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If you’re planning to start a wine label collection or just curious about how to remove wine bottle labels quickly, then this article will be helpful for you.

It’s easy to remove wine bottle labels. Usually, you just need to submerge it in water with baking soda, or you can fill a container with hot water and soak the bottle until the glue softens.

We listed the most effective ways on how to remove wine bottle labels, so you can try them all out to see which suits you best. We also answered some frequently asked questions to help you keep that wine bottle label in pristine condition.

Why remove wine bottle labels? 

A bottle of wine may hold memories of a celebration or an unforgettable experience, so some people remove the wine labels to include them in their collection, journal, or scrapbook. On the other hand, private-label winemakers take out wine bottle labels to replace the original with the one they made.

Meanwhile, crafters and artisans remove wine labels to re-use the label or the bottle for their arts and crafts. Examples of these projects are framed wine labels, wine bottle lights, wine tile coasters, and wine bottle glassware.

If you want to make your wine labels easy to remove, you can use CustomSticker.com's stickers, because their stickers are not only beautiful, but also easy to remove. CustomSticker provides various kinds of stickers, such as Die Cut Stickers die cut stickers, kiss cut stickers, holographic stickers, and also provides free online design.

Wet Methods to Remove Wine Bottle Labels

1. Baking Soda Method

We highly suggest this technique for removing wine labels, especially if your bottle is still full. If you don’t have a stock of baking soda, you can use the following alternatives: OxiClean and Ajax.

Baking soda is an excellent method because it does not affect the wine. However, if you want to ensure the best quality for your wine, we recommend investing in a wine preservation system or a wine cellar cooling system.

What You’ll Need 

• Baking soda 
• Bucket or sink 
• Towel
• Rag
• Steel wool (optional) 

Directions 

1. Put enough lukewarm water into a bucket or sink and add 5 to 10 tablespoons of baking soda. Mix it thoroughly. 
2. Soak the label part of the wine bottle in the solution for 30 minutes. 

Pro Tip: Make sure to add a stopper to your wine bottle so the contents won’t spill.

3. Get the wine bottle and wipe it with a rag. If there are remaining labels attached to the bottle, you may remove it with your fingernail or steel wool.

4. Clean the bottle and wipe it with a towel. Once the bottle becomes completely dry, you may add a new label if you wish to.

2. Ammonia Method  

This is similar to the previous method, but ammonia is used instead of baking soda. It’s another excellent way of removing wine bottle labels. However, ammonia releases harsh odors, so ensure that you maintain proper ventilation when doing this technique.

What You’ll Need 

• Household ammonia 
• Small bucket 
• Water 
• Gloves

Directions 

1. Pour water into the bucket. 
2. Add about ¼ cup of household ammonia to the water. 
3. Mix the solution thoroughly. 
4. Fill the wine bottle with water and place it inside the bucket for about 30 minutes. 
5. Cover the bucket so the vapor will not spread out. 
6. Wear gloves, then remove the wine label. 
7. Wash the exterior of the wine bottle with cold water to get rid of residues.

3. Hot Water Method

This is another highly recommended way of removing wine labels because it’s simple and effective. You may try this method for empty wine bottles. You can also do this if you do not have baking soda or household ammonia.

What You’ll Need 

• Hot water 
• Bucket or sink 
• Gloves 
• Towel 
• Steel wool (optional) 

Directions 

1. Put enough hot water into a bucket or sink and soak the empty wine bottle for about 5 minutes. This step is necessary so the hot water will not crack the glass.  
2. Wear gloves and fill the wine bottle with hot water. 
3. Position the bottle upright for about 10 minutes.
4. Try to remove the label with your fingernail or steel wool. If you still cannot remove it, try the first method (baking soda).

Here is a video showing how to remove wine bottle labels using the hot water method:

4. Soap Method  

This technique on how to remove wine bottle labels is straightforward because it uses readily available materials. However, it’s not as effective as the baking soda method. 

You should use a container, so there is minimal space for the wine bottle to move around for increased efficiency. If the label is more exposed to the soap, it will be quicker to remove.

What You’ll Need 

• Liquid Soap
• Water 
• Small container or bucket

Directions 

1. Fill your empty wine bottle with water.
2. Pour a small amount of liquid soap into a small container or bucket and fill it with water. 
3. Place the wine bottle into the container. 
4. Soak for 1-2 days.

