I have found that the best and cheapest way to clean the inside of bottles is to use vinegar and baking soda. The soda will cause the vinegar to fizz; so, it reaches all areas inside the bottle. Be sure to leave room for the fizzing process to take place inside the bottle. You may have to give the bottle a few shakes, but this works really well for me.
By qsuzie from Booneville, AR
This page contains the following solutions.
Rinse obvious debris out of the bottle. Then put two tablespoons of powdered, automatic dishwashing detergent in the bottle. Or place one tablespoon salt, and one teaspoon dish soap in bottle. Add very hot water until 1/3 full.
A quick and easy way to dry the inside of bottles or decanter that can't be dried with a brush or rag on the inside is to take about 3/4 cup of quinoa grain and swirl it around the inside of the bottle.
Use raw uncooked rice to clean tall or irregularly shaped bottles that have difficult-to-reach areas. Add a little water, some rice, and a small amount of dish soap/detergent.
Use denture cleanser tablets to clean the inside of the bottles. Put in the tablet (break up to fit), add water, and shake.
I shake a small amount of rough cut small gravel with some detergent and water to clean our bottles that have stuff stuck to the inside. Just strain off and rinse the gravel, let dry, and it is ready for next time.
I had an old glass Bo Peep Ammonia bottle. I was thrilled with it, because I love anything vintage. However, it had a very small mouth. The idea to clean it, was to use a small piece of a shim, cut lengthwise (make sure you cut a piece as small as the mouth of the bottle).
Fill the object with straight, plain vinegar and letting it sit for a day or two. If this does not work then add a bit of sand to the vinegar and shake it really well, repeatedly.
Use 2 Tbsp. of Oxi Clean, fill with water and shake. Leave overnight and use a bottle brush the next morning.
One of the best methods I have found is to buy the tablets for cleaning dentures. Depending on how large the bottle is, drop a whole one or 1/2 of one in the bottle and add hot water.
Put in some coarse salt inside the bottle with a bit of water and swirl it around. The salt scours off the crud and it can be rinsed out easily. Repeat if necessary.
I have found putting granulated dishwasher soap in the bottle, filling it with the hottest water possible, and letting it soak overnight works well.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
I have many antique bottles and they are no longer clear. What is the best time to clean them?
You might try soaking the bottles in water with some dish detergent overnight. You can also use vinegar. If there's still cloudiness, you can also use a small amount of salt/water and cover the opening of the bottle, then shake well. Here are some other great tips for cleaning antique bottles:
Soak it in room temperature water and dishwashing liquid. Make sure to place a towel into the sink, or container, to cushion the glass. The temperature of the water is extremely important since water that is much hotter or colder than the bottle itself can cause it to crack. Allow the bottle to soak for a few hours or overnight if possible. Rinse the bottle with room temperature water. For many old bottles this will remove the dirt and grim that has built up over the years.
If there is a white crusty material caused by the minerals in the liquid, then use commercial products that remove mineral buildups and lime scales.
To clean old bottle with glass that is cloudy with white stains:
Leave it in vinegar and water overnight, rinse with water and dry with a microfiber towel.
Vaseline or petroleum jelly can sometimes remove light calcium build-up. Let it sit for 4-5 days before removing.
Fill with lukewarm water and drop in a denture cleaner tablet.
Or dab a little Pearl Drops Toothpaste on your index finger and lightly rub. Wash with water.
Or spray on Dow Tub and Tile cleaner, let sit, then rinse.
Only use bottle brushes that have soft bristles.
Never try to clean an old bottle with hydrofluoric acid.
Fill the bottle with a solution of 1 part bleach to 7 parts water and allow it to set for at least 12 hours.
Or fill the bottle with water and add a false teeth cleaner such as Polident.
Or fill the bottle with water or vinegar, add fine grained sand or rice or laundry detergent or automatic dishwasher detergent.
I bought a cobalt blue bottle a few years ago that had a hole drilled on the side and clear Christmas lights in it (also had a very small shade). Now, after a few years of having it, I just got it back out for the year, and noticed the inside of the bottle is cloudy and dusty. How do you clean this?
Put some rice in it and add some water with a drop or two of dishwashing detergent. Shake the bottle and it should come clean.
Then just put the rice in alone and shake. That will clean it somewhat.
I bought a large canning style jar with a wire close lid from Goodwill. It appeared clean (and newish), but I washed it with Dawn and hot water anyway. As it was upended in the dish rack I noticed that the water was separating off the glass in a way that indicated some sort of residue was on the interior. The water was not draining normally.
Bleach did not solve the problem. I can't seem to abrade it (to make it visible) yet I can find no way to get rid of it either. It's going in the recycling. I've had drinking glasses every now and then, also second hand/vintage, that have occasionally had the same issue, I've thrown them out. It's not cloudy, it is for all intents "invisible" until washed, and then you notice the draining water is behaving differently.