Best Bottle Cleaning Method?

[Kemosabe]

do you guys wash and re-use old bottles?

i do, but some flavors are stubborn and dont seem to be able to be removed.

maybe baking soda, vinegar or some other type of acidic compound (not together of course)

i dont mind purchasing new bottles, just thought id make use of the dozens i have laying around.

 

[BakuPeg]

I always recycle my glass bottles, and my WL 8ml vials. I usually make some soapy water and soak them (just dish soap+hot water), sometimes for days, changing the water every now and them. If you have plastic, the scent may just be impregnated on the bottle.

If its still stinky after that, then a little scrubbing on the inside with a tiny bottle scrubber (mini toothbrush), then another soak. + many rinses.

 

[eHuman]

It is possible that the previous juice etched the plastic and the flavoring permeated the plastic on a microscopic level. The old flavoring then leaches out slowly over a long period of time.

In the chemical industry in order to prevent cross sample contamination,in between bottle uses we fill and soak in a nitric acid solution that attacks everything except for the plastic bottle and this is followed by a heavy DI water rinse cycle. To further aid in control we use dedicated bottles per solution recipe.

There are not many things (available to the public) that are aggressive enough to safely and completely clean out an etched bottle outside of industrial chemicals.

You may try either a diluted bleach solution or vinegar. Fill and cap bottles let stand for at least 24 hours, then do a hot soapy water scrub and rinse. Repeat process a couple times.

 

[martinc]

I just have them under hot water and shake,repeat.

then left to drt,then out in the box for a few weeks. (I have many,never threw one unless its deformed or broken)

 

[Kemosabe]

i stumbled across a cleaning method for cleaning plastic containers while reading Bottom Line magazine.

they say to mix 4 tbsp baking soda in 1 quart warm water. mix 'er up and pour into bottles and let for 30 minutes or until odors disappear.
if odor remains, stuff the container with crumpled newspaper, secure lid, wait a day or two, then wash with soapy water.

theres another part that describes what to do to remove stains from containers, but that doesnt seem helpful to us. plus it calls for chlorine. although im sure the chlorine is washed out thoroughly, its still probably not somehting we need/should be doing.