How to wash the fermenter?

[avillax]

My first brew is almost done fermenting, I was wondering how should I wash the fermenter once I transfer everything to bottles?

 

[Pkrd]

I rinse well and then soak in oxyclean.

 

[jafo28]

Just make sure it's the scent free oxiclean. You could use PBW also. One more thing, don't use anything abrasive on a plastic bucket.

 

[Elfmaze]

glass carboy or bucket?

 

[govner1]

Soak with hot water & 1Tbsp/ gal of B-Brite. Rinse well.

 

[Hello]

I rinse well with warm water. If I need to get some hard spots I let soak for an hour or two in PBW and warm water. If the spots remain, I put a small washcloth into the carboy with some PBW and warm water and swirl. I no longer let my plastic carboys soak in warm water with PBW. I was told it can cause them to crack.

 

[avillax]

Thank you all, it's a bucket

 

[unionrdr]

I got tired of going through 3-4 TBSP's of PBW per fermenter, then lugging water from the 1st floor bathroom to the brewery to fill'em up to the top of the crud line. So I started rinsing out the yeast & trub to flush down the head. Then take it outside & use the hose & a tight spray pattern of some 3" at point of contact to blast the krausen ring away. A couple minutes & it's clean! Then soak the spigot parts in PBW, rinse & reassemble wet with Starsan. Quicker & easier. My PBW goes a lot farther as a result, since I only mix 1 1/2 ounces with a gallon of water to clean stuff now.

 

[J-Drew]

+1 to what jafo28 said, particularly about not using anything abrasive on the bucket.

 

[IslandLizard]

Rinse all the crud out, even spray with a garden hose as @unionrdr does. Then dump in a gallon or so of hot, but not boiling (homemade) PBW. Use a sponge and/or hand brush and wipe the inside thoroughly. Save the PBW in an empty milk jug for next cleaning session. Rinse again, and let dry.

 

[unionrdr]

As a matter of fact, I did pour in some PBW & used a small, soft cloth to wipe it down after spraying the crud ring out. Then rinse & store. Works fine so far.

 

[IslandLizard]

As a matter of fact, I did pour in some PBW & used a small, soft cloth to wipe it down after spraying the crud ring out. Then rinse & store. Works fine so far.

+1^

Yeah, I like soft wash cloths too, much better than all those modern pathetically small sponges. The sponges with the one-sided felt-like surface are still useful, though. They don't scratch plastic, while giving some needed friction.

I use small washcloths to mop Starsan on fermentors, large jars, and lids too.

 

[unionrdr]

Yeah, once in a while it's good to clean around the lid seal area with PBW & a soft cloth. Then rinse & sanitize with Starsan. On brew day, I have everything cleaned & rinsed, so I pour Starsan over/around the lid & seal, into the fermenter bucket. Swirl that around, then drain through the spigot back into the jug.

 

[Natdavis777]

I let mine soak in warm PBW for 30 min, then drain, rinse, and fill with Starsan solution so its ready for the next brewday.

 

[Aboyd656]

I let mine soak in warm PBW for 30 min, then drain, rinse, and fill with Starsan solution so its ready for the next brewday.

As in you leave the starsan solution in there up until you are about to brew? There won't be any ill effects from doing that?

 

[Natdavis777]

As in you leave the starsan solution in there up until you are about to brew? There won't be any ill effects from doing that?

Yep. No ill effects. I brew about every two weeks. Ive done this for 100+ batches. I use glass carboys FWIW