Bleach for stainless

[endlesssurf]

hey i was wondering if it was OK to use bleach to clean stainless steel i have read a number of books and some say you can and some say you cant i just want to know how i can sanitize my newly purchased keg.

 

[MrFebtober]

I have not tried it, but in general I've read that it's not a good idea to santizes SS with bleach. I would recommend Star San sanitizer. It's safe on everything, is a true no-rinse sanitizer, and is very popular.

 

[BREW N QUE]

Bleach will pit stainless steel if left in contact too long. I'm not sure how long too long is so I use oxyclean then star san on mine.

 

[BierMuncher]

I use a mild bleach solution for sanitizing with a stron hot water rinse.

To clean stainless, I use a Tbps of bleach along with a tbsp of oxyclean then a good splash of hot water.

Give it a good scrub with a plastic scrubby and rinse thoroughly.

Never let SS sit for extended periods with strong bleach solutions.

 

[Shay]

Why don't you use iodophor? I think it was actually developed to be used on stainless steel for the dairy industry.

 

[jds]

Bleach can and will pit stainless over time. Furthermore, since most kegs are type 304 stainless, the heat affected zone around any welds can become sensitized, leading to higher potential for pitting and stress corrosion cracking in chloride solutions. Star-San or iodophor are better, but should still be rinsed after use.

If the keg is for use as a mash tun or boiler, why not just clean it well and give it a good boil with water before use? That should sanitize it plenty well.