off that portion and replace w/ a clear section