Cleaning/Sanitizing question

[James0816]

I just picked up some vintage gallon carboys. Very nice jugs but alas very dirty. Some have debris/dirt inside them.

As a test to see how well they will clean up, I took one jug and placed it in a bath of hot water and Oxy-Clean for about an hour. To my surprise, it came out looking new. No brushing involved.

So my question is, should I still bleach and brush them as well or did the Oxy do the trick?

 

[4of7]

When I started brewing I would rinse,inspect,bleach ,rinse,inspect,oxy,rinse,inspect..Now I oxy rinse,rinse,star san full.hold till needed..Carboys that held pennies,be careful ,the outside would look great inside not so much.

 

[OG-wan Kenobi]

If it's clean and looks new just sanitize with star san, BTF iodophor or something of the like and it's good to go

 

[James0816]

When I started brewing I would rinse,inspect,bleach ,rinse,inspect,oxy,rinse,inspect..Now I oxy rinse,rinse,star san full.hold till needed..Carboys that held pennies,be careful ,the outside would look great inside not so much.

So you fill it full with StarSan solution, cap and store right?

 

[kevin58]

So you fill it full with StarSan solution, cap and store right?

Starsan works on contact so there is no reason to mix up a full five gallons or to let anything sit in it for it to work. Mix up a small batch and swirl it around inside the carboy making sure to wet it all and then you can dump it out... maybe put the left over into a spray bottle to use on other brew equipment later.

 

[4of7]

So you fill it full with StarSan solution, cap and store right?

Yes I will do that. But I will use it again.Have I put in a full mix up spray bottle of star San .? Yes as others will say it only needs some contact time as per directions..carboy with pbw,50 liter keg with star San,keg washing, . yes I will will store it in the carboys.I use it for cleaning keg's,lines,and pump. I also don't dump it down the drain.During brew day it gets used.. Once it gets dirty I will dump in the yard. I am not a "Beer Troll"."Stay strong and Brew on"

 

[James0816]

Well I have to say I'm mighty impressed with using the OxyClean. Think my days of using bleach and a brush may be over. =)

Here's a before pic of some of the jugs. They now look brand new. I'm not sure how old the cider jugs (Colonel's Pride Sweet Cider) are, but the Pepsi syrup jugs are from the 60s. One jug even has a tape label that says "1/2lb sugar 5-19-68 new bottle 7-4-68". Makes me think if it was used for brewing once before.

I may designate one of these to hold a mix of StarSan for future uses. Especially since the solution can be used multiple times.

Great find for just a few bucks. =)

 

[mongoose33]

Ditch the bleach. Star-San is your friend.

 

[jack13]

+1 to OxyClean-FREE and StarSan. Also, a note about star san. If you use distilled water, it'll stay clear. And you can keep re-using. If you have a pH meter, you can even check it occasionally to make sure pH is still below 3. I've been on the same small bottle of starsan through 86 brews (and it's only half gone).

 

[4of7]

Yes I do not use bleach , not to much. I have well water so I have used it for smells . But i do agree not to use it .

 

[JimRausch]

Bleach does have it's place though. It's best use is as a 'bleach shock' to basically kill anything. Especially that nagging infection you just can't seem to get rid of with PBW/oxyclean cleaning and starsan sanitation (I know I'm not the only one to experience that). 1 tablespoon (or just a dollop) per gallon, let it sit. You do have to rinse well afterwards, so it's not a good choice for sanitation just before bottling. That is Starsan territory.

 

[Metalchef1]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with bleach if used properly.

And if you step into the back of almost any restaurant with a dish machine..... The non temperature sanitizing machines use bleach for the sanitizer.... Sinks use bleach or ammonia...

 

[4of7]

Bleach is taboo here, it's not used?. Really ? How is that City water smell or taste. Yes it is bad for the Brew. I had no choice but to use it when I started brewing. But wait,my RO water system will get that out , striping it clean thru 5 very expensive filter at a rate of 1 good gallon to ? Waste water..Now you have to add chemicals back too get a water profile...I have homebrewery filling up Keg's from my well water