Cleaning and santitizing

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Ernst-Haeckel

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I have been using dish soap as a cleaner and Star San as a sanitizer, but I think I would like to get a more effective cleaner.

I assume that people generally use both a cleaner and a sanitizer. My question is is it okay to use something like PBW as a cleaner, and then Star San as a sanitizer? Obivously I won't be using them at the same time, but if I clean bottles one day with PBW, then sanitize them on bottling day with Star San, will the two be compatible?

I ask because I hear about not mixing certain types of detergents with cleansers, or cleansers with sanitizers because of a risk of harmful chemical reactions.
 
PBW as a cleaner and StarSan as a sanitizer is probably the best combo I've found out there. They don't react together. Soak in PBW and rinse. Right before you need to use the bottles/equipment, dose them with StarSan. As long as the stuff isn't being kept open end up in a dusty environment or outside where junk can climb into it, things should stay clean and ready for sanitization for a while.

The reactions to watch out for are those that produce chlorine gas. I would generally recommend staying away from chlorine based solutions from brewing anyway.
 
PBW and StarSan is used in combination all the time. I personally use generic oxyclean and sanitize with StarSan.

I think it's a good idea to get away from the dishsoap.....too many dyes, scents, surfactants, etc.

Jason
 
One note when researching new cleaners: Some are not for use with aluminum, specifically OxyClean, BarKeeper's Friend. Not sure about PBW or BLC.
 
Can you explain what these cleaners do to AL? If we are talking about removing the aluminum oxide layer it will reform almost instantly when exposed to O2.

Just curious....
 
Can you explain what these cleaners do to AL? If we are talking about removing the aluminum oxide layer it will reform almost instantly when exposed to O2.

Just curious....

In my experience, it doesn't reform as quickly as that, but it does certainly reform especially if you boil some water in it to get it up to heat. But every time you do that you're pouring a nice layer of aluminum down the drain. New pots get old quick.
 
just a note chlorine gas is not mustard gas, but your point is still valid.

right...i knew they were different, but i had it in my head for some reason that the chlorine reacted with sulfur from somewhere to become mustard gas. now that i think about it, though, that doesn't make any sense. thanks for the correction, post edited.
 
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