Corny Keg Leaves Black Everywhere

My corny keg has black rubber on the top and bottom. It leaves black marks everywhere it touches, including my hands and the floor. It doesn't affect the beer at all but it gets really annoying after a while working with black rubber all over your hands and marks all over my tile floor. Has anybody experienced this or does anybody have any recommendations for me? I'm wondering if I just bought a poorly-made keg. Thanks

Mine do the same. I've started to wear cleaning gloves when I handle them.

Some of mine do and some don't. I think it's the oxidation of the rubber/plastic and it will wear off eventually. I suppose you could scrub it with a cleaner and see if that helps.

You bought an old keg. The rubber starts to deteriorate, and then it becomes a big, deranged, not-so-magic marker. Given enough time, they all do that. Put some tape around it.

Yep, old keg...seen its share of hot/cold/sunlight/water on the rubber parts. I've heard (never tried it, sorry), that you can slow the deterioration, and help with the black rubber dust/film getting everywhere by removing as much of the completely damaged rubber as possible by polishing or very lightly sanding it, and then soaking the rubber in power steering fluid. Unfortunately what's done is done, and this won't magically heal the remaining rubber - this will just get rid of the completely destroyed layer of rubber, and help protect what's left.

Can't really advise you to try it...but it's what I've heard.

Yuri_Rage said:

You bought an old keg. The rubber starts to deteriorate, and then it becomes a big, deranged, not-so-magic marker. Given enough time, they all do that. Put some tape around it.

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I can't believe I never thought of that. Thanks yuri!

The simplest solutions are usually the best. I'm busting out the duck tape!

I used to hand polish the rubber using peanut oil. The rag gets black and the oil does something to the rubber. I recently used a small buffing wheel on a drill to polish/buff the rubber. That worked great and no more black marks.

oxy-clean and a stiff brush will remove the oxidation. don't do the tape. it will come off eventally and leave sticky residue behind

I've had success with oxyclean and a 3m scrubby pad. You just have to take the deteriorated layer off. I also rubbed in some "bumper black" car polish, very nice....

I have used an Oxy type brillo pad to knock off the loose stuff. It helps...

Wesley's Bleachwhite tire cleaner & a scrub brush took it off mine.

Has anyone ever tried spray way rubber cleaner/rejuvenator? I know it's for the printing industry but I am going to give it a shot on a old used keg I just got.

Bobby_M said:

I've had success with oxyclean and a 3m scrubby pad. You just have to take the deteriorated layer off. I also rubbed in some "bumper black" car polish, very nice....

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hmmmmm... When I cared about my car's appearance, and I was driving really old cars, I used to refresh the oxidized paint with a treatment of rubbing compound. A very fine abrasive that removes the oxidized top layer revealing new looking paint beneath (and making said paint thinner, so don't do it to you car every day) I wonder if rubbing compound followed by a coat of car wax would help???

william_shakes_beer said:

hmmmmm... When I cared about my car's appearance, and I was driving really old cars, I used to refresh the oxidized paint with a treatment of rubbing compound. A very fine abrasive that removes the oxidized top layer revealing new looking paint beneath (and making said paint thinner, so don't do it to you car every day) I wonder if rubbing compound followed by a coat of car wax would help???

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Probably... But as others have said, a good scrubbing with cleanser and a scrubby gets most of the oxidation off, followed by a good wax to keep the rubber nice.

I am sure there are many factors that affect this but on average how old is a keg when it starts to do this ?
Mine are all brand new and I am just wondering how long I have before this becomes a problem for me.

Thanks,
Cam

My suspicion is that keg rubbers that shed easily have been oxidized likely due to excessive UV exposure over time.

I'm old enough to remember when they were still being used for post-mix and the closest soda shop to me had a bullpen out in the back of their building with all the empties just baking in the sun.

Otherwise, remember that some of our cornies have been around for 50-60 years.

Oxidation Happens...

Cheers!

Or paint them.
Penetrol might work too.

Ive had this really bad on one of my Corny kegs

So I used Shoe polish and it worked out incredible well

i scrubbed all the old rubber with washing liquid and a pot scrubber the one that looks like Scotch-Brite pad

then dried the black rubber
then applied Shoe polish Not The One that comes in the sponge top but the old fashioned one that comes in a metal tin, like the kids used to play hops scotch with
remove the cap and the posts and dab your finger into the polish with a cloth.... left the polish to dry for half an hour and buffed it with an old sock... even after washing the keg the polish does not come off ....

it worked great for me

Punch polish or kiwi polish
i find the new type polish that comes in the same size tin but in plastic dry's out too much in the plastic tin
so if you get the old type metal tin.

Based on that, I would consider using something like bowling alley wax (awesome for hardwood flooring). Actual pigment may not be necessary.

I have one keg of 16 with particularly oxidized rubbers. Next time I cycle it I'll try to remember this thread...

Cheers!

I've had an old computer mouse do the same. Used methylated spirits on it using some kitchen towel & now it's good as new.

A 5-gallon bucket lid makes a good coaster for this issue.

Used Bar-keepers Friend - works great as well with a scrub pad.

CamG said:

I am sure there are many factors that affect this but on average how old is a keg when it starts to do this ?
Mine are all brand new and I am just wondering how long I have before this becomes a problem for me.

Thanks,
Cam

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One of mine was marking up my sink last night as I was cleaning it. They were new about 5 years ago.

but to be fair, it just spent 3 months sitting in hard cider from a leaky o ring....

BigDave1303 said:

I've had an old computer mouse do the same. Used methylated spirits on it using some kitchen towel & now it's good as new.

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I have used 90% rubbing alcohol (isopropanol) to clean/remove the sticky rubber coating off many things, mice, keyboards, and such mainly. I hate that awful sticky feeling when touching them. The looks of it alone is appalling too.
It totally removes that "rubber" coating, leaving the smooth, bare plastic underneath, which is much easier to keep clean and maintain.

I wonder what causes that rubber coating to deteriorate like that, suddenly, after many years of being OK. It's not just the areas where we touch them, that would point to skin oils. It's all over the surface.

Re: kegs
I have the inkling it's deterioration of some (shiny) coating that causes the black marring. Once that top layer has been removed it seems to be much better. No?

IslandLizard said:

I wonder what causes that rubber coating to deteriorate like that, suddenly, after many years of being OK. It's not just the areas where we touch them, that would point to skin oils. It's all over the surface.

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I've just cleaned off a small pot being used to hold pens & pencils for my missus. I think it must be light/uv which causes the rubber to breakdown. The outside was all horrible & sticky but the inside is perfect. Took me approx. 5 mins rubbing methylated spirits round it & its now as good as new.