Sanitizer Question....

beerthirty · May 26, 2008

Revvy said:
30 seconds.

Clean first, sanitize second...Iodophor is the concentrated Iodine sanitizer we're talking about here. Star San is not iodine based and is the other most popular sanitizer around...Both have a 30 second contact time and shouldn't be rinsed afterwards.

Oxyclean and the generic derivitives are the best cleaner around even better than PBW...most of the people on here use it...and since I started using Oxyclean, I've never needed to use either a carboy or bottle brush, the bubbles break up even the toughest gunk inside a fermenter or brewpot.

Just make sure you rinse thoroughly afterwards.

Ive heard about it on these forums, do you mean the stuff Billy Mays sells on tv?

Revvy · May 26, 2008

beerthirty said:
Ive heard about it on these forums, do you mean the stuff Billy Mays sells on tv?

Oyclean???

Yeah it's the Billy Mays stuff...it is amazing as a cleaner...I've had nothing not be clean by it in the brewing process...even the things that sit below the heating elements on the stove....I had a boilover, and immediatey after put them in a bucket full of oxyclean and hot water....it took a couple of changes of water and oxyclean but it came clean..

You can even soak the labels of beer bottles in a few hours.

Hegh · Nov 12, 2008

Revvy said:
hmm...I don't know. I don't have a dishwasher so I haven't paid too much attention to those discussions.

I think most of the people run it through the sanitizer setting with no soap whatsoever (to avoid killing the head on the beer.) It seems to me that since the sanitization in the dishwashere is done by heat, you'd be wasting the onestep...

Of course you can never be too sanitized!

You may be onto something here......

From what I've read, the jets from the dishwasher can't get up into the narrow openings in things like beer bottles or lots of other brewing equipment (hoses, autosiphon, ...), so make sure everything is clean first, use the sanitize cycle for sanitizing only.

The dishwasher sanitizes by filling up the space with steam and keeping it hot for a while, so it basically just boils the bacteria to death, since steam can be hotter than water and transfers heat better than dry air.

Bigbens6 · Nov 12, 2008

I am amazed that Starsan is a no rinse cleaner/sanitizer... i always rinsed like 3 or 4 times, am i being absurd?!?!? I soak my bottles in starsan for like 5 min then rinse 3 times hang on the bottle tree till i am done and then go straight to bottling.

So if i am understanding, i can simply WET my equipment for 30 seconds min, then go straight to use?!?!?

dontman · Nov 12, 2008

Bigbens6 said:
I am amazed that Starsan is a no rinse cleaner/sanitizer... i always rinsed like 3 or 4 times, am i being absurd?!?!? I soak my bottles in starsan for like 5 min then rinse 3 times hang on the bottle tree till i am done and then go straight to bottling.

So if i am understanding, i can simply WET my equipment for 30 seconds min, then go straight to use?!?!?

When you rinse do you rinse with boiled water? or sanitized in any way? If not then it is unsanitary to rinse. This is why we use no rinse sanitizers.

Bigbens6 · Nov 13, 2008

Yeah i am realizing that now haha, I will not be rinsing my stuff anymore!!! So does anyone know how long after it dries the starsan is still good at keeping stuff sanitary?

Hegh · Nov 13, 2008

Bigbens6 said:
Yeah i am realizing that now haha, I will not be rinsing my stuff anymore!!! So does anyone know how long after it dries the starsan is still good at keeping stuff sanitary?

I'm not sure you're still protected once it dries... But at that point, you only need to worry about airborne particles, or perhaps a stray sneeze or dog tongue. Plus, if you keep some in a spray bottle/keep a sponge in the solution, you can give anything you're uncomfortable with one more quick spray/wipe-down before using it.

Revvy · Nov 13, 2008

Bigbens6 said:
Yeah i am realizing that now haha, I will not be rinsing my stuff anymore!!! So does anyone know how long after it dries the starsan is still good at keeping stuff sanitary?

Go back and read what I posted in this thread...These sanitizers are WET CONTACT sanitizers....If you keep it wet any micro organisms that land on it are killed...if it's dry then the micro organism unsanitizes the object.

If you let it dry the bugs don't die!!!

Bigbens6 · Nov 13, 2008

Revvy said:
Go back and read what I posted in this thread...These sanitizers are WET CONTACT sanitizers....If you keep it wet any micro organisms that land on it are killed...if it's dry then the micro organism unsanitizes the object.

If you let it dry the bugs don't die!!!

And that was my thought, but i swear i read somewhere that it continues to sanitize even when dry, but according to the webcast i listened to, thats not true, but man i wasted alot of time rinsing and cleaning!!!!

dontman · Nov 13, 2008

Bigbens6 said:
And that was my thought, but i swear i read somewhere that it continues to sanitize even when dry, but according to the webcast i listened to, thats not true, but man i wasted alot of time rinsing and cleaning!!!!

