Unlock The Secret Worth Discovering The Hidden Value Of Old Clorox Bottles

Old Clorox bottles show up at estate sales, farm cleanouts, and flea markets with surprising regularity. To most people they’re just brown bleach containers. To bottle collectors and appraisal-minded enthusiasts, they’re a compact lesson in American industrial design, brand history, glassmaking, and practical market value—often with real dollars on the line.

This guide explains how to identify authentic Clorox bottles, date them using marks and features, evaluate condition and scarcity, and estimate fair resale value. You’ll also find buying and selling tips, care recommendations, a checklist you can use in the field, and quick answers to common questions.

Why Old Clorox Bottles Deserve a Second Look

• Cultural history in glass. Clorox began as a West Coast bleach brand and grew into a household staple. As consumer packaging evolved, so did the bottles—reflecting changes in manufacturing, safety, and branding.
• Distinctive look. The iconic amber glass with the diamond “CLOROX” shoulder embossing is a recognizable, display-worthy form. Earlier paper-labeled forms and later clear-glass variants broaden the collecting landscape.
• Accessible yet collectible. Many examples are affordable, making them a good entry point to antique bottle collecting. Certain variations, early runs, unusual sizes, and intact labels can command strong prices.
• Teachable markers. Old Clorox bottles were produced by major glassmakers, especially Owens-Illinois. Base marks, logos, and mold codes make them a practical training ground for identification and dating.

How to Identify Authentic Clorox Bottles

Use these traits to distinguish genuine vintage Clorox glass from ordinary amber bleach bottles:

• Color: Amber (brown) is by far the most common. Amber glass protected bleach from light degradation. Clear and other colors are atypical; genuine non-amber examples are scarce and require careful vetting.
• Embossing: The classic feature is the diamond-shaped shoulder panel with “CLOROX” in raised letters. This shoulder trademark appears on most 1930s–1950s bottles. Some earlier bottles are label-only with little to no embossing beyond capacity or a property statement.
• Shoulder or body wording: Variants may include “CLOROX” on the shoulder diamond and occasionally phrases like “The Clorox Chemical Co.” on the base or heel on older examples. Later glass may bear less overt embossing as paper labeling took precedence.
• Closures:
  • Early household bottles used cork or phenolic/bakelite-lined screw caps.
  • Steel caps with liners followed; plastic closures appear on very late glass and on plastic containers from the 1960s onward.
• Sizes: Common household sizes include pint and quart; half-gallon and gallon jugs exist and are heavier with broader shoulders. Commercial containers also exist but are less commonly encountered.
• Base marks:
  • Many bottles were made by Owens-Illinois. Look for an “O-I” mark—commonly appearing as an “I” inside a diamond or an “I” inside an oval/circle—plus plant numbers, date codes, and mold numbers.
  • Capacity codes (e.g., “32 OZ”) and mold cavities often appear as well.
• Manufacturing method: Expect machine-made glass with mold seams running through the lip; mouth-blown examples are not typical given the era of mass-market bleach production.

Tip: If the piece is cobalt blue, milk glass white, or multicolored and embossed “CLOROX,” be cautious. Most of those are decorative “fantasy” pieces; genuine production was overwhelmingly amber or, later, clear.

A Practical Dating Guide

Precise dating relies on reading maker’s marks in context. Here’s a field-ready approach that balances accuracy with practicality:

• The diamond “CLOROX” shoulder trademark: In general use by the early 1930s and common through the 1950s. Bottles with this shoulder diamond are commonly mid-1930s to 1950s.
• The glassmaker’s logo:
  • Owens-Illinois “Diamond OI” mark (an “I” superimposed on a diamond/oval) indicates roughly 1930s to early/mid-1950s production.
  • Owens-Illinois later changed to an “I in an oval/circle” without the diamond in the mid-1950s and later. If you see the non-diamond oval OI mark, think mid-1950s onward.
• Date codes:
  • On many Owens-Illinois bases, a plant number appears to the left of the logo and a year code to the right (e.g., a “7” or “52” indicating a year within a decade). Earlier codes can be a single digit; later ones often use two digits. Use the logo style to anchor the decade.
  • Example: Diamond OI with a “9” on the right is more likely 1939 or 1949 depending on context; the diamond logo suggests pre-mid-1950s, and the form and cap style can help split the decade.
• Company wording:
  • “The Clorox Chemical Co.” on the base or heel is suggestive of pre-1950s corporate branding. Later “The Clorox Company” appears in various contexts when the corporate name evolved.
• Labels and closures:
  • Cork or early phenolic closures and heavily embossed shoulders lean earlier (1930s–early 1940s).
  • Steel screw caps with printed branding and fewer embossed elements tend to be later (late 1940s–1950s), while clear-glass with printed labels is later still.

If you need more precision, compare your base marks to known Owens-Illinois plant/date coding charts and corroborate with period advertisements or packaging guides. For most appraisal use, bracketing to “early 1930s,” “late 1930s–1940s,” or “1950s” is enough to estimate value.

What Drives Value: Scarcity, Condition, and Demand

As with most utilitarian bottles, value is a mix of age, look, rarity, and completeness. Below are realistic ranges seen in today’s collector market; regional results vary.

