How to clean perfectly PET carboy

[JLubbert]

Hello Everyone:

Well on my 2nd batch of amber ale, it started a different smell from the first one with the same Munston yeast, but the second one at day 2 of fermenting started to have an strange sulfur smell, wich makes me think maybe i cleaned badly my PET carboy.

I used hot water and i saw everything cleared, i tried to use this brushes to clean bottles but it was VERY DIFFICULT to get just near the upper part cuz you have to bend the brush and it is diffucult to put pressure on the cleaning.

Anyways, before i transfered the final wort, i sanitized with 80% alcohol and let it stir and then i rinsed with some water cuz it smelled a lot like alcohol.

Any suggestions on how to clean PET carboys and how to sanitize them?
Remember i live in Chile and i dont have much choise...

 

[cluwood56]

Should have not rinsed!
The alcohol would not have been noticed!

 

[sagnew440]

Ive never herd of using alcohol for sanitizing. What kind of alcohol. If it was rubbing alcohol I wouldn't use it. I would get some idorapor or starsan.

 

[Dan]

Ive never herd of using alcohol for sanitizing. What kind of alcohol. If it was rubbing alcohol I wouldn't use it. I would get some idorapor or starsan.

+1

Also, I don't think it's recommended to use a brush on plastic as it can create tiny scratches which could harbor bacteria making them hard to sanitize. I use plastic buckets and that is the recommendation for them.

 

[JLubbert]

The alcohol i got was from the drugstore. I can get Iodophor also, but i dont know how to use it. Here it is called "povidona Yodada, 10% topic solution" and it is like for desinfecting wounds and it stains everything...

 

[WhineinAlbany]

The sulfur smell seems pretty normal IMO. Some yeast strains let out smells like this while they eat away at the sugars.

 

[eastoak]

Ive never herd of using alcohol for sanitizing. What kind of alcohol. If it was rubbing alcohol I wouldn't use it. I would get some idorapor or starsan.

not to pick nits but when i go to my local brewery to get yeast they sanitize all of the fittings involved with a 95% solution of alcohol in a spray bottle, they even spray my 2 liter flask with it. i don't complain since they give me a liter of any kind of yeast they have on hand whenever i want it and i've never had any infections from their yeast.

 

[eastoak]

+1

Also, I don't think it's recommended to use a brush on plastic as it can create tiny scratches which could harbor bacteria making them hard to sanitize. I use plastic buckets and that is the recommendation for them.

i don't think a plastic brush can scratch a plastic bottle deep enough to be a problem. all of my fermenters are better bottles that i clean with an angled bottle brush.

 

[Dan]

i don't think a plastic brush can scratch a plastic bottle deep enough to be a problem. all of my fermenters are better bottles that i clean with an angled bottle brush.

I honestly don't have experience using bottle brushes. It was recommended to me I shoudn't use them on plastic so I stuck with it because it sort of makes sense. I'm sure I'm probably wrong.

This forum is great because people are always breaking away from the status quo and find out some old rules aren't realy true.

 

[CrystallineEntity]

i don't think a plastic brush can scratch a plastic bottle deep enough to be a problem. all of my fermenters are better bottles that i clean with an angled bottle brush.

Interesting. Most will tell you not to use a carboy brush, as it can scratch. I've probably read that over a hundred times on here.

 

[eastoak]

Interesting. Most will tell you not to use a carboy brush, as it can scratch. I've probably read that over a hundred times on here.

if you have a better bottle and a bottle brush give it a try on the outside of the bottle, you'll know instantly if what you've read here is true or not. again, i'm not trying to contradict anyone, just saying that seeing is believing.

 

[squirrelly]

There is a difference between clean and sanitized. One can not sanitize something that is not clean.

With that being said, there are red bristled brushes that are designed for the better bottle. These have a less likely chance of scratching the surface.

I would first use PBW and warm water and soak the container. Then using the appropriate brush, scrub the vessel just like you would a Carboy paying close attention to around the neck of the bottle. You will have to bend and contort your brush to get in the upper part around the neck. Once that is done rinse with warm water until you are sure your fermenter is clean. To sanitize just use star San and water, and DO NOT RINSE!

I'm not sure if you might have damaged the bottle by scrubbing it with a Carboy brush and then using isopyal alcohol to sanitize it, but I'm not sure I would use that for beer ever again.

I'm not sure why people always try to skirt around the cleaners and sanitizers, but you really can't go wrong with PBW and star San. Star San is no rinse, and works great. What's more is both products were made for brewing!

 

[agdoc04]

Here's what I have done:
1. rinse out the carboy as best as possible. Warm water. Swirl, dump.
2. Place a wash cloth inside and fill about 1/4 full with water and swirl, shake, turn. If you turn upside down the water will not come out due to being plugged by the towel. Swirl, and swirl some more and that will get the gunk around the brim.
3. Rinse out again.
4. Easiest cleaning solution is Star-sans (get it on the internet.) Alternatives would be diluted iodine or a dilute bleach/chlorine solution.

****I cut out #5 for you Dan.

 

[Dan]

I followed you up to step #4 and got lost at #5

 

[squirrelly]

Good advice except that star San is NOT a cleaner, it is a sanitizer. You still need a detergent like PBW to clean the equipment before you sanitize it. Again, one can not sanitize an item that is not beforehand clean.

 

[dmfa200]

You know that twisted wire that holds the bristles on a bottle brush? Well putting too much pressure on the brush while cleaning will allow the wire to contact your plastic and that will definitely put scratches on your better bottle.
Both my better bottles are all scratched up near the the top where that krausen clings and dries out making it a bitch to get off.
Haven't had any sanitation issues yet, but it still makes me nervous.

 

[Olddog]

The only way I have ever cleaned my better bottles is an overnight soak with a scoop of Oxyclean Free followed by a vigorous rinse. I know they make brushes for better bottles but I've never needed one, no matter how caked on the krausen is.

 

[arg]

I've not tried cleaning a better bottle, but I usually let my glass carboys sit filled to the brim with PBW solution for a while. Most of the time I'm feeling lazy and they may sit for a week or so before I get around to dumping them. By that point, a quick rinse, swirl, and drain are all that's needed to get them squeaky clean. I wouldn't think a Better Bottle would be different.

PBW is a bit pricey, but just try it out if you haven't already. It works wonders and is designed for this purpose!!! There is no reason it should be difficult.