Is Oxyclean a good Sanitizer?

[britishbloke]

I recently cleaned out two secondaries but found id run out of One Step.

I was wondering if Oxyclean is good to use?

:cross:

 

[user 4295]

I have never used it, but I have read that Oxyclean (only the unscented type) is a very good cleaner. However, it IS NOT a sanitizer.

John

 

[2nd Street Brewery]

As john says Oxy is a cleaner not a sanitizer. Use a diluted bleech(gasp ) solution and rinse well.

 

[the_bird]

Spend $4 on a bottle of Iodophor, works like a charm, and no worries about rinsing.

Star-San, too (haven't used it myself, though).

 

[debtman7]

I'm going out on a limb here, but I'm willing to bet that oxi clean is in fact a sanitizer. The active ingredient is Sodium Percarbonate which breaks down into hydrogen peroxide in water. Hydrogen Peroxide is a sanitizer, in fact has been approved as one by the FDA. I'm 99% sure that Sodium Percarbonate is also the active ingredient in one step, which although not FDA approved, is considered a sanitizer. Unlike one step, however, oxyclean has added fragrances/detergents, so it would need to be rinsed.

The big problem I see with using OxyClean to sanitize is that the concentrations aren't known, so you'd have to guess how much to use to effectively sanitize.

 

[user 6240]

yea, what he said

 

[Beer Weevel]

Debitman7 is correct!!! It's a sanitizer in the proper concentrations but I always overdo it anyway. If a little work, a little more will work better!!!:rockin:

 

[Beer Weevel]

I just had to do it, I went an checked the active ingredient in each and they are the same Sodium PerCarbonate this being the same should'nt the mixtures be close or the same as to concentrations? Which in fact would make oxyclean a sanitizer?

 

[dantodd]

I wonder if ORP (Oxidation reduction potential) measurements would tell us about the appropriate concentration. I know a lot of aquarium folks use ORP probes.

 

[bikebryan]

I just had to do it, I went an checked the active ingredient in each and they are the same Sodium PerCarbonate this being the same should'nt the mixtures be close or the same as to concentrations? Which in fact would make oxyclean a sanitizer?

Just because they have the same active ingredient doesn't mean the concentration of the active ingredients are the same.

I've seen bottles of iodophor that are mixed at different ratios to get the same end concentration (as an example of what I've speaking of).

 

[dantodd]

gotta love google. iodometric tirtation is the standard test used to test the oxidation potential of a mixture. The only test kits I've found to date are for testing water for chlorine. I'm guessing that oxyclean and onestep would both overpower these kits in a heartbeat. I guess we could mix 1/10th strength or something into distilled/RO water and then compare the amount required to get similar titration results. This would then lead us to a number representing the amount of oxy-clean needed to be equal to onestep.


edit: duh... pool chlorine test kits that are titration kits should also work. I have a test kit for my spa that uses a sodium percarbonate sanitizer. Unfortunately it is a dip test and probably not in the correct range. I'll see about finding a titration test and/or just test it wit various strengths of onestep until I get a reading in scale. I should then be able to match results with oxy-clean. Now all I have to do is get less lazy and actually get a new test kit and do this. I will post results if I do.

 

[Beer Weevel]

That's too much work I've never had a problem with one step,oxy clean,idophor or any other sanitizer after several years of brewing I'v never had an infection of any type that I know of. Sooooo if it's not broken don' fix it!!!

 

[dantodd]

Work is half the fun! I just used my dip strips on an old bucket of onestep and it came out in the measurement range so I think I can do this the simple way. I'll have to pick up some oxyclean and give it a try.

 

[Igorstien]

If i think about it ( am i'm half in the bag right now) i have a YSI probe at work. Again, if I think about it.....I'll mix up at batch of what the local HBS has (oxy-san) which they claim is a sanitizer. One tablespoon for one gallon of water.

I'll ORP it and see what the meter shows, and post the results.....If I remember..........................................................................

IGOR

Here is the stuff i have....
https://cdn.homebrewtalk.com/gallery/data/1/1826-IMG_3436.jpg

 

[Porcelon]

I've used sanitizer and oxyclean and they are virtually the same. Oxyclean has a bit of detergent in it, so it's harder to rinse out. I started to use it when I ran out of sanitizer.

When I sanitize bottles I use a scoop per 5 gal. (about a tablespoon) It takes about 3 rinses to get the detergent off, which makes the glass slippery.

Matt

 

[Trappist Artist]

The other great thing about one hydrogen peroxide is that it decomposes to water and oxygen pretty quickly under heat, so you don't have to worry about weird sanitizers possibly getting into your beer!

Edit: Ale yeast uses oxygen to grow so it has to have enzymes (catalase) to deal with weird oxygen derivitives like hydrogen peroxide.

 

[Orfy]

I use oxyclean, then a sanitise then rinse.

So do we have a definitive answer.

My oxyclean only tells me how to get stains out of shirts!