How to Clean Vintage Bottles

Vintage bottles may have stains, calcium, lime, rust or dirt on them. The bottles must be cleaned carefully to avoid scratching or damage to the glass. Depending on the state of the glass, it may be very fragile. The bottles look better and polished when clean. Use the clean bottles for decorations or sell them. The value of the bottles depends on the make, age and shape. Most bottles won't have lids. If they do, clean them in the same way.

Things You'll Need

• Water
• Dish soap
• Washcloth
• Bottle brush
• Bucket
• CLR

Instructions

1. Rinse the outside and inside of the bottles. Fill a sink with soapy warm water. Soak the bottles for about an hour.

2. Scrub the bottles with the bottle brush and washcloth.

3. Empty the sink and rinse out the bottles.

4. Pour CLR into a bucket. Set the bottles inside. Soak for an hour.

5. Use the scrub brush to remove lime, calcium and rust. Rinse off the bottles. Set out to dry.

References

• Cleaning Antique Bottles