Soaking in Oxyclean

I've seen several people talking about using Oxyclean on here before. I have two questions.
1) Is it just commercial Oxyclean or do I need some special kind?
2) How long do I soak stuff in it?

I usually use starsan as a sanitizer but some of my equipment is starting to look a little colored and I thought this might be beneficial.

Consumer unscented Oxyclean. I pick up a tub at Wally World for cheap $$.

I cleaned a totally crudded up carboy just yesterday. Dumped in two tablespoons of Oxy, filled it to the top with hot tap water, let it sit undisturbed for around 90 minutes, and all the crud was sitting on the bottom. A thorough rinse with hot water followed by swirling a couple of cups of standard Star San solution and that carboy was squeaky clean inside and out.

I haven't used a carboy brush since I started the above regimen. And at the rate I'm using it, that tub of Oxy will last a couple of years...

Cheers!

I once had a large tub of bottles soaking in Oxyclean in order to get the labels off. For some reason I let these go for over a week and upon rinsing the bottles I found a white film that just would not go away regardless of thr rinsing. Fortunately a member of this forum told me to soak the bottles for 15 minutes in Starsan and this easily removed any dried on flim from the oxyclean.

2 table spoons for a 5 gallon carboy?? wow. i've been using way too much. good to know

msa8967 said:

I once had a large tub of bottles soaking in Oxyclean in order to get the labels off. For some reason I let these go for over a week and upon rinsing the bottles I found a white film that just would not go away regardless of thr rinsing. Fortunately a member of this forum told me to soak the bottles for 15 minutes in Starsan and this easily removed any dried on flim from the oxyclean.

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The key to oxy clean is to keep it hot or warm when it is allowed to go cold the film starts. I delable bottles in a 150 quart cooler it stays hot for a while.

bcryan said:

2 table spoons for a 5 gallon carboy?? wow. i've been using way too much. good to know

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Actually, a 6.5 gallon carboy. And yes, just the two tablespoons dumped in, then fill to the rim with hot tap water. It's actually amazingly effective stuff - damned near witchcraft - when you see it in action.

The white film mentioned is probably precipitated carbonates, which will vary depending on the water supply as well as how cold the solution becomes over time. I've never had to let a carboy soak more than a couple of hours so the Oxy stays pretty warm which probably keeps stuff from falling out of solution...

Cheers!

murppie said:

I usually use starsan as a sanitizer but some of my equipment is starting to look a little colored and I thought this might be beneficial.

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to make it obvious just incase it wasnt- you should still be using starsan to sanitize, oxiclean is not meant to replace it.

Roger that on the starsan to sanitize. Thanks for all the great advice!

Anyone use Iodophor instead of starsan?

I use idophor. Easier on my hands and no foam. The foam is a pain! Be sure to give it two minutes to sanitize.

Ya I use it too. Works very well plus it's natural, only problem is the kegs don't like it too much lol

jsmoon888 said:

I use idophor. Easier on my hands and no foam. The foam is a pain! Be sure to give it two minutes to sanitize.

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Yep...I use Idophor for all of my sanitizing....works like a charm.

I remember reading somewhere that One-Step is basically the same as Oxy-Clean. Can anyone confirm that?

Yes, oxy-clean is basically the same thing as one-step. While not quite identical, they can perform the same function.