Soaking/Cleaning Tubing?

So I'm on the better bottle site, and they have this PET lined tubing now. I'm wondering, are the advantages really that great compared to the standard (clear) tubing you can pick up at the LHBS?

On the BB site it says you have to soak your tubing (racking/bottling) for hours if you're using the standard stuff, as it carries over flavors and plasticy-ness. What's the deal? Do I need to go out and replace all my tubing -- or has better bottle succeeded in filling me with hyperbole?

I think the only advantage is for the BB folks. They inflate the prices of their proprietary products so high they have to be making a killing.

Indeed. So I guess the regular tubing is fine for the us peasants?

That is what most of us peasants use and it seems to work just fine. I love my BB but the accessories are just ridiculously priced.

Nurmey said:

That is what most of us peasants use and it seems to work just fine. I love my BB but the accessories are just ridiculously priced.

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I hear that.

What's the generally recommended way of cleaning the "standard" tubing?

I just soak my tubing in oxyclean, rinse it and then soak in StarSan.

If you want to shell out $$ silicone tubing is the way to go. It can be boiled in water to sterilize it (yes I said sterile).

Saccharomyces said:

I just soak my tubing in oxyclean, rinse it and then soak in StarSan.

If you want to shell out $$ silicone tubing is the way to go. It can be boiled in water to sterilize it (yes I said sterile).

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It NOT truly sterile unless it gets boiled at 15psi for about 15 minutes!

I would says it damned clean once boiled!!!

The only drawback with oxyclean and vinyl tubing is that depending on the chemistry of your water and the phases of the moon, they may develop an opacity or even a scale (rough crystal like hard patches)...Soaking them quickly in a weak acid solution such a vinegar or starsan will help.

The opacity or the scale doesn't really affect anything, it's just kind of annoying.

Thakns for the reminder. I replace my hoses around every 6 months. If you buy in bulk the price isn't that bad.

Sorry to jump in on an old post, but to be sure things are ok, my tubing that I soaked in oxyclean today now looks cloudy or chalky. Is it ok to use, or should I replace it?

It's fine. Give it a good rinse and sanitize as usual.