 

Dry Methods to Remove Wine Bottle Labels

5. Label Lift Method

A label lift is a plastic sheet with an adhesive on it. It overlays the current label and attaches to its surface. This method is ideal if you want to remove wine labels to place them in your collection, journal, or scrapbook.

Since label lifts are bought in packages of 10 or 50 pieces, you can first practice removing beer labels or other liquor labels that you don’t want to keep.

What You’ll Need 

• Label lift 
• Spoon 

Directions 

1. Place the label lift over the wine label.  
2. Rub for 1 to 2 minutes using the back of a spoon. 
3. Peel the label.

Here is a video showing how to remove wine bottle labels using the label lift method:

6. Oven Method

You can try this method if you don’t want the wine bottle label to look laminated due to the label lift. The trick is to peel off the wine label when the temperature of the glue is optimal.

If the temperature isn’t high enough, you will need to scrape off the label, which could damage it. But if the glue is too hot, you may end up with sticky goo on your fingertips.

What You’ll Need 

• Oven mitts 
• Oven 
• Knife or razor 

Directions 

1. Ensure that there is no remaining wine in the bottle.  
2. Remove the wax bottle cover or foil cap to avoid foul odors while heating. 
3. Place the bottle on a baking dish or cookie sheet to prevent it from rolling around inside the oven.
4. Set the temperature of the oven to 350o F and heat the wine bottle for 5 minutes.  
5. Get the bottle out of the oven and try to remove the label using a knife or razor. 

Pro Tip: Do not use your finger or apply force when removing the wine label because it might form wrinkles.

1. If you still cannot remove the label, heat the wine bottle again for 5 minutes. If the label doesn’t come off after 15 minutes, try another method (like baking soda).

Here is a quick video showing how to remove wine bottle labels using the oven method:

7. Steaming  

The steaming method is another practical way on how to remove wine bottle labels. But sometimes, you have to extend the steaming time to achieve better results.

What You’ll Need 

• Pot 
• Water 

Directions 

1. Add water to the pot, then boil it. 
2. Put the wine bottle over the boiling water for 10-15 minutes. The steam will soften the label and remove the glue.
3. Use your hands to remove the wine label carefully.

8. Chill and Steam 

If you don’t want to use boiling water, you can try the chill and steam method. It’s less effective than other techniques, so if it doesn’t work for you, try the other ones instead. 

What You’ll Need

• Freezer 
• Steamy, humid room 
• Knife

Directions 

1. Put the wine bottle in the freezer for about 25 minutes.  
2. After chilling, place the bottle in a humid room for about half an hour. 
3. After sweating the label, try to remove it carefully with your hands or knife. 

9. Hair Dryer

If you don’t have an oven or there are no other means to heat the wine label, you can use a hairdryer. You just need to ensure that your hairdryer emits hot air because it will not work if it doesn’t get very hot. 

What You’ll Need 

• Hairdryer
• Razor 

Directions

1. Run your hairdryer over the wine label for 5 minutes.  
2. Try to remove the wine label with a razor. 

How to decide which wine label removal method to use for a particular bottle?

To decide how to remove wine bottle labels, you must first identify how it was attached to the bottle. It could either be through a sticker or glue. You can use a razor or your fingernail to lift the corner of the label slightly.

If the brand used glue as the adhesive for the wine label, you could use any of the wet methods. However, if the adhesive is sticker-like, you should use physical means or dry techniques.

How do you remove wine labels without damaging them? 

You can perform all the methods described above to remove wine labels without damaging them. Remember not to hastily use your finger or apply force when removing the label because it might form wrinkles.

Carefully use a razor or knife after soaking the label when doing the baking soda or dry methods like the hot oven.

How do you preserve wine bottle labels? 

To preserve wine bottle labels, carefully open your bottle of wine using a corkscrew or electric wine opener to prevent it from spilling onto the label.

After removing the label from the bottle, you can then place it in your wine journal or scrapbook. You also have the option to frame it.

Conclusion 

Learning how to remove wine bottle labels grants you the opportunity to include them in your wine journal, scrapbook, or liquor label collection. You can also frame and display them inside your home for all your guests to see and appreciate.

Do you like collecting wine labels? Which method do you think is best for removing them? Let us know in the comment section below.

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