Homemade PBW Recipe

[BigEd]

Anyone have a good online (or in central MA) source for generic oxiclean free alternative? I've checked most of the dollar stores/similar retailers in the area and haven't found anything and just wondering if there is a cheaper alternative to oxiclean free. Thanks!

I don't know how far away you would be from a Benny's store. They are a small, regional chain of household/hardware/misc stores covering eastern Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southeast Massachusetts. They sell a one pound plastic container of "Oxy-All" for $1.25. The stuff works fine and is a generic percarbonate powder.

http://hellobennys.com/locations/

 

[_TheTrevster_]

Updated Recipe.

Thanks to all who tried out the new products!

all Oxi Laundry Booster, Free Clear, 52 Ounce This is available on Amazon for $7.99 each, but I can buy it locally for $5.99 each.

Red Devil 0265 TSP 90 Heavy Duty Cleaner, 4-Pounds

Seventh Generation, Free & Clear Auto Dish Powder 75 Ounces

 

[user 204491]

Updated Recipe.

Thanks to all who tried out the new products!

Earth Friendly Products Oxo-Brite, Non-Chlorine Powder Bleach, 3.2 Pounds (Pack of 2)

Red Devil 0265 TSP 90 Heavy Duty Cleaner, 4-Pounds

Seventh Generation, Free & Clear Auto Dish Powder 75 Ounces

Thanks, that seems to be pretty heavy on the Seventh Generation, using 75 ounces whereas previously we only used 40 ounces. What prompted the change?

Could you break down the ratios as you did in that post, comparing them to the ideal range?

 

[TexasWine]

Thanks, that seems to be pretty heavy on the Seventh Generation, using 75 ounces whereas previously we only used 40 ounces. What prompted the change?

Could you break down the ratios as you did in that post, comparing them to the ideal range?

I don't think he's saying to use 75 ounces, just that the 75 ounce box is what people are purchasing. You'll have 35 ounces left over.

 

[user 204491]

I don't think he's saying to use 75 ounces, just that the 75 ounce box is what people are purchasing. You'll have 35 ounces left over.

Ahh, yes, I believe you are correct. If you do the math, that's the only way the cost per pound matches up. Just wasn't very clear from the description.

 

[_TheTrevster_]

Thanks, that seems to be pretty heavy on the Seventh Generation, using 75 ounces whereas previously we only used 40 ounces. What prompted the change?

Could you break down the ratios as you did in that post, comparing them to the ideal range?

I've updated the new recipe with all the ratios. We fall a bit outside the ideal ranges now, but I don't feel it is a deal breaker.

I don't think he's saying to use 75 ounces, just that the 75 ounce box is what people are purchasing. You'll have 35 ounces left over.

As TexasWine mentioned you can use less of the 7th Generation and hit the numbers, but I'd rather just use the whole box and be done with it.

 

[brewprint]

Updated Recipe.

Thanks to all who tried out the new products!

all Oxi Laundry Booster, Free Clear, 52 Ounce This is available on Amazon for $7.99 each, but I can buy it locally for $5.99 each.

Red Devil 0265 TSP 90 Heavy Duty Cleaner, 4-Pounds

Seventh Generation, Free & Clear Auto Dish Powder 75 Ounces

Let me get this straight.

Instead of using 96 oz of Oxygen cleaner we use 104 ounces.

Still use the entire TSP/90.

Instead of using 40 oz of Seventh Generation Powdered Dishwashing Detergent we use 75oz.

Do I have this straight?

I think I'll just eyeball modifying my current batch that I used a couple pounds of so far. A little more of oxo brite and a lot more of the dishwashing detergent.

 

[Tenenet]

40 pages of thread so my apologies for not reading it all. Are people having more success with this than oxiclean? I saw this is for hard water but I'm just curious is the formula works better one softer water.

 

[BrunDog]

I've updated the new recipe with all the ratios. We fall a bit outside the ideal ranges now, but I don't feel it is a deal breaker.



