The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1888-08-16
mlanitomo1 pilot.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16.
Cleaning Bottles.

There are probably a few Old-fash-
Toned bottlers who clean not only tenn
perance-drink bottles, but also wine
bottles with shot; but that is not the
practice in the latest approved bottIlng
establishments, says the New York
Sun. There is one in South Fifth ave
nue. where 5000 bottles are cleaned
every day, and thoroughly cleaned,
without the use of shot.
Ordinary root beer and sarsaparilla
bottles are easily cleaned, because the
material used in them is readily and
quickly soluble in cold water. The
bottles are dumped, throat up, into
big tub of clean cold water. which is
kept clean nv constant replenishment.
Each bottle is quickly filled and al
lowed 10 soak a short time. Then the
cleaner grasps three or four bottles in
his two hands, holding them throat up,
and shakes them vigorously. That Is
sufficient to dislodge the sugary coat
ing, and then the bottles are inverted
and allowed to drain off. As they are
made of transparent green glass, it is
easy &c see when they are clean. Care
is taken to wash out any flies that have
been sepulchred in the bottles in their
search for sweet things. The old
fashioned stone bottles that were form
erly used for root beer have long been
discarded as too heavy and costly.
The cleaning of soda-water bottles
is more carefully done, Here warm
water is used, and the workman manip-
ulates a four-pronged tool that looks
like a fork. Each prong is mounted
with a stiff blade Of India rubber, of
such shape that when the prong is
thrust into the bottle the rubber blade
reaches the inner side of the bottle. In
front of the workman is cocoa mat.
This serves double purpose. The mat
cleans the outside of the bottle, and
the rolling brings the whole inside of
the bottle in contact with the rubber
blade. A few vigorous rolls clean the
bottle thoroughly, and then it is rinsed
and ready for use.
Still another process is used for
| larger beer bottles, which require even
more vigorous washing. This is done
| by a machine with revolving spindles,
On which are placed rubber brushes.
| The bottle is thrust over the spindle.
which is run by steam, and running
water carries off the scum. Each bot
| tie then gets a thorough internal scOur-
! ing.
1t is, in fact, an essential element of
| success in the bottling business to
! keep the bottle clean, and no manu-
! facturer who expects to keep his GUS
! tom would dare neglect the essential
! element Of cleanliness. The element
of cost prevents, if no other consider
| atiOns could do so, the slow and tedious
method of cleaning bottles with shot.
! There was a bottlc-washing machine
in use here not long ago which cleansed
bottles with revolving bristle brushes,
| but the wear and tear of bristles was
found to be too expensive, although
! the work done was very effective. The
| substitution of rubber blades for the
bristles proves to be cheaper and quite
| as thorough.
A much better way than the use of
| shot for cleaning bottles is to put a
| small piece of iron chain with small
| links into the bottles with some water.
| OF course, if bottle has been filed
with any greasy substance the only
way to clean it thoroughly is with
strong alkali, and this is done by all
careful bottlers.