Isopropyl and plastics

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dbaker

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I've been brewing for a few years now and have made this mistake at least twice, and still haven't understood what is going on.

I'm using the bottling wand and racking cane that came with my equipment kit. (got it from LHBS) and once in a while I feel compelled to sanitize stuff with isopropyl alcohol.

I turn away and turn back, the hard plastic has cracked as though I stressed it somehow. How does this happen? Anyone else with this experience? If 70% alcohol is so bad for it, what about 5-6% over time?
 
Hey db, welcome to HBT!

Not every type of plastic can handle isopropyl alcohol. You'd be better off getting a bottle of Star San.

Cheers!
 
+1 to starsan, but if you're going to use household sanitizers, use a bleach solution, not isopropyl alcohol, that stuff has an ingredient in it that is not good for consumption (not that you'll be consuming it, but the residue might hang in there).
 
dbaker said:
I've been brewing for a few years now and have made this mistake at least twice, and still haven't understood what is going on.

I'm using the bottling wand and racking cane that came with my equipment kit. (got it from LHBS) and once in a while I feel compelled to sanitize stuff with isopropyl alcohol.

I turn away and turn back, the hard plastic has cracked as though I stressed it somehow. How does this happen? Anyone else with this experience? If 70% alcohol is so bad for it, what about 5-6% over time?
Click to expand...

That's crazing in the acrylic tubing caused by the alcohol. Acrylic doesn't like concentrated alcohol. Like the other poster said, ditch the rubbing alcohol and get a bottle of iodine based sanitizer (Iodophor or Star San) from your LHBS.
 

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