Cleaning stainless steel fermenter

[FrankCazabon]

I've got scum in my stainless steel fermenter that I've been unable to remove. I've soaked with PBW and scrubbed with a plastic/nylon scouring pad but neither has worked. Any ideas what else to try?

 

[hotbeer]

As horrifying as it sounds, I use a Brillo pad or SOS pad on my stainless steel kettle. And for all my stainless steel cookware.

IMO, the issue of regular steel getting entrained into the stainless steel isn't a problem since there is no heat build up with a using a piece of steel wool in a water cooled environment as there is when using steel rotary brushes with a power tool and creating a lot of heat build up between the two metals.

3M's advertisers were very successful in getting us to misunderstand this when they sought to promote their green abrasive pads back in the 60's and 70's.

If you happen to not rinse well you might see a little rust around a particle of the steel wool left behind, but it's not going to be in the stainless steel, just on the surface and it will usually just wipe off.

 

[FrankCazabon]

Thanks. I always thought the problem with using a Brillo pad or other metal is that it might result in scratches in the fermenter that could harbour bacteria, etc.

 

[bailey mountain brewer]

Bar keepers friend.

 

[sibelman]

Definitely try an acid like barkeeper's friend before anything abrasive.

 

[BorderBrewer]

That looks like beerstone deposits (calcium oxylate). Check here for a cleaning regimen for this. ↣ What is beerstone (and how to remove it)?

 

[day_trippr]

I would not go around recommending the use of steel wool products on stainless steel anything...

Cheers!

 

[FrankCazabon]

Bar keepers friend.

Thanks, not easy to find where I live and Amazon seems to have a bunch of options. Is there any one of these recommended?

Amazon.com : bar keepers friend

 

[sibelman]

Put some of this on a soft wet cloth. Apply it to the affected area. Don't leave it there for more than a couple of minutes. Rinse. Repeat if necessary.

 

[FrankCazabon]

Put some of this on a soft wet cloth. Apply it to the affected area. Don't leave it there for more than a couple of minutes. Rinse. Repeat if necessary.View attachment 820858

Thanks!

 

[IslandLizard]

Thanks, not easy to find where I live and Amazon seems to have a bunch of options. Is there any one of these recommended?

Amazon.com : bar keepers friend

I'm astounded by the pricing range of these products. In the hardware store here in the U.S. I can get a 12oz container for around $2.00.

This offer shows a picture of the product you want to use, same as in @sibelman's post. The image on the label may vary somewhat, but it's the "cleanser" (a powder) you're after. No need for "cream."
That one also seems to be the best price ($2.49), but will likely vary depending on your location, and where it ships from:

https://www.amazon.com/Bar-Keepers-Friend-Powdered-Cleanser/dp/B000QYLEBE/ref=sr_1_48?keywords=bar+keepers+friend&qid=1685023360&rdc=1&sr=8-48

Put some of this on a soft wet cloth. [...]

I've been using a damp nylon "non-scratching" scouring pad with some BKF sprinkled on it. It takes some elbow grease, as soaking alone won't remove the beer stone deposits, it needs mechanical friction.

I find adding a handle to the pad makes it easier to work with and scour. For that I just "tack" a piece of such nylon scouring pad to an old worn nylon dishwashing brush or other hand brush, which has the bristles mostly worn off or flattened. Remember, I'm after the handle, not the bristles.

 

[FrankCazabon]

I'm astounded by the pricing range of these products. In the hardware store here in the U.S. I can get a 12oz container for around $2.00.

This offer shows a picture of the product you want to use, same as in @sibelman's post. The image on the label may vary somewhat, but it's the "cleanser" (a powder) you're after. No need for "cream."
That one also seems to be the best price, but will likely vary depending on your location, and where it ships from.

https://www.amazon.com/Bar-Keepers-Friend-Powdered-Cleanser/dp/B000QYLEBE/ref=sr_1_48?keywords=bar+keepers+friend&qid=1685023360&rdc=1&sr=8-48

I've been using a damp nylon "non-scratching" scouring pad with some BKF sprinkled on it. It takes some elbow grease, as soaking alone won't remove the beer stone deposits, it needs mechanical friction.

I find adding a handle to the pad makes it easier to work with and scour. For that I just "tack" a piece of such nylon scouring pad to an old worn nylon dishwashing brush or other hand brush, which has the bristles mostly worn off or flattened. Remember, I'm after the handle, not the bristles.

thanks much!

 

[faithie999]

View attachment 820793 I've got scum in my stainless steel fermenter that I've been unable to remove. I've soaked with PBW and scrubbed with a plastic/nylon scouring pad but neither has worked. Any ideas what else to try?

BarKeepers Friend is great stuff. It's made by a family company in Indianapolis, where I live.

I checked their website, barkeepersfriend.com, and they have a "where to buy" link

Where to Buy

barkeepersfriend.com

good luck

 

[FrankCazabon]

Thanks, unfortunately I'm in Trinidad in the Caribbean and that link only does North America.

 

[day_trippr]

No problemo!
You can find Barkeepers Friend at numerous locations in Trinidad and Tobago!
Well, in Trinidad, anyway. Not so much on Tobago

Cheers!

 

[FrankCazabon]

No problemo!
You can find Barkeepers Friend at numerous locations in Trinidad and Tobago!
Well, in Trinidad, anyway. Not so much on Tobago

View attachment 820881

Cheers!

Thanks, really appreciate you finding this for me, let's hope they know what I'm talking about when I call

 

[Neldog0]

View attachment 820793 I've got scum in my stainless steel fermenter that I've been unable to remove. I've soaked with PBW and scrubbed with a plastic/nylon scouring pad but neither has worked. Any ideas what else to try?

Use a magic eraser. It is gentle and will not score the stainless steel but will get rid of the scum that PBW won’t touch. I have also used citric acid to clean calcium & lime off the stainless surface. Both things are great to solve the problems.

 

[sibelman]

Citric acid could be terrific, as could oxalic acid, the main ingredient in BKF.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser may work well but I don't think I'll be using it in the brewery. The Proctor and Gamble MSDS I found is silent on its composition but this Wired article gives me pause about any food/drink applications.

 

[FrankCazabon]

Use a magic eraser. It is gentle and will not score the stainless steel but will get rid of the scum that PBW won’t touch. I have also used citric acid to clean calcium & lime off the stainless surface. Both things are great to solve the problems.

Thanks, I didn't know what a magic eraser is. Never heard of it but Google and sibelman came to the rescue.

I have got some citric acid so I'll try that, thanks again.

 

[FrankCazabon]

Citric acid could be terrific, as could oxalic acid, the main ingredient in BKF.

Mr. Clean Magic Eraser may work well but I don't think I'll be using it in the brewery. The Proctor and Gamble MSDS I found is silent on its composition but this Wired article gives me pause about any food/drink applications.

Thanks, if the citric acid I have didn't work I'll see if I can find oxalic acid.

Of course those places that Google says has bar keepers friend here don't actually have any.

 

[day_trippr]

wrt frying out exposed iron the acids of preference are nitric and citric. Hot 8-10% citric acid is a great way to deeply passivate stainless steel...

Cheers!