Help cleaning a carboy...

[wbrian]

Hi All!
Several years ago I made a fig wine. I didn't know to remove the skins, and the wine left a hazy foggy look to the carboy. I've tried to clean it with C-Brite (soak and scrub) and Starsan without any noticable effect.
Any suggestions on how to get this carboy lear again? Also, would it be harmful to use the carboy as it is?
Thanks!
Brian

 

[day_trippr]

I wouldn't use it as is.

Pour two cups of straight white vinegar in there and swish it around. If you can see it cutting the white stuff, use a carboy brush to work it all around the inside...

Cheers!

 

[wbrian]

Thanks. I'll give it a shot. I shudder at the thought of intentionally getting vinegar in one of my carboys! !-D

I wouldn't use it as is.

Pour two cups of straight white vinegar in there and swish it around. If you can see it cutting the white stuff, use a carboy brush to work it all around the inside...

Cheers!

 

[tellyho]

Might step up the cleaning power to PBW. In hot water, full carboy soak.

 

[day_trippr]

Have to be really careful about doing anything "hot" in a glass carboy. The different thermal expansion rates between the very thick bottom and the very thin sidewall is what leads to the bottom eventually falling out of carboys.

That's why I specified lukewarm, but one could certainly give PBW at try. Still, my suspicion is the remains of the "C-Brite" (a chlorinated cleanser) reacting with whatever water the OP used that left that haze behind, and an acid rinse has very often worked on haze left behind by Oxyclean...

Cheers!

 

[govner1]

Go crazy and buy a new carboy, preferably plastic for your own safety.
If you must have glass stay with Italian made. The Chinese stuff is truly crap!

 

[wbrian]

Thanks for the reply! I am certain this is latex remaining from the fig skins (i think, anyway!). I've used C-Brite for years on this and other carboys without this happening.
What is PBW, btw?

Thanks again!
Brian

Have to be really careful about doing anything "hot" in a glass carboy. The different thermal expansion rates between the very thick bottom and the very thin sidewall is what leads to the bottom eventually falling out of carboys.

That's why I specified lukewarm, but one could certainly give PBW at try. Still, my suspicion is the remains of the "C-Brite" (a chlorinated cleanser) reacting with whatever water the OP used that left that haze behind, and an acid rinse has very often worked on haze left behind by Oxyclean...

Cheers!

 

[wbrian]

Thanks! What is PBW?

Thanks!
Brian

Might step up the cleaning power to PBW. In hot water, full carboy soak.

 

[Kirkwooder]

Thanks! What is PBW?

Thanks!
Brian

Powdered Brewery Wash. ( basically oxyclean)

 

[wbrian]

Powdered Brewery Wash. ( basically oxyclean)

Thx!

 

[kh54s10]

I would put that in the recycle bin and buy PET or stainless steel fermenters for safety.

But. PBW or Oxyclean soak. Starsan is a sanitizer it will do very little in the way of cleaning.

Don't know why you would be concerned with putting vinegar in the carboy.. You have already put worse things for you in there.

Warm water at best - no thermal shock to the glass. And be very careful. We don't want you to post here: https://www.homebrewtalk.com/forum/threads/broken-glass-carboy-horror-stories-compendium.376523/