Cleaning RO water jugs?

[RickyBeers]

How often do people clean the 5 gallon RO water jugs that get reused and refilled at grocery store vending machines?

I have 3 that I’ve had for 6 months and never cleaned, just keep filling them back up…

 

[Jag75]

The only time I've cleaned is when I let it sit once it was empty in a warm room . It started to turn green . Other then that I've never cleaned . Normally it's refilled once it's empty , and doesn't need cleaning.

 

[YaleH]

How often do people clean the 5 gallon RO water jugs that get reused and refilled at grocery store vending machines?

I have 3 that I’ve had for 6 months and never cleaned, just keep filling them back up…

I make my own RO, but for the little costs of OxyClean Free and a couple gals of starsan I would do it every time!! Mix one jug with a couple gals of oxy, swirl it around and dump into next, and so on until all are done...... then repeat process with the starsan. It's what I do with my food grade buckets I keep my RO in until brew time. Key point is that you are boiling the water/wort, but every step taken to keep things clean can't hurt.

 

[hottpeper13]

I run them thru my keg washer after maple sap collection. So that's once a year.

 

[Jag75]

I run them thru my keg washer after maple sap collection. So that's once a year.

Maple syrup?

 

[JaggersBrewingCo]

I have never cleaned mine. I have been using them for about a year now so there is that... It has never even entered my mind to. Once they are empty I normally get them filled that week and let them sit until brew day. I brew pretty often too so maybe that helps?

 

[RickyBeers]

I make my own RO, but for the little costs of OxyClean Free and a couple gals of starsan I would do it every time!! Mix one jug with a couple gals of oxy, swirl it around and dump into next, and so on until all are done...... then repeat process with the starsan. It's what I do with my food grade buckets I keep my RO in until brew time. Key point is that you are boiling the water/wort, but every step taken to keep things clean can't hurt.

agreed, thanks for that idea

I have never cleaned mine. I have been using them for about a year now so there is that... It has never even entered my mind to. Once they are empty I normally get them filled that week and let them sit until brew day. I brew pretty often too so maybe that helps?

yes that helps. Ya I mean I figure it shouldn’t need cleaned… but any exposure to outside air I figured would eventually lead to some sort bacteria growth or SOMETHING, but I’m certainly not qualified to come to that conclusion

 

[stealthfixr]

I primarily use two 5 gallon jugs that fit in my sink for RO filling. Never cleaned one, cleaned the other with Oxyclean when new. The Oxyclean one, after more flushing that I can count, still smells like Oxyclean. I will not ever do that again.