How do I easily clean the shoulders of a PET carboy ?

[brewman !]

I've been brewing some fruit beers and I have several PET carboys with junk on the inside shoulders. Below the neck but above the carboy walls.

These carboys are really nasty in this area, with stuck on yeast krauzen, cinnamom, molasses, etc.

I build a high pressure/flow keg/carboy washer with a spray ball. I use PBW in it. It gets everything but the shoulders clean. I built a special fitting that sprays only the shoulders of the carboy. Still doesn't get it off. I built a spinning shammy thing that I use in my drill. Won't reach that area because the neck interferes with the spinning of the cloth.

How does one easily clean the shoulders of a plastic carboy ?

Thanks

 

[Snuffy]

You need one of those bent carboy brushes and some PBW.
Eagle Brewing CE40 Carboy Brush:Amazon:Industrial & Scientific

Then, just clamp yer tongue between yer teeth and get in there and scrub. Not sure “easily“ applies.

 

[Yooper]

If you fill the carboy with oxyclean or PBW and water, the carboy brush works great.

 

[brewman !]

You need one of those bent carboy brushes and some PBW.
Eagle Brewing CE40 Carboy Brush:Amazon:Industrial & Scientific

Then, just clamp yer tongue between yer teeth and get in there and scrub. Not sure “easily“ applies.

I was hoping for a better answer. I've got one of those and it is very frustrating getting gunk off the inside of carboys with it.

 

[brewman !]

If you fill the carboy with oxyclean or PBW and water, the carboy brush works great.

PBW doesn't touch this stuff. I had one carboy blasting in the washer with PBW for an hour.

 

[michaeltrego]

I soak my carboys for 24 hours full to the brim with hot water and a combo of oxiclean and PBW. If there is any residual crud (which is seldom and usually minimal), I drain the carboy leaving about a half gallon of liquid. Then I put a soft face cloth inside and shake the heck out of it, back and forth and swirling. This always gets it all and doesn't risk scratching it with a brush.

 

[Yooper]

PBW doesn't touch this stuff. I had one carboy blasting in the washer with PBW for an hour.

You have to soak it first, with hot water (but not hot enough to break the carboy!). Then use a carboy brush and work hard on it if it's really built up I guess.

I have carboys more than 20 years old, and they are totally clean. But I do clean them after I empty them, and use the carboy brush on areas that have crud on them. It's important to use a strong cleaner/alkaline cleaner to break up the organic matter and clean it, then rinse it.

 

[Snuffy]

I have carboys more than 20 years old, and they are totally clean. But I do clean them after I empty them, and use the carboy brush on areas that have crud on them.

I think that’s the key to key to keeping it from being such a PitA To clean. I only have glass carboys. I understand maybe not wanting to scrub a lot in a plastic one. if anybody discovers a product that will soak away the crud without scrubbing, please let me know. If it’s out there, my guess is it’s probably not safe for food use or plastics.

 

[Jag75]

I've always soaked in really hot water and pbw. If it's real bad I soak over night . I've never had to scrub the gunk out of them. Guess I've been lucky . A soft cloth and shakin like it owes you $$$ seems like a good idea.

 

[balrog]

have you tried soaking them overnight upside down? I found that any undissolved oxy/pbw granules sitting in contact with gunk can work. Perhaps making a pbw/oxy paste and applying.

 

[jack13]

have you tried soaking them overnight upside down? I found that any undissolved oxy/pbw granules sitting in contact with gunk can work. Perhaps making a pbw/oxy paste and applying.

This is basically what I do, but not overnight...just for a while. I put in a gallon or so of hot water w Oxyclean, turn upside down with a solid stopper on top. The neck goes into the drainhole in the sink, allowing it to stand upright (meaning upside-down in this case). Of course this may not work in every sink. And it's a double sink so I've still got a sink to use in the meantime.

Anyway, almost every time it's been totally clean when I check it a couple/few hours later, but a couple times I needed the brush, but it comes off real easy at that point.

 

[dwhite60]

I drop a washcloth in it, add my cleaner of choice, usually PBW or "One-Step", then swirl it around. Filling one of these to let it soak just seems wasteful. Just a quart or two of cleaner is enough. Probably takes a minute of swirling to get ALL the crap loose.

 

[Brewsncrabs]

Put a thick sock over the bent carboy brush. Presoak in hot water. Scrub gently. Works like a charm.

 

[IslandLizard]

Put a thick sock over the bent carboy brush. Presoak in hot water. Scrub gently. Works like a charm.

I've read that brushing/scrubbing may scratch the PET/plastic. After a good long soaking with washing soda, Oxiclean, PBW, etc. swirling a soft rag with some cleaning liquid seems to cause just enough friction to remove the last stubborn bits, without scratching.

 

[Jag75]

Put a thick sock over the bent carboy brush. Presoak in hot water. Scrub gently. Works like a charm.

Clean your socks at the same time , 2 birds 1 stone lol

 

[Snuffy]

Clean your socks at the same time , 2 birds 1 stone lol

 

[Deric]

 

[Brewbuzzard]

Go online and order you some Sodium Percarbonate. Pour some in the carboy then fill with hot water and let set. After an hour or so scrub the shoulder a bit then let set over night. It should come right off.

Sodium Percarbonate is the main ingredient in Oxiclean and I believe PBW.

 

[jma99]

Honestly, just fill the darn up with oxyclean and hot water, let sit overnight, and rinse.
Couldn't be any easier!

Betterbottles rock! Mine have NEVER even seen a brush!

 

[Brewbuzzard]

Honestly, just fill the darn up with oxyclean and hot water, let sit overnight, and rinse.
Couldn't be any easier!

Betterbottles rock! Mine have NEVER even seen a brush!

I was talking to my nephew yesterday about this and he cleans all his conical fermenters and bright tanks with PBW and swears it's better than straight Sodium Percarbonate. He owns Sable Creek Winery in Plainfield, Illinois. I've used both and still prefer the SP and its cheaper.

 

[balrog]

Be somewhat careful with "HOT" water -- Better Bottles and others are not rated well for handling water that is too hot. I could not find the video and do not know the temperature, so this post is pretty useless other than don't pour boiling water in your plastic carboy, or anything much above 125F IMHO.

 

[Brewbuzzard]

Be somewhat careful with "HOT" water -- Better Bottles and others are not rated well for handling water that is too hot. I could not find the video and do not know the temperature, so this post is pretty useless other than don't pour boiling water in your plastic carboy, or anything much above 125F IMHO.

You are correct! Use hot water from the tap or just hot enough to keep your hands in for a few seconds.

 

[SanPancho]

i second the face cloth/wash cloth technique. you only want maybe a cup of water and cleaner. invert so the cloth slides down to the shoulder, then shake and rotate so it spins around the shoulder. easy peasy