3/4 cup bleach per gallon. Are you insane?

[MOSFET]

I saw a commercial, and the Clorox website confirms it. To disinfect, they recommend this ratio and a 5 minute soak, which is about 60 times more bleach per gallon than you and I have been using. Am I missing something? What does this ratio kill that 1TSP per 5 gallons does not kill? Merely bleach sales promotion, or legitimate ratio for non-brewing purposes?

 

[Evan!]

There are three levels of organism-killin':

The first is "sanitized", which we use. It kills enough of the bugs to let the yeast take hold.

The second level is "disinfected", which kills more of the bugs, but not all.

The third and highest level is "sterilized", which kills pretty much all the living organisms.

I don't know how accurate Clorox is being, but I do know that there's a significant difference between "sanitized" and "disinfected".

LISTEN TO ME!

 

[The Pol]

Why disinfect anything, if you are just going to go pick your nose anyway? What a waste.

 

[Beerrific]

I don't know how accurate Clorox is being, but I do know that there's a significant difference between "sanitized" and "disinfected".

They have to be accurate. If they say that disinfects, then it has too or the EPA would be all over them.

 

[Evan!]

They have to be accurate. If they say that disinfects, then it has too or the EPA would be all over them.

Good point...but it also wouldn't hurt for them to go overkill if it helps them sell bleach, right? If 1/8 cup per gallon of water is enough to disinfect, then 3/4 cup per gallon is ALSO enough to disinfect...and it helps them sell more bleach. Not saying that's what they're doing, but just saying it's possible to go overkill and not be in arrears of the EPA.

 

[Boerderij_Kabouter]

Take a listen to the brewing networks podcast about Starsan (2006 ???) They talk a lot about bleach and how to properly use it for brewing.

 

[BioBeing]

I grow bacteria at work on a large scale. I have to disinfect the spent medium before I can dump it down the drain. We use (per NIH, and municipal guidelines) 4.8 L of bleach per 100 L medium. [Works out to be about 5 fl oz (or almost 2/3 cup) per gal, if my math is correct.] There has to be a 1 hour contact time. Sure it is overkill, but then that is better than not adding enough! Less would probably work, but we cannot deal with probables.

 

[the_bird]

I always use a much higher concentration when I'm cleaning my junk.

 

[Schlenkerla]

Good point...but it also wouldn't hurt for them to go overkill if it helps them sell bleach, right? If 1/8 cup per gallon of water is enough to disinfect, then 3/4 cup per gallon is ALSO enough to disinfect...and it helps them sell more bleach. Not saying that's what they're doing, but just saying it's possible to go overkill and not be in arrears of the EPA.

Do you know what the problem is with this high concentration?

You have to rinse with water because there will be so much left over residue of sodium hydroxide. Defeating the whole purpose in the first place.

As most of us know its a very flawed sanitation method for brewing.



BTW - I have a friend who NEVER sanitizes. He cleans everything well with really hot water. 18 years of brewing he claims to never had an infection. He stopped using starsan something like 5 or 10 years ago. He hated the foaming.

I'm a iodophor user...

 

[bluehouse]

Many years ago I worked in a medical lab. We used medical cleaners but our backup emergency cleaner said 10% bleach to water. So about 1 & 1/2 cup to gallon. Don't do this when I sanitze for brewing but that is what they recommended in the lab.

 

[BarleyAndApple]

I'm worried that I might have put too much bleach in mine because of the concentration was about 150ml for 40 Litres. I put wort in and I saw bubbles forming.

 

[BarleyAndApple]

By the way, Would it kill the yeast? and how concentration is dangerous for human consumption?

Thanks in advance.

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

Take a listen to the brewing networks podcast about Starsan (2006 ???) They talk a lot about bleach and how to properly use it for brewing.

as well as how volitile the name brand stuff is to keep it moving off the shelves.

 

[Yooper]

By the way, Would it kill the yeast? and how concentration is dangerous for human consumption?

Thanks in advance.

How well did you rinse?

 

[BarleyAndApple]

I used about 4 Litres of bottled water all over twice, no brushing though.


I think I might just throw it away for the sake of safety