Yea, I read something similar at some point about how you should let it dry. Then I read the ingredients and realized that that doesn't make sense. Dry acid = nothing on surface = no sanitizing capability.

BTW, if you had no infections or bottle bombs then your time was not wasted really.

cstrub · Nov 13, 2008

I feel like I have the sanitizing process down well, but my question is on handling of sanitized objects. If you have odd shaped equipment like the siphon cane where you can't just pull it out of a bucket, what do you do to keep it sanitized until done? Also, what about your own hands? star-san suggests using gloves. Do you glove up and dip your hands in the sanitizer?

Thx in advance.

Bigbens6 · Nov 13, 2008

cstrub said:
I feel like I have the sanitizing process down well, but my question is on handling of sanitized objects. If you have odd shaped equipment like the siphon cane where you can't just pull it out of a bucket, what do you do to keep it sanitized until done? Also, what about your own hands? star-san suggests using gloves. Do you glove up and dip your hands in the sanitizer?

Thx in advance.

I will not claim I am RIGHT but I just use my bare hands honestly, it dries them out but it won't kill you

Revvy · Nov 13, 2008

Bigbens6 said:
I will not claim I am RIGHT but I just use my bare hands honestly, it dries them out but it won't kill you

I agree, as to the other question there are acouple options as mentioned in the thread...spray bottle of sanitizer or wallpaper tray.

There's a thread going on about it here as well https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/racking-cane-sterilization-88030/

Adam's Apples · Nov 13, 2008

I am based in the UK and use a sanitiser called VWP as it's widely available in all my LHBS. It recommends complete immersion for 5-10 minutes to sanitise items.

I am impressed by all talk of Star san, especially as it kills almost everything in less than 30 seconds. I have just looked, but cannot see an outlet that sells this in UK.

Have any UK users managed to find a supplier for this?

Cheers

Revvy · Nov 13, 2008

Adam's Apples said:
I am based in the UK and use a sanitiser called VWP as it's widely available in all my LHBS. It recommends complete immersion for 5-10 minutes to sanitise items.

I am impressed by all talk of Star san, especially as it kills almost everything in less than 30 seconds. I have just looked, but cannot see an outlet that sells this in UK.

Have any UK users managed to find a supplier for this?

Cheers

PM Orfy, he would know...

joejaz · Nov 13, 2008

Gave my one-step($12) to my son. I like bleach, it's cheap and effective and my wife always has some by the washer.

MacGruber · Nov 13, 2008

I actually used a no rinse sanitizer for my first time this week. I believe it was Iodophor. I know I used the right amount, but I let it sit for about a half an hour while my grains were steeping. Is that way too much time and will it affect my brew?

Revvy · Nov 13, 2008

MacGruber said:
I actually used a no rinse sanitizer for my first time this week. I believe it was Iodophor. I know I used the right amount, but I let it sit for about a half an hour while my grains were steeping. Is that way too much time and will it affect my brew?

No it won't affect your brew, but you don't need to soak stuff for a half hour...30 seconds wet contact will do...if you haven't actually read this thread, then do so.

Hugh_Jass · Nov 24, 2008

Revvy said:
Oyclean???

Yeah it's the Billy Mays stuff...it is amazing as a cleaner...I've had nothing not be clean by it in the brewing process...even the things that sit below the heating elements on the stove....I had a boilover, and immediatey after put them in a bucket full of oxyclean and hot water....it took a couple of changes of water and oxyclean but it came clean..

You can even soak the labels of beer bottles in a few hours.

Oxyclean is a blend of sodium percarbonate and sodium carbonate. I believe the ratio is 70% percarb and 30% carb. It is an excellent cleaner of anything that's organically occuring. It is best used in warmer/hot water. It is not a sanitizer.

Is starsan a bleach derivative, alcohol based solution or maybe a quaternary ammonium compound?

winzerz · Nov 24, 2008

how long does one step last stored in a bucket?

will it last 2-3 weeks till bottling time or will I need to remix a fresh

batch?

Revvy · Nov 24, 2008

winzerz said:
how long does one step last stored in a bucket?

will it last 2-3 weeks till bottling time or will I need to remix a fresh

batch?

Onestep should Not be stored at all....In fact if you've read this thread, it really should be used as a sanitizer at all...

Hugh_Jass · Nov 25, 2008

Revvy,

I was reading through this thread yesterday. You and some others are using Oxiclean to clean up after brewing. Consider using a couple of drops of generic manual dish soap in that Oxiclean solution. It will increase the wetting times and allow you to use less Oxiclean. $.02

Revvy · Nov 25, 2008

OhioGuy said:
Revvy,

I was reading through this thread yesterday. You and some others are using Oxiclean to clean up after brewing. Consider using a couple of drops of generic manual dish soap in that Oxiclean solution. It will increase the wetting times and allow you to use less Oxiclean. $.02

Hmmm I'll have to try that.

