Hey guys, sanitizer question

[ahaley]

I have a bottle of iodine that came with my beer kit, I want to sanitize my "thief" ( brand name for my hydrometer )
I have a few questions.
1; will the iodine work? I didn't know it sanitized things?
2; could I use like household soaps for dishes?
3; would the household soaps or iodine make off flavors when I take a sample?

Note: I don't want to drive to another city like 40ish miles away to buy cleaning agents if I don't have too.

Thanks for the help guys and gals!

 

[bullinachinashop]

1.The Iodine will work, just make sure you follow the dilution recommendations and the contact times.
2.I would stay away from houshold cleaners as most contain perfumes and surfacants. Oxygen based cleaners are the best for your equipment cleaning needs. ie. One Step EasyClean ect.
3. Yes!

If you can find unscented Oxyclean that will work great for all your cleaning needs.
The main problem people have with Iodine is that it will stain your equipment.
I would suggest that the next time you ge t a chance, pick up some Star San to use as your sanitizer
Good luck
Bull

 

[Homercidal]

The iodine is for sanitizing stuff AFTER you clean them. It's purpose is to kill 99.0% (guessing) of bacteria and other bad stuff.

But you have to clean well so the sanitizer can get to those bugs. Otherwise they could hide in a glob of goo, safely protected from your murderous iodine.

You should coat any piece of equipment that touches your beer after the boil. This includes the thief.

 

[ahaley]

Thanks guys so much! I had 1 packet of the powder sanitizer that I used to prepare my equipment for my primary fermenter. I'll look around the store today to see if I can find I scented oxyclean, time to go home, and see what i can do for my beer! It's been fermenting about 3 almost 4 weeks and I'm getting very impatient and want to bottle it lol

 

[ahaley]

I forgot to ask, would the staining from the iodine be problematic or taste or anything?

 

[Homercidal]

Thanks guys so much! I had 1 packet of the powder sanitizer that I used to prepare my equipment for my primary fermenter. I'll look around the store today to see if I can find I scented oxyclean, time to go home, and see what i can do for my beer! It's been fermenting about 3 almost 4 weeks and I'm getting very impatient and want to bottle it lol

UNscented Oxi...

I forgot to ask, would the staining from the iodine be problematic or taste or anything?

No. The discoloration is just a necessary downside to using it, but it doesn't affect the taste at the dilution rate of the remaining film.

You might choose to switch to StarSan, which is another no-rinse contact sanitizer that doesn't stain (Unless you get undiluted starsan on your countertop. It's an acid-based sanitizer after all...)

 

[Hang Glider]

(Unless you get undiluted starsan on your countertop. It's an acid-based sanitizer after all...)

this.
I'll have to change countertops before I can ever sell my home...

 

[ahaley]

I think I had the San star powder but used it already. And oh wow it stains counters? I'll need to be careful! And if the stains dont do anything to flavor I can live with having a slightly purple or blue fermenter and priming bucket lol
How do you recommend sanitizing glass bottles? Putting them in the dish washer? Or cooking them in the oven ? Lol

 

[ahaley]

I just realized my phone corrected unscented to scented.. Dumb smart phones.. I meant to say unscented.