First time using equipment

Do you need to wash your brewing equipment the first time you use it after purchasing it brand new? I know the equipment will need to be sanitized, but I don't see any instructions about washing it pre-use. My kit came with a cleaning packet for post-use, but that is all.

Cheers!

Yes...there are oils on the new stuff you don't want in your beer!

Probably not necesasry, but also wouldn't hurt. I would at least rinse it in hot water to get rid of any dust or grime it picked up during packaging/shipping.

I would at least sanitize, for sure. There may not be visible signs of dirt/grime but there is definitely room for micro-bacteria or wild yeast to hide. One spritz of sanitizer will kill everything that could possibly harm your first use.

Take 10 minutes and wash it. You don't know what manufacturing residues are on it, much less what got picked up during shipment, storing, being on the shelf, etc.

You wouldn't use a new pot or new dishes without washing them first, would you?

I'll wash it before use just to be safe.

One other quick question. In the video I'm watching they fill up the bottling bucket with sanitizer solution and then use that to sanitize equipment. They also put the 5 gal of sanitizer into the carboy to sanitize that.

Can I make the solution in the carboy and after I let it soak for a bit transfer the sanitizer back to the bottling bucket to soak my other parts? Or should I make up two batches of sanitized water?

Cheers!

P.S. Thanks for the fast responses. It really helps -- especially for the newbie

Don't make 2 batches. In fact, I'd only make about a gallon worth. You can pour some in your carboy and swirl it around, and if you put some in a spray bottle you can spray the bucket down and not use nearly as much sanitizer. In fact, a spray bottle is fairly common practice for all brewday sanitation. I don't see a reason to make that much sanitizer. It is essentailly reuseable, and I am told you can save it for as long as it foams when you shake it in the bottle.