Oxiclean vs PBW

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bellsbrat

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I have always used PBW for cleaning but after a trip to wally world i seen Sun brand oxiclean and at about 2.50 a container thought i would try. After a brew yesterday soaked kettle for 20 min or so and has never been cleaner it is in like new condition. Still love Five Star products but to get the most bang for your buck I believe Sun oxygen cleaner comes out on top.
 
Here are a ton of threads on this subject.
http://www.google.com/custom?domain...000000;GFNT:0000FF;GIMP:0000FF;FORID:1;&hl=en

I've personally been making my own PBW with Sun oxygen cleaner from walmart, along with TSP/90 from ace. *note* do not use regular TSP.

Recipe:
12.8oz TSP/90 to 1 container Sun Oxygen Cleaner.

Works great, and I save a TON of cash. It does however, require a bit more rinsing.

Yeah, the TSP/90 is Sodium Metasilicate, which is 30% of the makeup of PBW.

If you are doing a 2/1 blend of Oxyclean/Sodium Metasilicate, you are pretty close to PBW.

Been doing this for a while myself
 
Here are a ton of threads on this subject.
http://www.google.com/custom?domain...000000;GFNT:0000FF;GIMP:0000FF;FORID:1;&hl=en

I've personally been making my own PBW with Sun oxygen cleaner from walmart, along with TSP/90 from ace. *note* do not use regular TSP.

Recipe:
12.8oz TSP/90 to 1 container Sun Oxygen Cleaner.

Works great, and I save a TON of cash. It does however, require a bit more rinsing.

Yeah, the TSP/90 is Sodium Metasilicate, which is 30% of the makeup of PBW.

If you are doing a 2/1 blend of Oxyclean/Sodium Metasilicate, you are pretty close to PBW.

Been doing this for a while myself

Count me in on the blend of Oxiclean and TSP/90 as well. It is now my go to cleaner!
 
I've used oxiclean free for the longest time until my mother in law decided to consolidate my two things of oxiclean over the holidays. So I bought some PBW and freaking love that stuff. You don't use a whole lot and it works wonders. One day may try the home blend but until then I'm happy wih PBW.
 
I recently switched from PBW to Sun Oxygen cleaner. Sun seems to work just as fine as PBW for 1/5th the cost!
 
I've used oxiclean free for the longest time until my mother in law decided to consolidate my two things of oxiclean over the holidays. So I bought some PBW and freaking love that stuff. You don't use a whole lot and it works wonders. One day may try the home blend but until then I'm happy wih PBW.

I'm trying to find my path here since switching from a plastic bucket to a Better Bottle. I've only tried PBW so far. It's 3/4oz per gallon, and at 5 gallons of water soaking in my fermenter, that is quite a bit of PBW (like 7-8 tablespoons). How do you go about not using so much?
 
OP, why did you use the cleaner in the kettle? The heat from brewing kills all the nasties. I scrub my kettle with the kitchen sponge and a little soap, never had any issues.

Fyi, don't use oxyclean on aluminum.
 
In regards to homemade 70/30, Oxi/TSP....

How much needs to be diluted to make 5 gal?

And does TSP need to added to mix? If not, what is that ratio to water?
 
In regards to homemade 70/30, Oxi/TSP....

How much needs to be diluted to make 5 gal?

And does TSP need to added to mix? If not, what is that ratio to water?

For a five gallon batch of cleaner, I'd probably put in at least half of a scoop from the Oxiclean tub. I normally make my mix by dividing one of the three pound tubs in half and adding a one pound bag of the Red Devil TSP to each half. I then pour the mixture back into a pair of Oxy tubs and just use the provided measuring cups to scoop it out.
 
I've always used PBW, but I'm sick of how much it costs. We're talking about OxiClean the powered laundry detergent right?

I'm confused because the detergent doesn't even imply that it may be used for surfaces that we eat off of.
 
That's becuase OxiClean hasn't been tested for food uses. But, oxiclean and PBW work of redox reactions, so chemically it should be the same. I've been using the stuff to clean all my brew equipment for 5 years. I triple rinse everything in hot water as I would in a lab setting, and everything is fine.
Disclaimer: I am now kegging beer, so not sure how that will go
 
I use Up & Up (Target's house brand) Oxygen Cleaner. It is basically repackaged Sun Oxygenated Cleaner (confirmed via an MSDS request). According the MSDS, Sun OC is 50-70% Na Carbonate & 30-40% Na Percarbonate. I prefer the Sun to Oxiclean because the Sun doesn't have the blue "flavor" crystals.

