Brownalemikie
Well-Known Member
I'm curious if anyone here has tried Oxo-Clean to clean their Carboys? I saw this on Youtube.
Last edited by a moderator:
I have used Oxyclean or generic equivalent since I started brewing 4 years 11 months ago. Warm water, overnight to a couple of days (laziness) soak. I then insert a washcloth in my Better Bottles and swirl around, rinse well and done. Aside from filling with water it takes about 10 minutes.
If you are using glass carboys, please be very careful handling them when wet.
Do you have a name for the generic equivalent? Thanks!
I also religiously avoid thermal shocking my half-dozen 6.5g Italian carboys, so no HOT water.
And when a carboy come out of a cold crash and I've kegged the beer I let the glass come up to room temp on its own (which can take quite awhile) as even room temperature water would hit the glass with a 30-40°F thermal shock.
When you read of the bottom falling out of a carboy, that's the result of thermal shock...
Cheers!
What constitutes "too hot"? Certainly boiling - or nearly boiling - water is too hot, but what about hot water from a faucet?
As well as oxiclean and its generic equivalents work, I've found something even better at cleaning carboys. It's even cheap and already found in most households. Bleach. Just dilute it 1:5 or 1:10 with hot water and it completely removes any stuck on gunk, and sanitizes at the same time. It will have the dirtiest carboys looking crystal clear in a matter of a few minutes. You've just gotta rinse it really well afterwards.
As far as rinsing well after bleach, just fyi, bleach that has been mixed with water will break down to saltwater after it has been exposed to air long enough. So whatever little amounts left if you didnt rinse it super well would be gone in 12-24 hours.
Awesome, one more thing in its favor! I've had carboys and better bottles with a krausen ring that oxyclean wouldnt remove completely, or just a generally hazy look, that when I hit with some beach was completely clear in a coupe of minutes. In fact, I'm going to have to clean my keg lines with it later today, because a round of beer brite didnt get all the beer stone out of them and one tap is foaming like crazy.
Awesome, one more thing in its favor! I've had carboys and better bottles with a krausen ring that oxyclean wouldnt remove completely, or just a generally hazy look, that when I hit with some beach was completely clear in a coupe of minutes. In fact, I'm going to have to clean my keg lines with it later today, because a round of beer brite didnt get all the beer stone out of them and one tap is foaming like crazy.
Hey Brian! It's been ages since I've "seen" you around the forum- great to see you again. Hope all is going well for you.
Sorry or the OT!
Most people who have children around have hot water at 120 degrees or so out of the tap to avoid scalding, and that should be fine.
To minimize bacteria contamination, water must be stored at 60 C (140° F) or higher.
For example, temperatures under 50 C (122° F) may increase the risk of Legionnaires disease, a form of pneumonia, due to bacterial growth in the tank. That disease is caused by Legionella bacteria, which live in water. Temperature is a critical factor for Legionella to grow. The risk of colonization in hot water tanks is significant between 40 C (104° F) and 50 C (122° F).
I recently bought https://www.kegwasher.com/ It can be used right on the kitchen counter or tile floor and is amazing. I'll be getting purchasing the right hose as well so i can use it to clean the poppet and dip tube of my kegs.
With normal carboys, I recommend the drill-attached thing that whips the inside. That worked really well.
Enter your email address to join: