Anyone ever use oxyclean as a no rinse sani?

[monel_funkawitz]

Bought a tub of no rinse, and that is all this stuff is. I tried a small sample and it worked. Anyone else ever do this? Oxyclean is a heck of alot cheaper.

 

[GinKings]

I use Oxyclean all the time as a cleaner. I would never, ever use it as a no-rinse sanitizer. A small bottle of Star san costs $8. Considering the time and expense that goes into a cider, mead, etc, is it worth the risk to save a few pennies?

 

[daughterofthesun]

I've used Oxyclean for a nice bottle cleaner, slips those labels right off! However, it is not appropriate as a sanitizer. Star san is the way to go, and that $8 bottle will make a LOT of gallons of the stuff.

Just remember, the foam is your friend...

 

[kh54s10]

I agree. Oxyclean is a cleaner not a sanitizer. My preference for sanitizing is Starsan.

Besides that if you don't rinse it leaves a slimy film on the equipment.

 

[Revvy]

Use a cleanser to clean and a sanitizer to sanitize, and if something says that it is a cleanser that you can use also as a sanitizer (like one step or c-brite) use it as a cleanser and buy a bottle of starsan or iodophor to sanitze.

 

[dwarven_stout]

Oxyclean is a cleaner, not a sanitizer. You must use both for an effective sanitation regime.
Oxyclean should not be used without rinsing.
Oxyclean is not the same as no rinse, PBW or any other winery/brewery/cidery cleaning product.

Does that clear things up?

 

[monel_funkawitz]

Apparently this subject was brought up here before. Here is all that I found.

I received the msds from one step sanitizer, and the ingredients are sodium percarbonate and sodium carbonate.

Sodium carbonate serves to "soften" hard waters and make water "wetter".

Sodium percarbonate on contact with water releases oxygen by converting to hydrogen peroxide.

Oxyclean is sodium percarbonate, sodium carbonate, dye, perfume, and surfactants. So it is a really effective sanitizer, however it leaves perfume behind.

In a pinch, regular hydrogen peroxide makes an excellent no rinse sanitizer. Oxyclean cannot be used from residual perfumes.

Now, sodium percarbonate can be purchased online in bulk with a HUGE cost savings vs buying things like one step sanitizer.

 

[mattd2]

I think what most people are saying is really - Sodium percarbonate is not really a good santiser (and most would say one-step is not a sanitiser), yes they could be used but there are much more effective (and just as cheap) sanitisers out there. I use starsan in a spray bottle for all my sanitising. It has yet to drop much below the 8 oz line and I have had it 2 years (shows how much i get to brew more than anything though )

 

[GinKings]

Sanitizing with One-step was popular back when I first started brewing. Then again, so was sanitizing with bleach.

 

[LeBreton]

I would advise all cidermakers against using oxyclean, one-step, or any similar product as a no rinse sanitizer. The hydrogen peroxide formed by these agents is highly reductive and will release oxygen into your cider, reducing the level of free SO2 which protect your cider from infection etc and potentially oxidizing the cider enough to cause noticeable changes in color, aroma, and taste.

While not really a factor danger while still in the juice phase, once your cider has fermented limit all cider-air contact.

 

[irchowi]

What is the difference between cleaning and sanitizing?

 

[monel_funkawitz]

Cleaning - washing, removing residue, etc

Sanitizing - making sterile, killing all bacteria and yeasts


Big difference between the both.

 

[Revvy]

Cleaning - washing, removing residue, etc

Sanitizing - making sterile, killing all bacteria and yeasts


Big difference between the both.

Close...We don't sterilize unless we have access to an autoclave, or even a pressure canner. Or are using boiling water. Otherwise all we do is sanitize.

When we sanitize we are killing off any microorganism on the surface. BUT when we use a wet contact/no rinse sanitizer (Not rinsing OR letting the sanitizer dry on the surface of the object) we are also creating a protective barrier on the object which prevents and subsequent micro organisms from rendering it unsanitized. It's like a double edge sword...it kills whatever's on there, but also kills anything that comes into contact with it after the initial kill, for as long as the surface is wet.

 

[Kashue]

My 2 cents-

I use 0ne-step because it's all my LHB source has. It's worked okay, I've produced 1 decent batch of cider and one really tasty one, and 2 more healthily fizzing away. But I'd put some caveats on there:

One step is basically what they rinse dishes with at restaurants. It adds a bit of sanitizing and rinse power and isn't toxic. However as others have said, it chemically reacts as it breaks down, releasing oxygen. It also takes some stirring to dissolve the granules. This gives us two things to watch for: that you fully dissolve it so you don't have granules in your cider, and that you LET IT SIT. The jar does not list a safe lifetime before it stops releasing oxygen because that's not important for serving food, but probably an hour or more is safe. AND! Be sure you don't use too much, or it will leave residue. I usually err on the side of too little; if the water feels "Silky" that's enough.

Another caveat is that since one-step water breaks down to, well, just water, you CANNOT use it to fill your airlock like you can with some other cleaners. I just use vodka anyway.

So for me one step hasn't been a problem, but when I'm out i'll probably switch to a more foolproof agent. As it's been said above, they're all pretty cost-effective and one-step has too many buts. And I wouldn't use oxy clean since it's not for food or food surfaces.