Looking to elevate your next themed party?

Or, maybe, you are trying to achieve a mythical aesthetic.
Or, perhaps, you just collecting glass jars!

Whatever your motives are, creating beautiful, realistic potion bottles are easier than you think!

Upcycling Bottles and Jars

I love magical things! And for years, I have collected jars and bottles, waiting for a chance to repurpose them.

After discovering the Harry Potter Craft Book, I was delighted to break into my collection and make some truly whimsical creations.

The first problem I had was removing all the labels from the bottles and jars.

Now, I save both food and product jars. My favorite jars to collect are pickle jars and sauce jars. I find they are the most useful when it comes to crafting. Both are very versatile.

I also like collecting uniquely shaped or colored bottles/jars. Many of the products I use on my face or for baking often come bottled in small brown jars of a magical shape.

It’s almost like we are trying to be magical in our everyday life…but I’ll let you jump to your own conclusions there.

Needless to say, I have more bottles than I have crafts to make. So, I was ecstatic to use up some of my collection.

I made three different types of potion bottles because I like multiple aesthetics. I made frosted, tinted, and these clear ones.

You’ll have to let me know which one is your favorite!

Let’s get started!

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List of Supplies:

Makes; Multiple Jars

Estimated time: Clear- 20-40 minutes

Skill Level: Beginner (Kid-friendly project) for all bottles

Dawn
Hot water
Goo Gone
Paper towel
Sink or container to hold hot water and bottles

How to Remove Labels from Bottles

Step 2:

**Soak bottles in hot water and dawn.**

To do this, I filled my sink with hot water and added in a little dawn. I let them soak for about 15 minutes before checking the labels.
The labels should peel off very easily.
Note: This will not work the same on labels that are vinyl.

Step 3:

Peel away the labels.
The hot water helps to soften the label so it is easier to peel. This works wonders for paper labels. By the time I went to remove the labels, most were already separated from the bottle or needed very little scrubbing to remove them.
If the label is the plastic/vinyl kind, then this technique does not really work the same. They required the next step.

Step 4:

Remove any stubborn adhesive with Goo Gone.
To do this, I sprayed just a little Goo Gone onto the bottle and rubbed it all over the remaining adhesive. I let this sit for a few minutes. Then, I used a paper towel to help scrub the adhesive off.
I found the paper towel allowed me to scrub better than a sponge or brush.

Step 5:

Clean bottles and dry.
To do this, I first washed the bottles to remove any Goo Gone. Dawn help to cut the oils in Goo Gone, so it works twice in here!
Then, I cleaned the bottles with a little bit of rubbing alcohol. This helps to remove any other unwanted debris.

That’s it! The potion bottles are ready for their next steps!

You can leave them plain, frost them, tint them, or whatever your heart desires.

Top Tips…

Goo Gone is very messy. I little bit goes a long way.
Do not let the bottles sit too long in the water. You want to remove the labels while the water is still warm.
Vinyl/plastic labels Ned to be removed before applying Goo Gone to the remaining adhesive. These bottles can skip soaking in water.
An X-Acto knife can be used to help scrape the stubborn adhesive from the bottle.
Once the bottles are completely dry, wipe them down with a bit of rubbing alcohol to remove any remaining debris.

Next time…

I honestly don’t think there is anything that I would do differently. I rather enjoyed how these bottles came out!

I really hope you enjoyed this make! If you did please consider subscribing to my newsletter, so you never miss a new project!

Remember, if you make these potions bottles, make sure to tag me with #darkkfluridiy so I can see your creations!

Until next time, stay crafty!

Potion Bottles: How to Remove Labels