Cleaning Carboy

[Shepherd5]

I found a 5 gallon glass carboy that is difficult to clean with a brush. There is a scale or deposit inside. Is there something strong I might use to loosen it enough to use a brush? Otherwise, I may have to trash it.

 

[dale1038]

oxiclean free. Soak it and shake it every 12 hours or so. The foam should eat it over the coarse of a few days.

there should be other stronger things as well. Do a search

 

[giligson]

If that doesn't work try an acid soak with warm water (citric, acetic, phosphoric - take your pick of weak food acids)

 

[Nurmey]

White vinegar will usually take off deposits.

 

[demonrichie]

+1 on vinegar

 

[philrose]

I'm an oxyclean over PBW convert, works great on the surfaces I need to clean via chemical and way cheaper.

 

[goose1873]

+1 oxyclean...I only ferment in 6/6.5 gallon glass (used to be a wine guy ) Oxy free overnight cleans everything!!! I use 1.5 scoops which may be too much but makes my carboys crystal....and i do not use a secondary...3 weeks in a primary even with dry hop and oxyclean lights it up...

try it!

cheers

 

[goose1873]

fyi....once clean use 1oz white vinegar in 1 gallon water to wash off the oxy residue...if you care.

fyi...i dont

 

[Dave46382]

White vinegar will usually take off deposits.

This is my go to when nothing else works.

 

[SevenFields]

White vinegar will usually take off deposits.

Do you use straight white vinegar or do you dilute it with some water?

 

[Homercidal]

I like oxyclean, but PBW has worked better for me for the tougher stuff. Any acid will work good for the mineral deposits. White vinegar, or strong starsan solution (like double strength or so.)

Also, I've had success shoving a washcloth in there and swirling it around. The little bit of friction has removed stuff that chemicals didn't.

 

[goose1873]

fyi....once clean use 1oz white vinegar in 1 gallon water to wash off the oxy residue...


works for me. also if you sterilize at brew time with sar-stan it will remove the residue as well.

oxi-clean is a great cleaner but you should still sterilize with something on brew day.

 

[Shepherd5]

Wow, great info, thanks! BTW, When you say Oxyclean Free, is that the same as regular oxiclean, is there a difference, because I used regular oxiclean for about 6 to 8 hours, but that may not have been long enough.

 

[goose1873]

Oxy free is just free of dyes and fragrance. I always just leave them overnight.

 

[Cliff897]

oxiclean free. Soak it and shake it every 12 hours or so.

What he said. Water is the universal solvent. Mix a little wetting agent in and you can move mountains.

 

[Jimbo5Star]

Most likely your deposits are some form of stone or mineral deposits. Unlike the product mentioned here, which has ZERO chelators, PBW has multiple chelators chosen specifically for beer mineral soils. Using an unchelated alkali will ALWAYS lead to beer stone over time. Put 5 oz (by weight) of PBW into the vessel filled with hot water and let soak overnight <poof!> all clean! If you wany to chase it from the acid side then you can compliment this routine with Star San or Saniclean (low foamer) but probably will not be neccessary.

 

[goose1873]

one scoop of oxyclean free and poof! its clean too and some money will remain in your wallet. I use pbw for kegs but don't like spending the money on the glass fermentors. I do agree pbw works great! i just think oxyclean works great as well.

 

[Clayton]

CLR to remove lime

 

[Jimbo5Star]

one scoop of oxyclean free and poof! its clean too and some money will remain in your wallet. I use pbw for kegs but don't like spending the money on the glass fermentors. I do agree pbw works great! i just think oxyclean works great as well.

go re-read what happened:
"because I used regular oxiclean for about 6 to 8 hours, but that may not have been long enough."

Both items work great and have limitations. When pinching pennies I get it. When my Belgian Lager is at issue, though, I'll run the two head to head any time and put my bet on PBW. :rockin:

 

[goose1873]

all I know is an overnight soaking w/ oxyclean works without fail...

 

[Clayton]

Oxyclean sucks!! All I ever use any more is this liquid oven cleaner I got at a janitorial supply house (this stuff is cheap too) and star san.
The oven cleaner mixed with water and put in to sprayer, cleans carboys, buckets, funnels stainless steel cleaned and stripped to a brilliant shine within minutes, no matter how nasty it is.
And then I rinse with star san

Very cheap and very effective but the oven cleaner undiluted can melt off your flesh, so with this power you have to be responsible.