As TexasWine mentioned you can use less of the 7th Generation and hit the numbers, but I'd rather just use the whole box and be done with it.

In my experience, with softer water, you can dial down the dish detergent a bit and be very effective.

 

[Stealthcruiser]

@TheTrevster

"I've updated the new recipe with all the ratios."

Where is the latest rendition, Please Sir?

 

[DrGMG]

40 pages of thread so my apologies for not reading it all. Are people having more success with this than oxiclean? I saw this is for hard water but I'm just curious is the formula works better one softer water.

I like it better than PBW.

 

[_TheTrevster_]

@TheTrevster

"I've updated the new recipe with all the ratios."

Where is the latest rendition, Please Sir?

The latest recipe is as follows:

all Oxi Laundry Booster, Free Clear: 2x 52 Ounce tubs
Red Devil 0265 TSP 90 Heavy Duty Cleaner: 1x 4-Pound bag
Seventh Generation, Free & Clear Auto Dish Powder: 45 ounces (of a 75 Ounce box)

 

[Stealthcruiser]

Thank you, Sir!

 

[Redtab78]

The latest recipe is as follows:

all Oxi Laundry Booster, Free Clear: 2x 52 Ounce tubs
Red Devil 0265 TSP 90 Heavy Duty Cleaner: 1x 4-Pound bag
Seventh Generation, Free & Clear Auto Dish Powder: 45 ounces (of a 75 Ounce box)

where can I buy this stuff?

 

[jmark]

All three of these are on Amazon... about $38 for around 13lbs of product. Not bad when PBW is ~$50 for 8lbs.

 

[soccerdad]

You can also do 'site to store' at Wally's. The All oxy is on the shelf and the others are at walmart.com

 

[brewprint]

Don't forget that if you have a membership at Costco the big box of oxo free is $25 shipped. I think it's 14lbs.

 

[user 204491]

Don't forget that if you have a membership at Costco the big box of oxo free is $25 shipped. I think it's 14lbs.

Not any longer it seems They've replaced it with Oxi-Clean Versatile Max Efficiency.

 

[brewprint]

Not any longer it seems They've replaced it with Oxi-Clean Versatile Max Efficiency.

Yeah I see that it isn't on there anymore. The item number was 208685.

Sounds like the All is the way to go now when I run out.

 

[MagicMatt]

All three of these are on Amazon... about $38 for around 13lbs of product. Not bad when PBW is ~$32 for 8lbs.

Fixed that for you

 

[jmark]

Fixed that for you

Really - that's a great price... where can you get it that cheap? The best I've seen is around $45 online?

 

[MagicMatt]

4lbs for just over $16 (used to be $15 and change):

https://www.ritebrew.com/product-p/883127.htm

x2 = ~$32.

 

[jmark]

Unfortunately with shipping it ends up around $45 anyway

 

[IslandLizard]

Updated Recipe.

Thanks to all who tried out the new products!

all Oxi Laundry Booster, Free Clear, 52 Ounce This is available on Amazon for $7.99 each, but I can buy it locally for $5.99 each.

Red Devil 0265 TSP 90 Heavy Duty Cleaner, 4-Pounds

Seventh Generation, Free & Clear Auto Dish Powder 75 Ounces

First, thank you for the breakdown of the ingredients in your recipe.

But... I've never seen the benefits of adding 7th Generation to homemade PBW.
Here's the reasoning:

1/3 (!) of the makeup of 7th Generation is Sodium Chloride ("table salt"). What does that bring to the cleaning party? IMO, nothing.

1/5 is Sodium Sulfite, as an oxygen scavenger doesn't that counteract the oxygen released by the sodium percarbonate in the oxiclean?

Another 1/5 is Sodium Carbonate (common washing soda) which does help with cleaning and keeping the pH high. But Oxiclean contains a large percentage of that already and more is created when the balance of Percarbonate releases its oxygen.

