Broke my first carboy while cleaning with a wire brush

Well after 15 or so batches I've broken my first carboy. I was cleaning with a wire brush and this chunk just popped right out. Pretty disappointed but after hearing all the horror stories I figure I'm safer getting a couple better bottles and using the buckets I have.

If you're using a brush I would not switch to plastic. Wire brush, really? Scratches will leave places for bacteria to hide out.

I never use brushes for anything. Rinse out used buckets or carboys with warm water. Fill with warm water and Oxiclean Free solution and let sit for 24 hours. Rinse and dry. It removes everything! The only time I use a brush is for bottles that sit around and weren't rinsed properly (from friends).

I like glass carboys BTW. But I am really careful too.

It'll happen... Carboys can be kind of thin in spots. I've seen 2 break just like that.

Let me guess...when you inserted the carboy brush the metal tip of the brush sprung forward and slammed into the wall of the carboy?

I haven't done this myself but I remember thinking to myself that is a danger since it's so difficult to get the brush in and out of the neck so you have to force it through. For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

solbes said:

If you're using a brush I would not switch to plastic. Wire brush, really? Scratches will leave places for bacteria to hide out.

I never use brushes for anything. Rinse out used buckets or carboys with warm water. Fill with warm water and Oxiclean Free solution and let sit for 24 hours. Rinse and dry. It removes everything! The only time I use a brush is for bottles that sit around and weren't rinsed properly (from friends).

I like glass carboys BTW. But I am really careful too.

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this is not true. i use exactly the same brush he has in the picture to clean out my plastic better bottles and have done for the past 2 yrs, i've never had an unintentional sour beer. i ferment all of my beer in plastic fermentors, sour and not sour, all of the fermentors are scratched and i've never had a cross contamination. bacteria and wild yeast are not magical, they can be killed. if you put a deep gouge in a plastic bucket you might have something escape cleaning other than that i doubt any wild bugs are going to survive a proper cleaning/sanitation regime.

I clean out my better bottles (BB) with a rag that is put into the BB with warm water and oxy. I swish it around for a few minutes, rinse and repeat. Then I let it sit in warm water and oxy over night and that takes care of anything left over. I need to switch out all my glass carboys to BB but time and $$$ keep getting in the way.

Say it ain't so, Say it ain't so!!!!!!!!!!

Jayhem said:

Let me guess...when you inserted the carboy brush the metal tip of the brush sprung forward and slammed into the wall of the carboy?

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It was actually when I was spinning the brush around cleaning the sides The metal edge kinda got hung up on a groove and sprung forward like 2 inches. It really wasn't hard at all, I was shocked how easy it broke and it really scares me to use them again.

BTW, the white bristles are plastic and that nor the metal center scratches the glass.

Figures it happened the first time I've used it since etching marks from .5-5.25 gallons.

I can't see the pictures at work. I was assuming you meant metal wires (like a copper wire brush) for your wire brush. Sorry.

That does seem strange that a carboy broke because of that. I do believe some of the glass carboys have imperfections in them that can weaken the walls. I have 4 total and have not had an issue...yet.

cbehr said:

Figures it happened the first time I've used it since etching marks from .5-5.25 gallons.

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What do you mean by etching marks?

GunnyB said:

What do you mean by etching marks?

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If you mean you filed a mark in the glass at the 5.0 gallon mark and it broke in that same area then it is no wonder.

That's nothing a little duct tape won't fix.

Etching marks?! Sort of like using a glass cutter to cut a scratch where the glass will break at? If you used acid or a sand blaster to etch the surface I am cool with that, but if you scratched it, that's not a good plan, it's just like using a glass cutter.

GunnyB said:

What do you mean by etching marks?

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I used Armor etch that you can get @ AC Moore etc, check out the link. I'm not dumb enough to actually scratch/gouge the glass

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f51/marking-your-carboy-63174/

Some people will tell you to ditch glass and go to plastic, while others will say stick with glass. My advice is to ditch the carboy brush! I tried 5-Star PBW this past Christmas and will never use my carboy brush again. Just let it soak overnight in hot water and rinse out the next day.

Agree - I scrubbed one carboy w/ a brush. Then switched to PBW soak. Best thing ever! No muss, no fuss. Worth the price...

Is PBW soak much differnt than using oxyclean?

My understanding is that a significant component of PBW is an oxyclean type compound...

I believe they are similar but that PBW has more components than just oxyclean. It is essentially carbonic acid that dissolves organic materials. Be careful with it because it will cause skin irritation and chemical burns to your skin.