Quick sanitising of small items

[GabrielKnight]

Anyone else often find that they want to quickly sanitise a one off, small item like a thermomenter, hydrometer or spoon but don't want to fill up a large vessel with warm water and chemicals to do it? Are there any easier solutions?

I realise there are no-rinse chems on the market, but they have to be carefully diluted to the correct ratio, then bottled into sprayers, then have variable shelf-lives that have to be monitored etc. Is there anything even simpler?

I was wondering if there was a natural product that can be used straight from the bottle and simply wiped on and left to dry without leaving aftertaste.
Could rubbing alcohol be suitable? Nurses use it on their hands because its supposed to kill germs etc, and presumebly traces of near pure alcohol won't harm the brew?

Obviously I'm not talking about cleaning dirty implements etc, but small utensils that have been previously cleaned and left on a shelf since the last brew.

 

[Zymurgrafi]

Vodka.

Starsan is a no rinse and it can be mixed and kept for a fair amount of time depending on conditions. A spray bottle is easy. It really is not tricky to use.

But, yeah, if you just want to quickly sanitize a thermometer or something to take a reading, wipe it with cheap vodka. You can use it in your airlocks too.


just don't drink it!

 

[GabrielKnight]

* hICCUP. wHAT?!

 

[GabrielKnight]

Re. Cheap Vodka. Is an over the counter £8 35% vodka strong enough? Or do I have to buy that 80+% Polish stuff? After research 'Rubbing alcohol' is not intended for consumption and up to 30% may contain all manner of ****e.

 

[menschmaschine]

"Rubbing" alcohol is a disinfectant. This means it's better than a sanitizer. (The next step up would be a sterilant, and that's pretty much an autoclave or open flame.) The most effective alcohol is at a 70% solution. This does a better job at killing microbes than both a weaker or stronger solution. So, vodka at 40% alcohol (80 proof) would definitely not be a disinfectant and I wouldn't rely on it as a sanitizer either. Nothing will grow in it, but will it be strong enough to actively kill 99.999% of microbes?

I use 70% Isopropyl alcohol all the time for brewing-related sanitizing (usually the small stuff). Sure, Isopropyl alcohol is technically poisonous, but only in more significant amounts. For example, I'll wet a paper-towel with isopropyl alcohol and wipe down my probe thermometer with it before taking wort temps. If I don't have time to let something dry that I've sanitized with isopropyl alcohol, I keep an electric kettle full of pre-boiled water handy for rinsing. For $2 a liter, I find isopropyl alcohol to be almost indespensible for brewing.

 

[menschmaschine]

Is an over the counter £8 35% vodka strong enough?

Wait, are you in the UK? Then you're getting into "surgical spirits", etc. and all the ones I've seen over there are ethanol with dyes and perfumes (and sometimes methanol) added so you don't drink it. So, if you're not in the States, Isopropyl alcohol is not really an option for you. Here, it's just alcohol and water.

EDIT: I don't see why you couldn't use surgical spirits for small items as long as it was rinsed with pre-boiled water. If you're British, I know you have an electric kettle, so that should be easy.

 

[Special Hops]

Star-San in a spray bottle. Never had an issue with shelf life.

 

[DrinksWellWithOthers]

+1 on the Star San in a spray bottle. It's one of my favorite things I started using. It's a small bottle and I end up refilling it every time I brew.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Another suggestion here on the StarSan from a spray bottle but, if that is hard to come by for you I recommend you listen to the Basic Brewing podcast on StarSan. Charley Talley the, IIRC, developer of StarSan actually gets pretty excited and detailed about the mixing and use of "Acidulated Bleach". All made from products available at the grocer.

Listen carefully and head the warnings on properp preparation of the solution if you choose this route. Otherwise, get the cheap rotgut high alc vodka.

 

[Revvy]

Star-San in a spray bottle. Never had an issue with shelf life.

It lasts several months using RO or distilled, or I would even assume, pre-boiled water....

 

[stuartm]

+1 on Star San from a spray bottle.

I haven't had any issues with storage and I just empty and refill the spray bottle when I'm sanitizing for a new batch. It's really convenient. I spray it on everything and anything when I'm working with the cooled wort/beer. I spray it around the lid of my primary fermentor before I open it to check the SG, I spray it on all my connections for my kegs... I use it like crazy.

 

[TeleTwanger]

Star San FTW!

 

[Chriso]

I use StarSan from both a spray bottle, AND a garden sprayer (Thanks Yuri for the idea!). Works like a mf'in charm.

 

[jay4e]

For mixing small amounts a 1 quart measuring cup and a medicine droper works well. I put 2ml in the cup then fill with water.

 

[GabrielKnight]

And what about wiping the item gently with a clean microfibre cloth afterwards? I know you're not supposed to but...

 

[Nurmey]

And what about wiping the item gently with a clean microfibre cloth afterwards? I know you're not supposed to but...

No buts about it, don't do it. Star San is a wet sanitizer. If you dry it you lose the sanitizing effect. Don't fear the foam, it's good for your beer and the yeast like to eat it.

 

[Revvy]

No buts about it, don't do it. Star San is a wet sanitizer. If you dry it you lose the sanitizing effect. Don't fear the foam, it's good for your beer and the yeast like to eat it.

Yep, Nurmey nailed it...leave it wet!

 

[GabrielKnight]

Wait, are you in the UK? Then you're getting into "surgical spirits", etc. and all the ones I've seen over there are ethanol with dyes and perfumes (and sometimes methanol) added so you don't drink it. So, if you're not in the States, Isopropyl alcohol is not really an option for you. Here, it's just alcohol and water.

EDIT: I don't see why you couldn't use surgical spirits for small items as long as it was rinsed with pre-boiled water. If you're British, I know you have an electric kettle, so that should be easy.

Just going back to this issue quickly, I can't imagine why UK 'surgical spirits' as you call them should contain dye and perfume, but thanks for the warning, I'll watch out! The sort of thing on the market here is:
RUBBING ALCOHOL - 70% IPA, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, 5 LITRES on eBay, also, Other Tattoos Body Art, Tattoos Body Art, Health Beauty (end time 20-Nov-08 07:20:44 GMT)

ISOP' alcohol is described in wiki as well:
Isopropyl alcohol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But its way over my head - I got a D in chemistry. Is Isop' alcohol the same as high % drinking alcohol as we know it?
Ultimately,
a) is it natural?
b) can it sanitize brew-kit?
c) is it safe to drink stuff that has been in contact with it?

 

[menschmaschine]

Just going back to this issue quickly, I can't imagine why UK 'surgical spirits' as you call them should contain dye and perfume, but thanks for the warning, I'll watch out! The sort of thing on the market here is:
RUBBING ALCOHOL - 70% IPA, ISOPROPYL ALCOHOL, 5 LITRES on eBay, also, Other Tattoos Body Art, Tattoos Body Art, Health Beauty (end time 20-Nov-08 07:20:44 GMT)

ISOP' alcohol is described in wiki as well:
Isopropyl alcohol - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

But its way over my head - I got a D in chemistry. Is Isop' alcohol the same as high % drinking alcohol as we know it?
Ultimately,
a) is it natural?
b) can it sanitize brew-kit?
c) is it safe to drink stuff that has been in contact with it?

All I can say is that when I lived in the UK, I couldn't find plain isopropyl alcohol in supermarkets, Boots, etc. All I found was 'surgical spirits' and it contained a mixture of alcohols (I believe it was ethanol and methanol) and it was dyed light green and had wintergreen in it and possibly other ingredients. I figured the alcohol laws were different than the US and that's why they didn't sell plain isopropanol (70%). But, hey, what do I know? If you found it... great.