Cleaning small blowoff tube

So, I recently brewed a huge Imperial Stout. I pitched it on a yeast cake in a 7 gal "ale pail" bucket. I used a hose attached to the base of a 3-piece airlock into 1/2 gallon of water in a 1 gallon jug. Fermentation filled the 1 gallon jug to just overflowing and filled the blowoff hose with beer and kreusen.

How the heck to I clean out the blowoff tube? I was hoping that soaking and rinsing would work, but that stuff won't come off. Ideas?

On a related note, the 3 piece airlock I had came with some used carboys I recently bought. It did not have the 'X' which was nice for a vigorous fermentation like this (less likely to clog). Are these available somewhere, or are they a relic?

Cheers!

They sell a "line cleaner brush" on morebeer.com. I don't know how long it is exactly, but it's a few feet. You just push it through and twist a bit. I've never used one, but I know they exist.

They sell them for different diameter tubes as well, depending on how wide.

Furthermore, I'm sure you might find something similar at a kitchen store...maybe.

EDIT: check this thread https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/cleaning-blowoff-tube-119699/

It looks like at least one person recommends against the line brush as it might make sanitizing more difficult

I just took a pair of pliers to the "x" on my 3 piece air locks to break it off. A long screwdriver would also work.

TheMan - I must have typo'd my search. D'oh! Thanks though.. that's what I need to know.

Apollo - I cut the 'X' from some airlocks as well, but this creates small scratches/cracks which could cause sanitation problems. That's why I thought the airlocks made without the 'X' were cool. I had never seen one before.

Hello folks, Billy Mays here!

I'd like to introduce you to an amazing cleaning product called Oxyclean!

+1 for OxyClean the stuff is MAGICAL!

-1 for Oxy.

I did a wheat a couple weeks ago using a blow off tube. Soaked it in Oxy for two days. Better results than plain water but it didn't do the job.

Bonneville said:

I cut the 'X' from some airlocks as well, but this creates small scratches/cracks which could cause sanitation problems. That's why I thought the airlocks made without the 'X' were cool. I had never seen one before.

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I didn't even worry about that. If you have good cleaning/sanitization practices I don't think it'd be an issue. The first thing I do when I get a new airlock is break that thing off and I've never had a problem (~1 year so far).

Vinyl tubing is real cheap, when in doubt replace it!

Schnitzengiggle said:

Vinyl tubing is real cheap, when in doubt replace it!

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That's what I do...

can I just use the stuff I see at home depot or does it need to be something special. I ask this because it is three times the cost at the lhbs. Maybe it is a different kind of plastic?

vinyl is vinyl, home depot, lowe's, ace, ultimately it all is made of vinyl, some is more suited for higher temps, but for blow-off's or general racking or transferring of cooled wort, the hardware store stuff is fine.

+1 replace as needed.
although for blowoff, not transferring, I use mine for a few brews before I toss it.
Clorox CleanUp gets the gunk out very quickly, followed by thorough rinsing to get the bleach out.

Lowes has black vinyl tubing for 17 cents a foot, go buy like 20 feet of it, only use it for blowoffs and toss it when nasty!