new kettle-how to clean?

Just picked up a new 7.5 gal SS brew kettle today. What's the best cleaners to use on it? I was just going to use a little oxyclean, is that ok?

Anything I shouldn't use?

Ugh, I feel like I should know this one, lol. Definitely clean it, but i'm not sure if oxyclean will react with the SS.

You will want to passivate it though before the first use. I'm assuming SS is done like aluminum, boil a pot of water for 30 minutes to build up a passive oxide layer.

Hope this tides you over till someone more knowledgeable can chime in.

Oxiclean is fine. Don't use bleach with ss as it will pit the ss.

Evan_L said:

Ugh, I feel like I should know this one, lol. Definitely clean it, but i'm not sure if oxyclean will react with the SS.

You will want to passivate it though before the first use. I'm assuming SS is done like aluminum, boil a pot of water for 30 minutes to build up a passive oxide layer.

Hope this tides you over till someone more knowledgeable can chime in.

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You can't build a passive oxide layer on ferrous (iron-based) metals. The oxides will flake off (like rust). Although the environment where you are using it is not nearly harsh or hot enough to cause significant oxidation. Use as few chemicals as possible. They aren't necessary. Use soap and water, rinse well, and use a sanitizer. That's it. Nothing else is necessary.

Bar keepers friend is an incredible product. Scorched honey to the bottom of my pot a few brews ago. Came off like nothing.

I use a product called Greased Lightening and a scotch-brite pad on my keggle.

Great commercial strength cleaner.

I like bar keepers friend also, really good for stainless does a great job you should be able to find it at a grocery store in powdered or spray form

Soap, water, and a sponge are the only things I've needed to keep mine clean. Unless you go scorching something in it I can't see why you'd need anything other than that.

Do not use any course scrubbers on stainless steel!!! Bar keepers friend works is an excellent product to clean and passivate stainless steal.

PBW and oxyclean (free if possible) work fine on SS. It is a real pain to get off the scale layer if you let that dry. You will want to rinse it off till its not soapy anymore, like squeaky clean. This would be my vote. Never used barkeepers friend, probably a good idea too.

I would hesitate to use any kind of other soap like liquid dish-soap, especially something with scent. I used dish-soap on my fermenter and it was impossible to get the odor and soapiness out without lye followed by acid no 6. This wasnt my situation, but see http://discussions.probrewer.com/showthread.php?14687-triclosan-band-aid-flavor-soap for a more in depth discussion.

The last resort, if you really want it clean is gear up and use BLC to clean your fermenter. Follow that with water rinse, then star san, then rinse with water. Check the pH of your rinse water to make sure its the same as your tap water pH. Idophor wont work in this procedure as its not acidic enough to neutralize the caustic.

Thx for the responses guys, my last brew kettle was a shiny SS and not brushed like this new one so that's why I'd figure I ask. With ole shiny, I'd just use ivory dish soap and the scrubby side of a sponge. It's new, so there aren't any stains or anything, I just want to clean it out prior to use

Would the ivory dish soap be ok for this?

freisste said:

You can't build a passive oxide layer on ferrous (iron-based) metals. The oxides will flake off (like rust).

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I am not sure that I entirely agree with this.

Passive oxidation on a SS kettle is necessary. In a new kettle, you do what the previous post said and boil plain water for about 20-30 mins and create that layer.
Harsh abrasives are not usually necesssary, although if you boil some of the passive layer off, just repeat the process and it starts building up again.

brewkinger said:

I am not sure that I entirely agree with this.

Passive oxidation on a SS kettle is necessary. In a new kettle, you do what the previous post said and boil plain water for about 20-30 mins and create that layer.
Harsh abrasives are not usually necesssary, although if you boil some of the passive layer off, just repeat the process and it starts building up again.

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I was once told this is only necessary with an aluminum kettle. I never did this with my SS kettle and haven't noticed a problem. My kettle had a polished look on the inside but I've seen SS pots with a rough look. Does that make any difference?

Ivory dish soap looks ok:
water, sodium lauryl sulfate, sodium laureth sulfate, alkyl dimethyl amine oxide, sodium choloride, PPG-26, cyclohexanediamine, phenoxyethanol, methylisothiazolinone and fragrance.

Read more: What Are the Chemical Ingredients in Ivory Liquid Dishwashing Soap? | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/info_8451122_chemical-ivory-liquid-dishwashing-soap.html#ixzz2LMiHNGO9

I would still avoid it, and use something else like oxyclean, oxyclean free, pbw, barkeepers friend, even star san.

I have to agree while altering what I said in my earlier post.
What union said is true and I change my wording to passive ox is NOT necessary in SS kettle but in fact is inherent in the process of routine boiling of water, wort, etc.
In my experiences, cheaper more economical SS kettles that are available (which arguably, many of us have) will definitely degrade with harsher treatment and will not stand up like higher end kettles. So it may not be necessary, but it is worth treating your equipment good to keep it working at peak.

It is most definitely closer to necessary for al kettles.....