# Cleaning tools...



## mcaseyw (Jun 21, 2010)

HI all!  Sort of new to this...since finding a huge bottle dump in my yard.  I now have TONS of dirty bottles to clean and thousands more to come over what may be years of digging!  ANYWAY, I have tried EVERYthing to get these suckers clean but can not find a good brush to get inside.  What do you use and how do yuo use it???  Any help?
 Thanks 
 Mackenzie


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## JOETHECROW (Jun 21, 2010)

Mackenzie,...
      Quite a few different things can help,[] Scotchbrite pads, catlitter shaken with soapy water, The "works" cleaner, fine steel wool, various sized bottle brushes, bleach, ammonia (Never mix bleach and ammonia though, makes toxic gas), plastic bristled scrub brushes or old toothbrushes....and whatever other non destructive techniques you can think of,...A few advanced collectors even have "bottle tumbling" equipment.[]  Some bottles become "sick" and develop a haze or an iridescence, that won't easily be removed other than by tumbling in a canister with copper shot and other techniques/compounds....Sometimes the iridescent look is quite desirable too.                          Good luck!   Joe


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## swizzle (Jun 21, 2010)

They do have bottle brushes that you can buy online but I lost the link as well as my longest brush a while ago. I need to buy a new one. You can mix up a muriatic acid bath in a tote or three and let your bottles soak for a few days and what doesn't come off easily after that will either be permanently like that or you'll have to buy or make your own bottle tumbler. The works has always gotten me by in a pinch but I've never had to clean hundreds of bottles all at once before. If I had to clean that many I'd do the soak and let the acid work its magic for 1 to 3 days. Follow all the safety stuff that I always seem to miss on the back label. I'm sure you'll need long gloves, glasses, gas mask and a spatula....ok I just needed a visual. You won't need the spatula. Swiz


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## pyshodoodle (Jun 21, 2010)

For cleaning outsides of bottles around letters & in nooks & crannies, I use a cheap battery operated toothbrush. I will wet it & dip it in baking soda or Barkeepers Friend. Gets the stuff off quick.


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## swizzle (Jun 21, 2010)

Sweet idea, I'll have to go steal my son's new spiderman toothbrush. Swiz


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## chosi (Jun 21, 2010)

With that many bottles, I would start with soap, water, and a bottle brush.  I have a hard time finding bottle brushes in hardware stores these days, but I find them on eBay.  Photo shows some of my brushes (they come in many shapes & sizes).


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## mcaseyw (Jun 21, 2010)

Awesome!  Thanks for the tips...not sure I will ever get these clean but can start   SIlly me put kitty litter in a bottle and added water...OOPS...used clumping litter...not I have one heck of a mess   Oh well!  Will try these other ideas and see where that gets me!  LOTS OF WORK!


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## pyshodoodle (Jun 21, 2010)

Hmmmm-  If you don't have copper, try rice. It will work better than sticky mud!


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## JOETHECROW (Jun 21, 2010)

oops,...sorry I should have mentioned to use regular cat litter,...[]


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## Erik T (Jul 5, 2010)

I went to the dollar store and got a simple dishwashing brush with a small and a large brush then I took off the handles leaving only the brushes on bare wire from there I stuck it in the socket of a surplus rifle cleaning rod and chiseled the socket flat with the brush wire in it flat to clamp it in.

 so basically if you do that with the small and the big brush you get much better reach into the bottles but be careful not to scratch the bottles with the aluminum rods as they will leave marks. This also allows you to bend the brushes to reach all angles.


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## JustGlass (Jul 6, 2010)

I have had good luck with the green scotch bright pads and a coat hanger. The pad can be cut to fit bottle openning and the coat hanger can be cut to size and bent to get just about every angle possible. I fill the bottle with about a inch of straight
  ammonia cut pad into a strip of 1 to 2 inches wide depending on bottle mouth the bigger the better. It really works well on nasty stuff like sruyps that have turn to tar, and over all most dirt. When it comes to hardcore stain it doesn't do diddley. I wouldn't recommend straight ammonia on a high end bottle or a crude bottle with slag and potstones. Ive seen it react and crack at the stones. Also watch that you do not scratch the glass with the end of the cut coat hanger as it can be sharp. I clean 98 % of my bottles this way and have had good results.


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## JustGlass (Jul 6, 2010)

.


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## deacon_frost (Jul 7, 2010)

if you have a harbor freight store close they carry a pipe cleaning kit that has various  size brushes in it cost like 4 bucks or you might try their website


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## deacon_frost (Jul 7, 2010)

checked the web site have them listed under pipe brush for 4.99


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