• Common diamond-shoulder amber pints and quarts (1930s–1950s):
  • Typical examples with light wear: $10–$35
  • Clean glass, crisp embossing, and a decent cap: $25–$60
  • With intact original paper label and presentable cap: $50–$120
• Half-gallon and gallon amber jugs:
  • Plain examples: $25–$60
  • Exceptional condition or labeled examples: $60–$150
• Early label-only amber bottles (prevalent on the West Coast; scarcer nationally):
  • Without label: $15–$50 depending on form and marks
  • With partial to full label and early closure: $75–$200
• Unusual variants and oddities:
  • Mis-embossed molds, trial runs, and genuine non-amber glass: $100–$300+
  • Special promotional closures or boxed sets: price on request; sell best via specialized bottle auctions

Condition grading matters:

• Mint/Near Mint: No chips, cracks, bruises, or heavy haze; strong glass clarity and embossing; label present and legible if applicable.
• Very Good: Minor scuffs and light case wear; small base roughness; no structural damage.
• Good: Haze/etching from bleach, small chips/flea bites; displayable but imperfect; discount by 30–60% from top estimates.
• Poor: Cracks, heavy stain, severe etching; typically display or parts value only.

Completeness pays:

• Original cap and intact liner add tangible value.
• A full or mostly intact paper label can double or triple a bottle’s value.
• Original boxes or carrier cartons are scarce and highly desirable in advanced collections.

Scarcity signals:

• Regional early output from West Coast plants can be tougher in other regions.
• Short-run molds, off-size capacities, or transitional logo treatments pique advanced interest.
• Fantasy colors and modern repros don’t add value; they subtract it.

Finding, Pricing, and Selling: A Market Roadmap

Where to find:

• Estate sales and farm auctions: Look in basements, utility rooms, sheds, and laundry cupboards.
• Flea markets and thrift stores: Check glassware aisles and boxes under tables.
• Bottle shows and collector club meets: Best for vetted pieces, labels, and educated sellers.
• Local classifieds and household cleanouts: Bulk lots sometimes yield multiple sizes and variants.

How to price:

• Start with a condition-first mindset. Grade honestly.
• Identify the logo and shoulder style, capacity, and base marks. Photograph the base clearly.
• Check recent sold results for similar pieces and conditions. Use at least three comparable sales to establish a range.
• Adjust for label presence, cap condition, and any unusual features.
• For top-condition or odd variants, consider a specialist bottle auction to reach advanced collectors.

Best venues to sell:

• General online marketplaces: Reach broad audiences; good for common examples in clean condition.
• Specialty bottle auctions: Ideal for rare, labeled, or high-grade pieces; fees are higher but so are hammer prices.
• Local bottle clubs and shows: Helpful for trades and learning; often yield fair cash prices without shipping risk.

Shipping tips:

• Double-box jugs and gallons. Pad the shoulder and especially the neck to prevent shear cracks.
• Remove caps for transit and bag them separately to avoid abrasion and liner imprinting.
• Never ship with liquid inside; residual bleach can corrode and leak.

Care and Preservation

• Cleaning: Start with a soak in warm water and mild dish soap. Use a soft bottle brush. Avoid abrasives. Calcium deposits can lift with a long soak in white vinegar, then rinse thoroughly. Do not use bleach; it can worsen etching.
• Stain and haze: Professional tumbling can improve glass clarity, but it’s irreversible and may affect value if overdone. For high-end pieces, consult a reputable restorer first.
• Labels: Keep labeled bottles out of direct sunlight and high humidity. Do not scrub labels; gently dust only. Store in a stable, climate-controlled space.
• Caps: Wipe gently with a barely damp cloth; avoid soaking. Phenolic and steel caps are vulnerable to rust and delamination.
• Display: Use stands that support the base and distribute weight evenly. Keep out of direct sunlight to prevent thermal stress and label fade.

Quick Appraisal Checklist

• Color and form: Amber? Shoulder diamond with “CLOROX”? Size (pint, quart, half-gallon, gallon)?
• Embossing: Is the shoulder diamond present? Any “The Clorox Chemical Co.” or capacity marks?
• Base mark: Note glassmaker logo (diamond OI vs. oval OI), plant code (left), date code (right), and any mold numbers.
• Closure: Cork/phenolic, steel screw cap, plastic? Original and intact?
• Label: Present? Percent intact? Legibility and graphics?
• Condition: Chips, cracks, lip nicks, base bruises, internal haze/etching, case wear.
• Rarity cues: Unusual size, non-amber glass, mis-embossing, early label-only form.
• Comps: Photograph and compare to at least three recent sold examples of similar grade.
• Value range: Assign conservative low and realistic high based on condition and comps.

FAQ

Q: Are old Clorox bottles considered “antique” or “vintage”?
A: Most are vintage (1930s–1950s). Truly antique is often defined as 100+ years old, which only the earliest examples are nearing. Collectors still use “antique bottle” generically for the category.

Q: How can I tell if a bottle is a reproduction?
A: Be wary of fantasy colors (cobalt blue, milk glass) with CLOROX embossing and overly crisp, modern glass surfaces. Genuine production is primarily amber, with later clear examples. Look for period-consistent base marks and wear, not artificial distressing.

Q: Do scratches and bleach etching ruin value?
A: They reduce value but don’t necessarily ruin it. Light case wear is expected. Heavy internal haze or etched streaking can cut prices by half or more compared to clean examples.

Q: What’s the most valuable type of old Clorox bottle?
A: Early label-only variants in fine condition, unusual sizes, genuine non-amber glass, and bottles with complete labels and original caps are top performers. Rarity plus condition drives value.

Q: Should I polish or tumble my bottle before selling?
A: Light cleaning is fine. Tumbling can improve clarity but is permanent and may be frowned upon by purists. For higher-end bottles, disclose any restoration; when in doubt, sell as-found with gentle cleaning only.

With a careful eye for embossing, base marks, closures, and condition—and by checking solid comparables—you can confidently separate common utility glass from the pieces that deserve a premium. Old Clorox bottles reward the curious collector with accessible history and, in the right cases, surprisingly strong value.