The 1/5 Citric Acid component doesn't make much sense either in such an alkaline rich environment. It actually brings the pH down a little, while providing some buffering, which is not really needed given the overload of Carbonates.

I'd say save your money and omit 7th Generation.

Simply make your homemade PBW with 70% Oxiclean Free (or a generic) and 30% Sodium Metasilicate (TSP/90). Done!

If you happen to see the need for the EDTA (e.g., hard water, minerals), add a teaspoon (or 2) of Sodium EDTA to each pound of that mix.

 

[MagicMatt]

Unfortunately with shipping it ends up around $45 anyway

If that's all you get, sure. I buy several of them though, and only when already buying other things. The difference in shipping is negligible (<$5), and when buying say 5 of them, that only increases it by about $0.25/lb.

 

[jmark]

If that's all you get, sure. I buy several of them though, and only when already buying other things. The difference in shipping is negligible (<$5), and when buying say 5 of them, that only increases it by about $0.25/lb.

I keep thinking about buying the big boy 50lb bucket of PBW... that'll last forever! I need to chat to my LHBS and see if they'll do a special order.

 

[balrog]

I'd say save your money and omit 7th Generation.

Simply make your homemade PBW with 70% Oxiclean Free (or a generic) and 30% Sodium Metasilicate (TSP/90). Done!

I take it one step further. Not the absolute cheapest at $2.65/lb, but certainly easy:

Sodium Percarbonate powder on ebay, 10#, $24
TSP/90 4#, ~$13

14#, $37; $2.65/#

 

[zman_]

Following the prescribed ratios/etc you can get it down to ~$1.70 if you make ~70# (perfect to split with a homebrew club).

I am currently organizing a group buy/split of a bulk amount with my local club. Going to use the recipe of:

20# Sodium Carbonate ($26)
20# Sodium Percarbonate ($38)
20# Sodium Metasilicate ($45)
3x75oz 7th Generation ($17.07)
Total: $126

Peroxygen: 27.43%
Metasilicate: 27%
Builder: 30.79%
Surfactant: 4.23%
Chelate: 4.23%
Gelling: 6.33%

Peroxygen:Chelate Ratio: 6.49
Metasilicate:Surfactant Ratio: 6.39

So everything falls within the "ideal" ranges for ratios and the cost is a pretty good point (increasing the amount doesn't result in any cost savings, actually increased costs).

Thoughts about the effectiveness of these ratios/formulations?

 

[IslandLizard]

I take it one step further. Not the absolute cheapest at $2.65/lb, but certainly easy:

Sodium Percarbonate powder on ebay, 10#, $24
TSP/90 4#, ~$13

14#, $37; $2.65/#

Thank you, good to know!

I guess that's for 100% Sodium Percarbonate, not cut down 60/40 - 50/50 with Sodium Carbonate (washing soda) as most generic "Oxiclean" already is.

My good old Sun Oxygen cleaner only lists Sodium Percarbonate and Sodium Carbonate. The percarbonate is listed first, so the product must contain at least 50% of that, possibly more. I've read the product has been discontinued recently.

I used to be able to buy common washing soda (sodium carbonate) in 3 pound boxes for ~$4, but only at the Giant in a less affluent, working neighborhood. Nowhere else to be found!
Hopefully it has changed for the better since, I'm running low on it, since I use it a lot for routine brewery cleaning, where oxygen is not needed or metasilicate is overkill.

 

[stamandster]

MSDS on Red Devil TSP/90 Heavy Duty

Sodium Percarbonate 50%
Sodium Carbonate 50%

Savorgran TSP-PF Phosphate Free

SODIUM SESQUICARBONATE 90% - 95%
SODIUM METASILICATE (or silicate, water glass) 0.1% - 5%
EDTA, TETRASODIUM 0.1% - 5%

Based on this information the percentages shown in the recipe are not accurate as none of these are 100% Sodium Metasilicate. In fact Savogran will add just a tiny bit, while the TSP/90 will just add more carbonate and percarbonate, so basically "Oxiclean".