The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Food & crafts => Food processing => Topic started by: Bert on September 10, 2013, 05:23:10 pm

Title: How do you do it ?
Post by: Bert on September 10, 2013, 05:23:10 pm
I like to reuse jars for my jam/ chutney making. But getting the old labels off takes me ages. How do you get the sticky residue off the jar after labels come off. My thumb nail is half the length it was this morning, with all the scraping  ::) . Any advice would be great, because the way I do it drives me nuts  :rant: :roflanim: :rant: :'( 
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: darkbrowneggs on September 10, 2013, 05:28:18 pm
Good soak in the left over washing up water, then scrape with veg knife and follow up with stainless steel scrubbing ball


I would guess you could use acetone/nail varnish remover instead if you wanted to  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: HappyHippy on September 10, 2013, 06:48:34 pm
I usually soak in boiling hot water for a bit, scrape off what I can then get stuck into the acetone for the really stubborn bits  :thumbsup:
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: Bionic on September 10, 2013, 07:01:38 pm
Leave in the washing up water overnight, then scrape where necessary.


Cheap jars i.e. economy supermarket brands are the worst and I don't bother with them
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: JulieWall on September 10, 2013, 07:11:31 pm
I have two methods depending on the glue used. The shiny labels with the evil glue come clean off if you pour fairly hot water into the jar, doesn't need to be boiling, leave for a couple of mins to soften the glue and then voila! peel it clean off - very, very gratifying if you're easily amused like me.
Some have water soluble glue labels so a soak will do them easily.

Rule of thumb; try the hot water in jar first and you'll find out if the glue is softened by heat or not. Once you make the labels soggy they're harder to get off and you can still use the soak method if the water inside the jar doesn't work.
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: Bert on September 10, 2013, 08:01:39 pm
Thank everyone  :thumbsup: .
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: northfifeduckling on September 11, 2013, 10:53:02 am
there is something you can buy for the really stubborn sticky stuff some jars are blessed with - it's called "Sticky stuff remover"  :roflanim: - honestly! I only use that if there is no other option, of soaking, soap and scrubbing didn't do it (or I recycle the jars with the other glass....) A good friend told me that lamp oil is basically the same as the rather expensive ss remover, worth a go!
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: JulieWall on September 11, 2013, 11:00:10 am
Do try the hot water in the jar it is so quick and easy I promise you. It's so much greener than using chemicals and cheaper too.
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: northfifeduckling on September 11, 2013, 11:14:24 am
doesn't work for all I find. My organic Olive jars from Greece are the worst. What on Earth do they use as glue I wonder?  - but of course you're right, Julie.  :&>
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: Clarebelle on September 11, 2013, 12:44:53 pm
I find WD40 works quite well at getting the really stubborn bits off
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: HesterF on September 13, 2013, 11:15:52 pm
I don't bother - just stick the new label over the top. Mind you, it's only for our own consumption at the moment. Can't really give a second hand pickle jar, still labelled, as a present of strawberry jam or whatever.

H
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: JulieWall on September 14, 2013, 11:52:26 am
speaking of pickle vs jam, has anyone got a good method for removing the vinegar or onion smells from the metal lids? It's defeated me so far, I just keep the ones that I have used for pickle for the next batch.
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: cans on September 14, 2013, 06:55:48 pm
Hi Bert,
Having made two batches of chutney this morning I use "brillo pad and elbow grease" and if need be plenty washing up liquid, to get any remaining residue/label off the jars.
If I'm not happy with the end result then the contents are mine.  (Yummy at Christmas time).
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: cloddopper on December 07, 2013, 08:52:05 pm
I find soaking in soapy water over night and using one of the heavy duty knitted  stainless steel pan scrubbers fair rips off the labels .

Any awkward bits  found after rinsing off ...use a drop of neat washing up liquid and one of the micro fibre cloths that's been well used & again the  knitted wire pan scrubber .. the glue will not adhere to the soapy surface as you loosen it .

 Re the vinegar smell.. vinegar  ....being acetic acid  ought to be neutralized by an alkali so have a look and see what you have in the cupboards .
Sodium bi carb ??? Unscented chlorine bleach . Ammonia ?

It could be worth a punt  making a solution up and soaking the seals/ lids  for a wee while in it and then rinsing them off in rather hot water .
Same with the jars , some jars still carry the vinegar taint  even after they have been through the dishwasher on the hot cycle.


Brand new lids on their own for various euro standard size jars tops are available  on line .. just can't remember where at present .
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: JulieWall on December 08, 2013, 10:16:45 am
I tend to keep vinegar jars for pickling - pickled onions are the smelliest, aren't they?
Something I read about once, and have used successfully several times to remove strong smells from plastic containers, is to bury the offending item in soil and leave it there for a few days - hubby usually shoves it into a bag of compost for me. Aside from me tending to forget and leaving it there for a few weeks, it is very effective at removing smells, even oily fish taint which really clings. I think the lids are the worst when it comes to holding smells, don't you?
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: suziequeue on December 08, 2013, 03:00:31 pm
Same as Hester.

I don't bother. I find they come off eventually in the wash anyway. I do use fresh lids though and only use those jars which fit the standard lid size….. mainly Hellmans mayonnaise which we get through quite a lot of!!!
Title: Re: How do you do it ?
Post by: mowhaugh on February 02, 2014, 05:45:13 pm
I have just seen this, but I bought a bottle of Sticky Stuff Remover, and think who ever invented it deserves a medal.