OXICLEAN leaves a white film on bottles...

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It's a pretty common reaction to oxyclean and the minerals in some folks water. It's so common we even have a name for it on here, "scale." The best way to get rid of it is with, a weak acid such as vinegar, lemon juice or the most common, Starsan.

When I am processing bottles I fill the left side of my sink with some starsan and water and after giving them a thorough rinse with my jet bottle washer to rinse off the oxyclean, I dunk them in for a couple minutes. But note, I do NOT count that as a bottle sanitizing step (I don't even know if the starsn loses it's efficacy dissolving the oxy-scale) and still sanitize on bottling day.
 
It's a pretty common reaction to oxyclean and the minerals in some folks water. It's so common we even have a name for it on here, "scale." The best way to get rid of it is with, a weak acid such as vinegar, lemon juice or the most common, Starsan.

When I am processing bottles I fill the left side of my sink with some starsan and water and after giving them a thorough rinse with my jet bottle washer to rinse off the oxyclean, I dunk them in for a couple minutes. But note, I do NOT count that as a bottle sanitizing step (I don't even know if the starsn loses it's efficacy dissolving the oxy-scale) and still sanitize on bottling day.

+1.... I fill two buckets, one with oxi water and the other with starsan. soak em in oxi and clean em up then into the starsan for a while to get rid of the scale. works like a charm.
 
Does this Oxiclean scale only happen with a longer soak? My current method of cleaning bottles is to only soak long enough to peal the labels off then wipe off the glue. I typically only have the bottles in the oxi water for 20-30 minutes then rinse right away and put on the bottle tree.
 
Does this Oxiclean scale only happen with a longer soak? My current method of cleaning bottles is to only soak long enough to peal the labels off then wipe off the glue. I typically only have the bottles in the oxi water for 20-30 minutes then rinse right away and put on the bottle tree.

no idea. I have water that is so hard it hurts to take a shower ( not too far from true lol) so that may be my issue.
 
My water is pretty hard as well. I hope we didn't get a white film on our bottles. I didn't look last time we bottled. The other guy sanitized them. I didn't notice anything when I filled them but I wasn't really looking. Oh well. It's bottled now. I will have to check better next time.
 
I use one wash with Oxyclean and a second with dilute vinegar. The result is a pleasingly clean and non-slippery bottle. Of course I sanitize on bottling day.
 
An interesting twist on this: I received from my pub/supplier two cases of Chang bottles (http://www.changbeer.com/) and although I've not had this problem with any other bottles, most of the Chang bottles ended up with a powdery residue around the neck which would not rinse off. So, I did the vinegar soak suggested above and it worked great.

The Chang bottles are a little different - no shoulders at all and they are noticeably heavier than regular 12 ounce bottles. Perhaps the glass is different and something in the glass reacts with the oxiclean?

Also, completely off-topic, but Chang sponsors the Everton soccer club in England, and this pub is a soccer bar, so when an Everton game is on, they sell a lot of Chang. I met the woman who sells Chang to the pub and she said this bar is her biggest customer for Chang in the midwest. And she also represents a number of single malt scotch producers. In addition to selling beer and fine scotch, she's pretty, witty and charming. Hmmmm . . . . .
 
Also, completely off-topic, but Chang sponsors the Everton soccer club in England, and this pub is a soccer bar, so when an Everton game is on, they sell a lot of Chang. I met the woman who sells Chang to the pub and she said this bar is her biggest customer for Chang in the midwest. And she also represents a number of single malt scotch producers. In addition to selling beer and fine scotch, she's pretty, witty and charming. Hmmmm . . . . .

No, no, Pappers, I don't think this is off-topic at all! :p;)
 
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