Glass bottles, particularly those used for soft drinks and beer, are frequently reused. In order to reuse these, the bottle must be cleaned and sterilized once returned to the bottler. This is accomplished using a bottle washing apparatus which typically has three to five sections. The bottles are introduced to the machine and supported throughout the washing process by individual holders or pockets. Bottles are initially directed to a pre-rinse section which is designed to remove large particles and labels. In this section, water and residual chemicals from the cleaning process are directed at the bottles as they are introduced into the machine.
Next the bottles are conveyed into one or more cleaning or soaking sections where they are soaked in a highly caustic solution at an elevated temperature, generally about 70° C. or higher. Pressurized spraying of the wash solution onto and into the bottles may also occur in these section(s). After 7 to 15 minutes, the bottles are taken to a warm rinse, and then to a final potable water rinse. The final rinse water is then re-used for the subsequent initial pre-rinse.
The cleaning or soaking solution is a highly caustic solution. Generally, this contains 2-4% sodium hydroxide. This acts to clean the bottles, dissolve metals such as metal foils contained in the main label and the band label on the neck of the container. Also, in combination with temperature and contact time, this highly caustic solution renders the bottles commercially sterile
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