Since my understanding is that PBW is 30% Na Metasilicate and the rest percarbonates, a 30-70 mix of TSP/90 (Red Devil) and Sun Oxygen is as close as you're going to get to PBW at the chemical level.

I use 4 oz./5 gal with outstanding results that mirror PBW with one exception - slight foam. The foaming is a bit bothersome, but can be controlled by adding some unscented dishwasher detergent (or other food-safe defoamer).

During my cleaning cycle, the solution comes into contact with my aluminum BK, but I've never had any issues with that... I have a great oxide layer built up, which I assume helps.
 
PRODUCT NAME: PBW
COMPOSITION: SILICATES, PHOSPHATES, AND SURFACTANTS
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/wp-content/uploads/PBWMSDS2.pdf

Generates 4 - 5% Oxygen . . .
To help in hard water areas P.B.W. has been formulated with enough chelators to tolerate hard water over 17 grains.

http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/wp-content/uploads/PBWTech2.pdf


I don’t know exactly what’s in PBW, but it doesn’t have nearly as much oxygen as OxiClean. It seems to have a fair amount of detergent in it. Here’s my guess.

30% Sodium metasilicate
20% Linear alkylbenzene sulfonate
10% Sodium percarbonate
10% Phosphate
30% sodium carbonate
1% EDTA

I know that over 100%, so sue me. Consider the amounts approximate, it’s only a guess.
 
I've always used PBW, but I'm sick of how much it costs. We're talking about OxiClean the powered laundry detergent right?

I'm confused because the detergent doesn't even imply that it may be used for surfaces that we eat off of.

No, it is NOT the laundry detergent! The detergent is advertised as being "with" Oxiclean.

Oxiclean itself is a stand-alone product. Would be in the cleaner section I assume, not the laundry section.

No idea what would happen if you washed your beer stuff with laundry detergent but I don't suggest finding out...
 
I've used Oxiclean, the detergent, to clean all my brew products. 1 tbsp to 1.5 gallons hot water, and caked yeast on a carboy fermenter rarely lasts for more than an hr before everything is gone, and the solution turns brown. Drain, and triple rinse with hot water and I'm done. Sometimes I do a 4th rinse. That goes for bottles, tubing, etc.

I am now going to start kegging and will see how that goes. The cleaning method is very similar to a standard lab method, and in the end its all chemistry...i.e. re-dox reactions. It works, and I have a wall full of regional and national awards to prove it doesn't affect beer flavor or anything else.
 
No, it is NOT the laundry detergent! The detergent is advertised as being "with" Oxiclean.

Oxiclean itself is a stand-alone product. Would be in the cleaner section I assume, not the laundry section.

No idea what would happen if you washed your beer stuff with laundry detergent but I don't suggest finding out...

Unless there's some sort of ultra-pure Oxiclean being sold in a different part of the store that I don't know about, you're splitting hairs by pointing out that Oxiclean is not laundry detergent.

The only place I ever see Oxiclean sold is in the laundry aisle. No, Oxiclean is not "laundry detergent" per se (much like Miracle Whip is not mayonnaise), but the powdered version is used almost exclusively for laundry these days - at least here in the Midwest - and I do know of some folks who use Oxiclean as both an additive to and substitute for laundry detergent.
 
Unless there's some sort of ultra-pure Oxiclean being sold in a different part of the store that I don't know about, you're splitting hairs by pointing out that Oxiclean is not laundry detergent.

The only place I ever see Oxiclean sold is in the laundry aisle. No, Oxiclean is not "laundry detergent" per se (much like Miracle Whip is not mayonnaise), but the powdered version is used almost exclusively for laundry these days - at least here in the Midwest - and I do know of some folks who use Oxiclean as both an additive to and substitute for laundry detergent.

There are laundry detergents with contain Oxiclean as one of their ingredients. He is trying to make sure the difference between straight Oxiclean and a detergent containing Oxiclean is understood. I've also normally seen Oxiclean in the aisle with the laundry detergents.
 
I've never found anything called "Oxyclean" anywhere except with the laundry detergents. The stuff I've been using on my brewery equipment is "Oxyclean MAX", in a blue plastic bottle, with a grey screw-off cap.

Is that not safe for cleaning brewing items?
 
I've never found anything called "Oxyclean" anywhere except with the laundry detergents. The stuff I've been using on my brewery equipment is "Oxyclean MAX", in a blue plastic bottle, with a grey screw-off cap.

