My bottle cleaning technique & results

[Wheelah23]

I decided to use muriatic acid to clean some of the more stained bottles I dug. I think the results speak for themselves. It wasn't quite a miracle cleaner, but it worked rather well. I'd suggest anyone who wants to clean bottles without tumbling to use it. I've heard it's dangerous, but I think common sense should keep you from melting off your fingers. That was the first step, aside from a general washing with soap and water to remove external dirt. Muriatic acid: fun for the whole family!

The second step isn't always necessary, but for larger bottles, I find it works well. I take one of those tiny supermagnets that you put on magnetic boards, I wrap it in a paper towel, then I put it in the bottle. On the outside, I take another powerful magnet, but a bigger one, and put it next to the inside magnet. The force is strong enough that when I move the outside magnet, the inside magnet scrapes against the dirt. This actually works better than a brush, and it's more precise. Anyway, here's some of the bottles after the treatment:

 

[Wheelah23]

Here's the Feigenspan before and after:

 

[Wheelah23]

Here's the best Ransley crown before and after:

 

[Wheelah23]

It's got a really nice texture. Whittled glass and filled with seed bubbles. The most attractive crown top I've seen! []

 

[Wheelah23]

How do you guys clean bottles [8D]

 

[Bottles r LEET]

The magnet idea is ingenious. Great idea! I usually soak bottles that have stuck on matter in ammonia. It works good, but don't sniff it![8D]

 

[madman]

ive thought of using muratic acid , what mixture did you use did you dilute the acid? also how long do yo soak them for? where did you get the acid? is there a brand?

 

[epackage]

Hi Mike, this is an e-mail sent to me by Earl from Hawaii who just passed away and this is the way he did all his glass which always came out great. I think I sent this to Connor too but not sure if it's the method he used.....Jim


I use straight muriatic acid, the product name is called HASA, itis very strong industrial acid, I picked it up at a swimming pool supply store...

You have to be very careful using it, do it outside, watch the wind direction, you want to be up wind, use rubber gloves and a mask, it does smoke when you pour it and you do not want to breath the vapors, the way I clean bottles is put a small amount inside the bottle just enough to cover the base, then I put the bottle inside a plastic 5 gallon bucket, pour some acid inside the bucket just enough to cover the bottom, then cover the bucket...

I usually leave it in the bucket for 24 hours, the vapors of the acid is the one that cleans the bottle, remember when you open the bucket a lot of vapors will come out of the bucket, be very careful!!!!, I then rinse the bottle with water,I use a brush or sand to clean whatever the acid don't clean out, it's amazing how clean the bottle can get, unfortunately it does not cleansick glass, hope this helps, thanks for asking...Aloha Earl

 

[Wheelah23]

I didn't realize it was Earl who used that method... and lobeycat made fun of that technique in the thread. Weird...

I actually did use that technique at first, but I used a different brand of acid. Mine is called "Safer" muriatic acid... It is advertised as having 90% less fumes! The fumes did pretty much nothing, as the product was designed to have less fumes.

Then I ended up making a mixture of 1/4 acid, 3/4 water, enough to cover up to the top of the bottles. This seemed to work pretty well. I sealed the bottles & acid in a 5 gallon bucket. When I took them out, I guess I was cautious enough, because I didn't lose any limbs.

 

[Erik T]

I used muriatic acid to clean up some rusted stuff I dug and so I left the container in the shed with the lid off. The next day I went back and got a lung full of muriatic acid vapour. mind you the acid was only 10%, but not by any means a fun experience.