chlorine bleach

Is it an absolute no no to use scented chlorine bleach, or is it just not preferred, as a method of sanitizing equipment. i have some bleach whith chloramine in it and it is scented. i was just wondering if this is ok to sanitize my turkey baster and hydrometer equipment for a sample i want to take. maybe dilute a small amount in a lot of cold water?

if not, can i just put the stuff in a pot of boiling water to sanitize it? if so, for how long should it be in there to get really sanitized?

i have never had trouble with sented bleach... i prefer unsented or hypo-alergenic... but it works just fine as long as you rinse the piss out of it like you always should with bleech anyway...

and yes you can boil to sanitize too

Cheers

thanks a lot. the thing i have with rinsing is, does it make sense to sanitize, then rinse with tap water? couldn't the tap water re-introduce contaminants onto the already sanitized surface? i guess that is the advantage of no rinse sanitizers. probably unlikely that the rinse would intro new contaminants though, right?

baystatebrew said:

thanks a lot. the thing i have with rinsing is, does it make sense to sanitize, then rinse with tap water? couldn't the tap water re-introduce contaminants onto the already sanitized surface? i guess that is the advantage of no rinse sanitizers. probably unlikely that the rinse would intro new contaminants though, right?

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Exactly why most of us use no-rinse sanitizers like Iodophor and Star-San. I agree that the chances are not high of re-contaminating during a rinse, but with the better sanitizers available it's just unnecessary risk, and rinsing is a PITA anyway.

Bleach does work well, and I use it on all of my equipment every few brews because it also has great cleaning properties - but my final sanitization is always a no-rinse because it's easier and I don't have to worry about chlorine compounds making it into the final product.

In theory tap water could introduce new contaminants. In practice, that's very unlikely. I rinse (and brew) using unsterilized tap water and have never had any problems (touch wood).

Rinsing with tap water is certainly much better than not rinsing if you use bleach. Even the faintest whiff of bleach will taste NASTY, so you need to rinse very thoroughly after using it, until the smell is completely gone.

Since I managed to bleach a spot on the brand-new counter top, I stopped using bleach completely.

I only use Star San now. It is WAY easier on your hands, too.

:rockin:

Cpt_Kirks said:

Since I managed to bleach a spot on the brand-new counter top, I stopped using bleach completely.

I only use Star San now. It is WAY easier on your hands, too.

:rockin:

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As long as it's diluted, straight from the bottle and it will eat up your hands pretty bad.

Cpt_Kirks said:

Since I managed to bleach a spot on the brand-new counter top, I stopped using bleach completely.

I only use Star San now. It is WAY easier on your hands, too.

:rockin:

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I had a small issue with Starsan on a countertop as well, so I use plastic sheet under the paper toweling when setting down sanitized equipment.

I also routinely top off the primary (just after pitching the yeast) with tap water and have never had an infection. I do let it run a bit before pouring into the fermenter, however. YMMV, particularly if you have a private well.

baystatebrew said:

i was just wondering if this is ok to sanitize my turkey baster and hydrometer equipment for a sample i want to take. maybe dilute a small amount in a lot of cold water?

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The hydro gear does not need to be santized as you will not be returning the sample to the fermenter. The baster should be sanitized.

It has been reported that scented bleach is really hard to get out of plastic. I'd make a trip to the store and get a $1 bottle of the cheapest generic unscented bleach available. The JOHB quotes 1-2 oz in 5gal, and thorough rinsing afterwards.

There is also a bleach/water/vinegar no-rinse technique if you are safe with procedures and measurements. The starsan inventor discusses it in a podcast.

I'd just buy Starsan and use that. Bleach needs to be rinsed out very well, and although that might not be a problem with your water, it also might. Diluted properly, Starsan can last a good long time. You can store it for a long time and not need to remix another batch sometimes for weeks or months.

Seriously, you *could* use bleach, but I recommend starsan, and never rinse it. Let it drip. 30 seconds of contact time is all it needs, and you can put your beer right onto the residue and not worry about it. It's just the bomb!

What is the proper ratio for diluting starsan?

fratermus said:

It has been reported that scented bleach is really hard to get out of plastic. I'd make a trip to the store and get a $1 bottle of the cheapest generic unscented bleach available. The JOHB quotes 1-2 oz in 5gal, and thorough rinsing afterwards.

There is also a bleach/water/vinegar no-rinse technique if you are safe with procedures and measurements. The starsan inventor discusses it in a podcast.

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In the podcast with Star San inventor mentioned above, Charlie Talley also says that scented bleach tends to have a lot of laundry additives in it that reduces the effectiveness of the bleach as a sanitizer. He also recommends unscented bleach because it will be a more effective killing agent to the nasties on your equipment. The best stuff is the cheapest, no-name bleach you can find.

spriggan486 said:

What is the proper ratio for diluting starsan?

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IIRC it's one ounce per 5 gallons of water. The containers have a little doohicky built in that makes getting the right amount super easy. I usually do 2.5 gallons on brew day and add some to a spray bottle and keep that on hand. The rest goes into my kettle, carboy, and bucket, where I place my small brewing supplies. Then into a large pot in case I need more sanitation before I'm through.

Some people mix 5 gallons into a Better Bottle, or some other large plastic bottle and it can be used for several months if you mix with soft water.

I think I paid less than $8 for my bottle and I've not been careful about saving it after each use. I just mix fresh each time. If I brewed more often, I'd probably use it for several batches, like some people on here do.

It's just so easy! Wet your stuff with it, and let the excess run off. 30 seconds later, your stuff is ready!

On the newest episode of Brew Strong about Sanitation, Jon Herskovits from Five Star said that bleach isn't a very effective sanitizer unless the pH is less than 9 which you don't get at normal dilution rates. Also bleach degrades it's effectiveness overtime in the bottle so your old bleach bottle might not be as powerful as you think. Food for thought.

thanks guys...is there a place to get starsan cheaper than a homebrew shop? do hardware stores sell it or is a special product for brewers?

I've never seen it anywhere but at brewing supply stores. Check the starsan website? Of order from midwest, northern, or austin brewing supply stores online. I doubt something like this would exist in the standard homegoods area of a store.