Cleaning plastic fermenters with soft sponge

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billymeter

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Is it okay to clean plastic fermenter buckets using a soft sponge? I'm concerned if the sponge would scratch the inside. I know that I should NOT use a sponge when sanitizing. Thanks for your input!
:mug:
 
FWIW, in my Better Bottle plastic carboy, I just use an oxiclean soak and some shaking. I wouldn't think that a soft sponge or soapy cloth would hurt a bucket.
 
if you can rub it on your skin up and down and it doens't irritate the skin, it will not scratch the bucket

I soak with PBW or Oxiclean for an hour and rinse with high pressure water.
 
There is no reason not to use a soft sponge if you want. Me, I just prefer not to get my fingers in trub if I don't have to.
 
Just curious, why should we not use a sponge when sanitizing?

I have a sponge dedicated to my homebrewing, it sits in my iodine solution on my brew or bottling days and I have always used my sponge for sanitizing. I love my sponge, what gives?

I could see it being a no no to grab an old mildewed dishrag from the sink or something.
 
When I'm sanitizing I take a sponge that is just for my brewing and soak it with One Step Sanitizer. I then wipe off all the countertops and then let everything soak in sanitizer in the bucket. Once it soaks for a few minutes than I simply put everything on the sanitized countertops to dry before use that evening. I give it about an hour and even if its not dry i still use it. I figure its one step no rinse sanitizer for a reason. I haven't had a bad batch of beer yet, in fact they all turn out really good! Where you you all put your sanitized equipment while your waiting to use it the night of boiling, racking, etc?
 
I sanitize just as I'm about to use it. I typically grab whatever I'm going to use right out of the bucket of sanitizer and use it.

For instance when I bottle, I dunk the bottle in sanitizer, pour it out, fill it with beer and cap it. That is the beauty of no rinse sanitizers.

Sorry OP, not meaning to thread jack you :)
 
I use a sponge or washcloth to clean the gunk, and then I sanitize it shortly before I use it.
 
On my plastic "Ale Pales" I soak them with oxiclean for a day or so and then just rinse them off with warm water. If there is any stuck residue, I use my hand to wipe it away. The oxiclean does about 99% of the work.
 
I use Brillo pads to clean my plastic buckets and better bottles, I scrub as hard as I can!

My better bottles are no longer clear, is that bad?:ban:
 
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