Labels on Buckets

[SeanD]

I get free plastic buckets from a bakery. They clean up nicely, but I have trouble with the labels. Sometimes they fall right off in the cleaning, sometimes they are glued on pretty tight. Either way the adhesive is left behind. Since it's on the outside, I doesn't affect the sap - that is until I store them.

When I nest them, the glue on the outside of each bucket rests against the inside of the bucket I just sanitized below it. Stacking them up on their lids was my solution, but that takes up a lot of room especially if I'm going to 30+ buckets next year.

Is there an easy way to get that glue off? Scrubbing seems to just make a clumpy mess and ruin sponges.

Sean

[KenWP]

Try alcohol or if you can figure out how to do it WD40 will take them off or anykind of acetone will also. At least with the alcohol it won't leave a risidue.

[PerryW]

Usually if alcohol doesn't work, paint thinner will.

[Haynes Forest Products]

If you have the time to let them sit oil base cleaner work well and the longer it sits the better Goof-Off Desolve-it or Goo-Gone I let it sit on the label area for 1/2 day and then if you can power wash it off That will take 90% of the paper and glue off and not smear it all over the rest of the bucket then touch it up with a rag. The key is patiance let it sit and soak thru the paper. You can buy it in 1/2 gallon jugs.

[lpakiz]

I juat got done doing that job myself. I removed all the paper, then spray wth carb cleaner. Then used a putty knife to remove most of the glue. A final rinse/wipe with clean paper towel and DONE!! Takes 1 minute per pail.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

This post started out saying that the buckets were being stacked inside each other. Just remember, carb cleaner, WD 40, nail polish remover, alcohol, etc comes into contact with the inside of the bucket it is stacked against so if you are using any of these products, be sure to get out the Dawn detergent and wash these things extra good as plastic is porous.

[MaplePancakeMan]

See... i don't really see a problem with just leaving it on. I use the same ones and don't ever really have a problem with anything coming off inside... and if it does, it usually just wipes right out.

[SeanD]

Yeah, I have to admit I'm not thrilled about using a petroleum product to remove the adhesive. My goal is to keep all that stuff out of the sap. The butter cream frosting smell never leaves the buckets, so I'm a little leery of what carb cleaner and the like leave behind.

MPM, what's happened with a bunch of mine is that the glue and paper get nasty over time collecting bits of everything. Any attempt to clean it so far just smears the crap around. After sanitizing the buckets, I can't help but think it's all for nothing when I slide that gunk into another bucket and let it sit.

Thanks for all the suggestions so far.

Sean

[MaplePancakeMan]

think of it this way though. Even after sanitizing and washing them now... even if 100% clean when you store them they collect germs/dust etc. What i do is let them dry real well and then take a really stiff brush and brush the label down best i can then stack them. When i take them apart next year i just take a look at them if they look like they should get another rinse i set them aside and take them to rinse once before i set them out for the year. More often then not nothing really stays behind.

[maple flats]

Most labels will come loose with oil. Try some canola oil, let it set for a few days and then wash it off. Should be clean.

[Clan Delaney]

I'm with MPM on the point that the level of clean you're striving for is perhaps unrealistic. I'm not even sure that anything plastic that's not brand new can even be made sterile. Even if you could, once you open them up and start using them the next season, it's all downhill for clean from there. I mean, I filtered a silly amount of dead bugs out of my buckets in the final weeks.

I'm also against using any petroleum based solvents to remove that glue. As mentioned, when stacked, the outside of one bucket will make contact with the inside of another. I'll use petroleum based solvents on glass, but not plastic.

I did a quick search for ideas on removing label glue and came up with these alternatives: peanut butter, canola oil, Goo-Gone (apparently made of orange oil, but I'd look into that) and heat. Specifically, use a hair dryer to heat up the glue, then wipe it off. Superheated steam might work as well.

[Bucket Head]

I used CRC brand Brake Cleaner. In the aerosol can, from the auto parts store. It disolves the glue, and it evaporates leaving no chemical residue behind. It is not petroleum based.

Steve

[3rdgen.maple]

fabric softner, wipe on,let it sit,peel lable off, rinse, rinse, rinse.

[SeanD]

So many good ideas. Thanks!

[Haynes Forest Products]

Why no just cut that section of the bucket off and replace with Pexiglass so you can see the sap level from the tractor......Shut up Chuck

[Jerome]

vegetable oil will dissolve the glue is food friendly and will come off with soap and water.

[peacemaker]

vinegar just like wall paper it will come right off and disolve the glue

[johnallin]

Peanut butter will take it off in no time, but the outside of the bucket probably has worse stuff embedded on it than the glue from the label.....

[Bucket Head]

I like the plexiglass idea. I like that a lot.

Does anyone remember where I put the saws-all?

Steve

[Squaredeal]

I use ammonia in warm water to dissolve labels on bottles that are to be recycled. Works like a charm and rinses right off.

[802maple]

I wouldn't even worry about them but if you feel they need to come off a hair dryer or heat gun will soften the glue and you won't be destroying the bucket with any of the above chemicals. Plastic is very porest and any chemical that is put on it will be trapped in it.