Thanks.

snowbum007 · Nov 25, 2008

Revvy,
I saw you were getting your Iodophor at a Ranch supply shop. Are you getting actual Iodophor or an iodine product? I've been into one local one and can get iodine but not Iodophor. Also, is there a time limit on how long a 5 gal mixture of Iodophor will last or do you just use test strips to occasionally check the concentration?

Revvy · Nov 25, 2008

snowbum007 said:
Revvy,
I saw you were getting your Iodophor at a Ranch supply shop. Are you getting actual Iodophor or an iodine product? I've been into one local one and can get iodine but not Iodophor. Also, is there a time limit on how long a 5 gal mixture of Iodophor will last or do you just use test strips to occasionally check the concentration?

No not Iodophor....Concentrated iodine teet and dairy sanitzer, antiseptic...

Dionne Gentle Iodine...

It doesn't last too long using tap water...no more than 24 hours...It lasts longer in a sealed container when mixed with RO water...THat's why a lot of us use a spray bottle with it...you really don't need to mix 5 gallons of EITHER iodophor or Starsan...THey have quick kills and are wet contact...so you can use a spray bottle, or mix up a couple gallons and swirl.

With iodine based ones you can go by color...when it looses the straw color than it's time to dump or prime with more iodine...

Hugh_Jass · Nov 25, 2008

Revvy said:
No not Iodophor....Concentrated iodine teet and dairy sanitzer, antiseptic...

Dionne Gentle Iodine...

It doesn't last too long using tap water...no more than 24 hours...It lasts longer in a sealed container when mixed with RO water...THat's why a lot of us use a spray bottle with it...you really don't need to mix 5 gallons of EITHER iodophor or Starsan...THey have quick kills and are wet contact...so you can use a spray bottle, or mix up a couple gallons and swirl.

With iodine based ones you can go by color...when it looses the straw color than it's time to dump or prime with more iodine...

something like this?
Tractor Supply Company - Dairyland Controlled Iodine Teat Dip 1/2%

Revvy · Nov 25, 2008

OhioGuy said:
something like this?
Tractor Supply Company - Dairyland Controlled Iodine Teat Dip 1/2%

Well that's 1/2 percent.....I get this one, that's 1%

Tractor Supply Company - Dionne Gentle Iodine 1%, 1 gal

IIRC iodophor is 1.5% so I kick it up to 1.5 TBS/5 gallons.

I treat it like IO Star...The Iodine based Sanitizer sold by Five-Star Chemicals (the makers of Starsan) it has some foaming action just like mine.

Here is the product sheet on the IO-Star.

http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/tech/iostar.pdf

Hugh_Jass · Nov 25, 2008

Revvy said:
Well that's 1/2 percent.....I get this one, that's 1%

Tractor Supply Company - Dionne Gentle Iodine 1%, 1 gal

IIRC iodophor is 1.5% so I kick it up to 1.5 TBS/5 gallons.

T/Y

Since T/Y is too short, I'll just write thank you, Rev.

Poincare · Dec 3, 2008

OhioGuy said:
something like this?
Tractor Supply Company - Dairyland Controlled Iodine Teat Dip 1/2%

If you use something like the above Iodine, do you mix it with water? How much? Can you just pour it directly into a spray bottle and spray your fermentor and consider it "sanitized"? Also, I don't have access to Iodine like that but our Walgreens sells Betadine (Betadine Solution | H | Walgreens). Could I just use this and spray it on the fermenter and consider it sanitized? What would the mixture be 1 part this with 10 parts water for example....? If I use Betadine sprayed on the fermenter is there any risk of poisoning?

Revvy · Dec 3, 2008

Poincare said:
If you use something like the above Iodine, do you mix it with water? How much? Can you just pour it directly into a spray bottle and spray your fermentor and consider it "sanitized"? Also, I don't have access to Iodine like that but our Walgreens sells Betadine (Betadine Solution | H | Walgreens). Could I just use this and spray it on the fermenter and consider it sanitized? What would the mixture be 1 part this with 10 parts water for example....? If I use Betadine sprayed on the fermenter is there any risk of poisoning?

Well, since iodophor is recommended @ 1 tbs/5 gallons of water, and it is 1.5% titratable iodine, and the stuff we get is 1% (it's almost impossible thanks to methmakers to get higher except through brew suppy stores) I use 1.5 tbs/5 gallons of water...

But I tend to match it to the light straw color from back when I actually had iodophor.

Sanitizer Question....

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