HELP! Vintage bottles.

Carty812 · May 22, 2014

Ok so I came into a ton of old vintage stuff. There are tons of old vintage perfume, lotion, bubble bath, and just odd and end bottles. I also have a ton of beer steins but no idea what to do with those. Anyway I was thinking of making some soap dispensers and reusing some of the bottles if I can figure out how to sterilize them without damaging the bottles or labels. Some of the bottles are from late 1800 and I don't want to ruin the labels as they are just stunning. Does anyone have any thoughts on how this could be done. Thanks in advance for any thoughts or help.

hmlove1218 · May 22, 2014

Ooh I bet the look awesome! Stuff was so much more decorative back then.. I would say boil them, but if you're trying to preserve the labels that wouldn't work. Could you wipe them out with rubbing alcohol or peroxide? If you couldn't wipe them out maybe you could pour some in there and shake it to kill off anything inside and then let them dry? Other than that, I don't have any ideas. Good luck!

DawninWA · May 22, 2014

You should be able to get a bottle brush that will fit in there to clean them, and I think my dad said something about iodine to sterilize beer bottles?

Carty812 · May 23, 2014

Thanks for your input I'm very appreciative. I think I can sterilize inside with water bleach solution what I am more concerned about is preservation of the labels while still being able to clean them properly. ALSO and thought on what to do with all these beer steins? I was think perhaps shaving mugs but as I do not use one of these nor does my DH we don't know if it would work for this. Anyone have any thoughts on that as well? Thanks again!

Obsidian · May 23, 2014

I would check their value before you do anything with them, some can be worth quite a lot. Any chance of getting pictures? I love old bottles.

lady-of-4 · May 25, 2014

Well you can't technically sterilize without an autoclave. But your best bet to preserve the labels would be to cover them with paper then cover that with tape to keep water from getting on them. Then scrub the insides as quickly as you can with hot soapy water and rinse. Then use 91% alcohol inside to swish around to disinfect, plus help the inside dry faster. With bleach, you'll have a lot of rinsing to do to make sure the chemical is gone, and risk exsposing the labels the more you have to rinse.

Carty812 · May 25, 2014

Yeah I would be happy to post pics if someone will tell me how. Sorry I am not vey computer savvy. I have iPad, laptop, smart, phone and digital camera. The easiest possible way please! Thanks guys!

hmlove1218 · May 26, 2014

Easiest way to post pictures would probably be computer. I can't ever get it to work right in the app. It always tells me I'm not signed in :roll:

Anyway, when you're looking at the reply text box, look at the top line which also has the options to change fonts, font size, and emoticons. All the way to the right, you'll see the little paper clip. Click it. It'll open up a pop up. Then select choose file and find the pictures you want to post. Then click "Upload" and wait until your files show up under the "Attached Files" section below the reply box. Once all are showing, you can post. If you do it before they show as attached, some or all of your pictures might not upload. Hope that helps!

Saponista · May 26, 2014

You can buy powdered steriliser from a home brew shop, you dilute it in water and rinse the bottles with it. You could do the same with your bottles, just pouring it inside rather than soaking them completely. I imagine the stuff used for baby bottles (Milton?) would work too.

Nevada · May 26, 2014

first check eBay and see what they are going for as is.

Mark Twain's pipe would have been a lot more valuable if the seller hadn't removed the Pipe cleaner.

Carty812 · May 26, 2014

Here are the pictures you wanted to see. This is just a sampling of the lot as I don't have time to photograph them all. Thanks again for all of the input you guys have provided. There are also lots of just colored plain glass bottles in various shapes and styles.
Thanks for the tips we have decided to have someone come over to do an appraisal. At first I thought these bottles were just a hobby like thing for the person I received them from but after talking to a few people about them some people seem to think some of the bottles may be worth quit a bit. Who knew? Thanks again all. I hope you enjoy the pics sorry if they are not the best, a photographer I am not.