hawkeyes

Recipes 

I purchased some old used glass carboys. I have them soaking in oxiclean but can't seem to remove some smudges from inside the glass. No matter I much I scrub with the brush. Do you think these are OK to use?

revco

Recipes 

Hard to say without knowing what the gunk is. Let 'em sit for 24+ hours in a hot oxy-clean soak. If that doesn't clear 'em out, it's not likely anything will. I would personally be concerned just *what* could withstand a 24 hour oxy soak!

Also might try a brush on a drill, if the spots are accessible with a straight brush. You could try a more abrasive brush, but that could be counterproductive by creating scratches, or worse, weaken/break the carboy.

Gear101

Recipes 

You can get a Carboy Cleaner, I have the one that goes on the end of a drill, works like a charm.

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Stainless is Painless

"I am allergic to grass. Hey, it could be worse. I could be allergic to beer." - Greg Norman

runningfarmer

Recipes 

Try some CLR on it. Just use it straight out of the bottle and leave alone overnight. Then try brushing. Sometimes, it will need a second application. I've never had anything I couldn't get clean with CLR. Also, I made my own bottle cleaner out of Shamwow to clean the carboy. The procedures are in http://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/buh-bye-carboy-brush-286700/

hawkeyes

Recipes 

Oxiclean didn't do it but vinegar seems to be doing the trick. I will keep the CLR in mind if the vinegar doesn't get it all. Thanks!

hawkeyes

Recipes 

When the carboy dried, I can still see it. When it was applied with vinegar (not dry) it goes away. The vinegar did help but didn't remove it all. I am going to try bleach next since I have some. If the bleach doesn't work, I will get some CLR.

TNGabe

Recipes 

Did you use hot water with the oxyclean? I'd say the bleach is a waste of time at this point.

Calder

Recipes 

Where are these marks?

Could it be hard water deposits, or beerstone.

CLR would be the thing to try.

chuckularone

Recipes 

Does it look hazy, like chemical etching? You said they were old carboys, do you know what was in them before? If they were used in a lab, handling chemicals potent enough to etch the glass, you might not want to use them for brewing.

KBentley57

Recipes 

If you've done all of that to them at this point, do you really think whatever the stain is will leech into your beer? I would rinse it well, fill it to that point with water, wait a few days and taste it. If it tastes like water, it's probably fine, if you die, I'll admit I was wrong.