Is that not safe for cleaning brewing items?

Are you talking about Oxiclean Max Force? I've seen the little booster packets labelled this way. I assume they are just a measured amount of straight Oxiclean. There is also a liquid version of this I think. They don't just have tubs of Oxiclean powder at your store?

Safe for cleaning brewing items? Probably, but it's not specifically what we are referring to when talking about cleaning with Oxiclean. I mean, plenty of things would be safe for cleaning with.
 
Does OxiClean® Versatile Stain Remover contain any detergents?
The formula contains non-ionic detergents.

What are the Blue Crystals/What do they do?
The blue crystals in OxiClean® Versatile Stain Remover are soil-dispersing agents. This helps remove soil & stains more easily.

http://www.oxiclean.com/FAQ.aspx

There’s a little bit of detergent in Oxi, but not much. The Kroger generic appears to be identical, but the WalMart Sun brand is straight sodium carbonate and sodium percarbonate (no detergent.)

Since Oxi has a bunch of oxygen and not much detergent and PBW is the other way around I mix them in a two step process.

1. Dissolve the Oxi in warm-hot water.

Make sure it’s dissolved, because it is neutralizing the water hardness, making the PBW work better.

2 Add the PBW, wait for it to dissolve.

You’re done! It depends on the water, but with moderately hard water, I use half a scoop in four gallons with a quarter scoop of PBW. A scoop is 31g, a tablespoon is13g.

One advantage of doing this is that the detergent stays around after the oxygen is gone (about six hours), good for soaking.
 
There are laundry detergents with contain Oxiclean as one of their ingredients. He is trying to make sure the difference between straight Oxiclean and a detergent containing Oxiclean is understood. I've also normally seen Oxiclean in the aisle with the laundry detergents.

That was in fact exactly the point I wanted to make.
 
Yeah, Oxyclean is a laundry detergent. But it the end, it works on redox reaction principles, just like any other oxidative cleaning product. If oxycleanwanted to spend the million or so required to show its food safe, it would. But its main focus group makes it profiable w/o the need to expand, I guess. In the end, its all chemistry, jusyt like brewing:mug:
 
I just switched to using Oxiclean. It is impressive how well it worked on my kettle and mash-tun. I will continue to use this product.

I too found it in the laundry detergent section. The container advertises it being used in the washing machine but then states it has over 101 uses. I wonder if they were thinking of my brew kettle when they made that disclaimer?
 
The scoop contained within my Oxiclean Versatile container is approximately 2 tablespoons.

I wanted to completely fill my kettle. But, I following the manufacturers recommendation (and it was very effective) at 4 scoops per gallon I didn't dare fill my kettle but only made 1 gallon and used a sponge to distribute.

What is the minimum amount of Oxiclean that can be used and still be effective on a brew kettle (read: how much do you use)?
 
mvanwie said:
I use 4 oz./5 gal with outstanding results that mirror PBW with one exception - slight foam. The foaming is a bit bothersome, but can be controlled by adding some unscented dishwasher detergent (or other food-safe defoamer).

Defoamer + beer= :(
 
I've only used the cleaner that came with my equipment when I started, then Oxyclean I have heard complaints of it causing a film. This may be due to water differences or using too much. I use only 1/3 of the scoop that comes in the box with good results.

And to echo others: make sure you are getting Oxyclean that has no additives/perfumes!
 
I'm glad there are smart people who have found alternatives. The ability to get what you need locally without taking it in the shorts is a definite plus. Worrying about the price of PBW (from one of the non-gouging retailers) seems like more trouble than I want though. At $35 for 8# it's not terribly bad when you figure how many uses you get out of that 8#, and how little that use now costs.

Don't get me wrong, it's not name-brand snobbery at all. It's just that if I place an order and I also get my PBW, I save time, I save money because I'm not driving on Saturday morning to get what I forgot to get when I should have bought it from Midwest or NB, and I'm not mixing things when I should be drinking beer and grinding grains.

Some folks are obviously more organized than I am and remember to ask their wife to get the Oxyclean and they remember to get the TSP @ the man-store. Awesome! I ain't that guy though so I just have a jug of the stuff I remember to order online whenever the mood strikes me. I am paying for that convenience and I'm okay with it. :)
 
What brand monkey are you using? and what do they charge for shipping?



: )
You can have mine, I'm not using them anymore.. They are Southern Redneck Brand and go for snip and ship cost.
Heh heh heh
Wheelchair Bob
 
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