# Cleaner?



## Diver_Mike (Aug 14, 2005)

Hi, 

 Im new to the forum and have a quick question about cleaning bottles. Im a scuba diver and bring up quite a few bottles, cleaning them is sometimes a pain. I was wondering about brake cleaner to clean them. I have worked as a mechanic and this stuff cleans almost anything, I know it works on bottles, but I was wondering if anyone could tell me if it would hurt the bottle? 

 Thanks for any help 
 Mike


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## southern Maine diver (Aug 14, 2005)

Hi Mike and welcome to the forum.

 I am a diver too and I dive both fresh and salt water. Your cleaning method really depends on the type of growth there is on the bottle and where it was found. Many bottles that are found in salt water will have some very hard calcious growth on them... barnacles, muscles, limpets, coraline algae etc... this can be removed with a 50/50 solution of muriatic acid and fresh water.  You can go a little stronger with the acid if the growth is really heavy... but you must use the proper precautions... eye protection and rubber gloves. That stuff is pretty nasty.

 As far as fresh water growth, I have tried CLR (calcium-lime-rust) remover with good results. You can also try bleach for some of the minor fresh water algae growth. 

 Of course, if you think your bottle is a "High Dollar" bottle take the time, spend the money and send it to a professional bottle cleaner. Some of them really do a great job in bottle cleaning and It is definitely worth the money!

 Hope this helps you out. 

 Wayne


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## southern Maine diver (Aug 15, 2005)

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 Just one other thing I forgot to add... As soon as you take the bottle out of the acid solution, you need to soak it  and rinse it in fresh water and baking soda solution to neutralize the acid.  Also, be careful about where you dispose of the acid solution!!!

 Wayne


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## Diver_Mike (Aug 16, 2005)

Thanks for the advice Wayne, we fresh water diving here, its a little ways to the ocean from where i live, so im dealing with alot of clay, a little algee, mostly just plain scum, lol. 

 Thanks again
 Mike


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## Dive4bottles (Aug 14, 2006)

Straight vinegar will do the job, especially if you're harvesting from fresh water, and is much safer than muriatic acid, although it takes longer. I've used it effectively on salt-water encrusted bottles:
 Before:
http://home.comcast.net/~brinybay2/Bremerton_Creameryb4.jpg

 After vinegar soak of 2-3 days:
http://home.comcast.net/~brinybay2/Bremerton_Creamery.jpg


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## monalisa (Sep 11, 2006)

Hey Dive Welcome,

 Sounds like it might work on a few I'm looking at right now.
 For those tougher stains and who knows what else is in some dug bottles, I use OXY-CLEAN and soak in warm water, a few hours or sometimes over night.....almost everything comes out clean. Not so great on stubborn Calcium stains, think I'll give the Vinegar a try.......Cheaper than CLR.......Thanx........Mike


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