How to: Remove a Cork from a Wheaton Bottle (or other small bottle)

Examine the cork

Poke with a pick to break apart

Shake out pieces as they break loose

It's out!

Wash out with a brush and a little dish soap

Scrub and use

After January’s post on the history of Wheaton Bottles, I thought it might be helpful to address one of the most common problems encountered with them: a cork that’s fallen inside and won’t come out.

The standard three-inch (or so) Wheaton bottle uses a size 0 (zero) cork, which slips easily inside the bottle if you close it too tightly. So, what do you do when it’s in there? I’ve tried several methods, but the most effective has been to break the cork up with a sharp/pointy implement like a dental pick, crochet hook, or icepick. In this example, I used the latter.

1. Sit the bottle flat on the counter. It’s tempting to hold it up to the light, but most Wheaton bottles are round at the base and narrow at the top, which means the cork will just roll into avoid where the icepick can’t reach it, so set it flat on the counter.

2. Stick the icepick into the bottle, carefully aiming for the cork. Lift it gently toward the mouth. When you reach the narrow part of the neck, press the pick against the glass to break the cork. It will fall off the pick—that’s supposed to happen—but it will break/damage the cork.

3. Repeat step two, periodically holding the bottle upside-down and shaking it to remove loose pieces. When the cork has been broken up enough, it will fall out—or come out on the pick. This one took me less than ten minutes to remove.

It’s tedious, but effective. You can find size 0 corks (as well as many others) on Amazon to replace the ruined one.

Wrap it up by washing out your bottle with dish soap and a narrow scrub brush. If the bottle has any mineral build-up on the sides, put a little CLR on a Q-tip and rub the areas until the scale comes off (strong chemicals can damage the glass or cause issues if you’re using the bottle for food purposes, so be sure to rinse thoroughly). Follow up by sterilizing with alcohol if you intend to use if for food-safe purposes.

Know a way to get the cork out without destroying it? I’d love to hear about your technique—let me know!