Hose Cleaning/Sanitizing

[Mitch S]

Hopefully I am not beating a dead horse with this thread, but had a few question on best practices for cleaning and sanitizing hoses.

I use the clear hoses for everything from blow-off to transfer (no longer to secondary, though, after going through this forum!). My process is to rinse with hot tap water to remove the large leftovers, soak in warm to hot PBW for 30 minutes, rinse, let dry, then sanitize with Starsan prior to brewing (usually through in a bucket with Starsan for a few minutes).

The 2 issues I have are drying and discoloration in my blow off hoses. It seems that when I hang a hose up to dry, it takes a few days to fully dry. Usually after 2 days there is some visible moisture (similar to condensation) in the lines. Any recommendations on how to eliminate that? As for my blow off lines, I've seen the hose take on a brown color after use. It seems to disappear somewhat during cleaning, but I still see a brown tint. The hose doesn't smell, and the particular one I noticed this on was brand new. Anyone else encountered this and have any recommendations?

 

[SEndorf]

I'd relax and have a homebrew....
It's a blowoff, not a beer line. But I understand the desire for nice looking hoses.
If you want to remove the discoloration, put in VERY hot PBW and let them soak for several days.
This does the trick for my silicone beer hoses.

 

[Mitch S]

I'd relax and have a homebrew....
It's a blowoff, not a beer line. But I understand the desire for nice looking hoses.
If you want to remove the discoloration, put in VERY hot PBW and let them soak for several days.
This does the trick for my silicone beer hoses.

Works for me! Just was interesting as I had other hoses not do that; just this particular blow off hose.

 

[wyowolf]

every few brews or so I hook everything up plate chiller pump filter hoses etc and fill few gals with PBW and just let it run for awhile at 180 or so... just in case anything is hiding somewhere... so far no issues with that.

 

[TennBrewer]

First, one of the unique methods for drying hoses that I heard of is to twirl them overhead very fast. The centrifugal force drives out most of the liquid. Next, I have had some issues with bits of black mold in some hoses. This usually gets the hose trashed and replaced with a new one. But I have found that after washing and rinsing the hoses, a dip in sanitizer solution before hanging to dry usually does the trick. Since I have started doing this I have not seen any moldy bits growing in the hoses. BTW, if using sanitizer as a final step, avoid soaking them in Iodophor, SaniClean, or any other iodine based sanitizer. It will permanently stain the hose.

 

[Mitch S]

First, one of the unique methods for drying hoses that I heard of is to twirl them overhead very fast. The centrifugal force drives out most of the liquid. Next, I have had some issues with bits of black mold in some hoses. This usually gets the hose trashed and replaced with a new one. But I have found that after washing and rinsing the hoses, a dip in sanitizer solution before hanging to dry usually does the trick. Since I have started doing this I have not seen any moldy bits growing in the hoses. BTW, if using sanitizer as a final step, avoid soaking them in Iodophor, SaniClean, or any other iodine based sanitizer. It will permanently stain the hose.

So I ran hot water through two of my hoses last night and then twirled them above my head. Already see a difference! As for sanitizer, I use StarSan. 15+ years ago when I was in scouts, iodine tablets were what we used to purify water (someone lost the dip hose to our hand pump filter...). That taste is enough to make me wary of using Iodine...

 

[augiedoggy]

So I ran hot water through two of my hoses last night and then twirled them above my head. Already see a difference! ...

Did you stand on one leg and hop while doing this? Its more effective .

(Just kidding of course) I saw this and just couldnt resist.. I know it works, it just sounds funny to hear it be suggested and implented..

 

[homebrewer_99]

I spin mine too.

Most of the time I feel like I'm a Bushman...whirlwhirlwhirlwhirlwhirlwhirl...other times I'm a helicopter pilot.

 

[piojo]

I like my hose stored perfectly dry, so after spinning it around, I do one of two things (or both):

• I use a magnet to pin it to the side of my fridge where it gets quite warm
• I spray the inside with 99% isopropyl alcohol to both mix with the water and help it flow out, and to azeotropically dry the water. Theoretically, this will evaporate even faster than straight isopropyl alcohol would.

 

[augiedoggy]

I just rinse mine in water and throw them in an empty bucket... I must be lucky because I have never gotten any mold or funk from this in over 5 years.

 

[balrog]

NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOO!

You cannot twirl overhead swinging the hose in the horizontal plane, that is so wrong.
You must twirl the hose BESIDE you in the vertical plane.

Sheesh. So much misinformation on this site!

</sarcasm>

 

[Murphys_Law]

This thread reminds me of an old Rodney Carrington joke...helicopter, helicopter, helicopter!

Ok, sorry!

 

[Moose_MI]

NO NO NO NO NOOOOOOOO!

You cannot twirl overhead swinging the hose in the horizontal plane, that is so wrong.
You must twirl the hose BESIDE you in the vertical plane.

Sheesh. So much misinformation on this site!

</sarcasm>

It depends if your extract or all-grain brewing.

 

[SEndorf]

Y'all got it wrong !
Twirling is for amateurs.
Gotta go num-chuk with your hoses...…..

 

[4of7]

Same hoses I started with ..... if in doubt throw it out..

 

[augiedoggy]

On a serious note, They will get stained over time. Some of mine are pretty brown looking but it absolutely does not effect function or taste. The whole contamination thing is way overplayed here, its actually fairly rare to get an infection and hoses can be boiled or starsaned to sanitize. If its the cosmetics your concerned with soak as recommended above or replace.

 

[balrog]

@augiedoggy , you mean does not, right?

 

[augiedoggy]

@augiedoggy , you mean does not, right?

Correct. sorry

 

[mopar440_6]

I spin my hoses to dry them out too. I've got a couple silicone hoses that are starting to get pretty discolored. How often are you guys replacing your silicone lines? Or will a long soak in hot PBW followed with some StarSan take care of any issues?

 

[day_trippr]

My boil-side hoses are getting pretty dark. Recirculating 150°F PBW doesn't touch the color much any more, though it still knocks the funk out of them. I'm pretty close to swapping the hlt-side hoses over to boil-side duty and replacing those...

Cheers!

 

[balrog]

I only use one silicone tubing for racking & just rinse immediately after use and run StarSan through autosiphon & hose. Then maybe every 3-4 batches when I"m soaking/cleaning bottles, I'll run the homemade pbw through them. Then maybe boil the silicone 2-3 times a year, tops, for good measure.

 

[4of7]

Hopefully I am not beating a dead horse with this thread, but had a few question on best practices for cleaning and sanitizing hoses.

I use the clear hoses for everything from blow-off to transfer (no longer to secondary, though, after going through this forum!). My process is to rinse with hot tap water to remove the large leftovers, soak in warm to hot PBW for 30 minutes, rinse, let dry, then sanitize with Starsan prior to brewing (usually through in a bucket with Starsan for a few minutes).

The 2 issues I have are drying and discoloration in my blow off hoses. It seems that when I hang a hose up to dry, it takes a few days to fully dry. Usually after 2 days there is some visible moisture (similar to condensation) in the lines. Any recommendations on how to eliminate that? As for my blow off lines, I've seen the hose take on a brown color after use. It seems to disappear somewhat during cleaning, but I still see a brown tint. The hose doesn't smell, and the particular one I noticed this on was brand new. Anyone else encountered this and have any recommendations?

blow off hoses clean hose with oxy, rinse,starsan,and hang vertical to dry...on brew day starsan

 

[day_trippr]

Same color as in your avatar
My boil-side or blow-off hoses aren't that dark but they're still a looong way from new...

Cheers!

 

[augiedoggy]

Same color as in your avatar
My boil-side or blow-off hoses aren't that dark but they're still a looong way from new...

Cheers!

same here, been using them over 5 years.. no issues , just stained.

 

[4of7]

Same color as in your avatar
My boil-side or blow-off hoses aren't that dark but they're still a looong way from new...

Cheers!

I call it seasoned from many uses..I wonder if it comes in ss