Inaccessible spigot part

[Luxy]

Anyone has any idea about cleaning the stuffs that tends to find their way into the part that allows the spigot to rotate? The slightly yellowish part just above the outlet mouth. Thanks in advance

 

[IslandLizard]

They should be 2 separate parts, one rotating inside the other.
Soak in some very hot water, then push (or pull) apart.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

Anyone has any idea about cleaning the stuffs that tends to find their way into the part that allows the spigot to rotate? The slightly yellowish part just above the outlet mouth. Thanks in advance

A few years back I had an infection. I am not positive of the initial source, but I suspect my spigots transferred the infection to the next batch. When I managed to take apart my spigots, there were some visible crud in a couple of them. I stopped using those style spigots because they are quite hard to disassemble. Instead I use the more simple ones that do not rotate. With those ones, it is a lot easier to pop them apart to fully clean them.

I recall a YouTube video on disassembling spigots, but I could not find it with some quick searching. As @IslandLizard mentions, a soak in hot water is needed to soften them up a bit.

 

[whoaru99]

I use a wood dowel inserted into the outlet of the spigot then give it a good whack. Pops the red piece right out of the white piece. You do need to have a firm grip on the white piece.

 

[Luxy]

Hi guy, thanks all for the reply. It didn’t cross my mind that they are separatable. Just gave it a tuck and they come apart. Problem solved! Thanks again for the replies!

 

[hotbeer]

Check the per item cost when you buy a large package of them. You might find it not worth the time/effort to clean. Just use a new one each time.

Though that is wasteful. So it does make for a slight gap in ideals, many plastics are recyclable.

 

[IslandLizard]

Just gave it a tuck and they come apart.

That easy, huh!
Makes me wonder whether the manufacturer could provide (dis)assembly instructions.

Be careful it doesn't come apart by "accident," for example, when (unintentionally) stepping on it. I seem to have a knack for doing that: "What's with all that water on the floor? Oh, sh...

 

[MaxStout]

I once had an infected batch I traced back to a dirty bottling bucket spigot. I simply bought a new one, but since then I clean the heck out of it after each use. Then I put the spigot in a jar of Starsan until next time.

 

[IslandLizard]

Don't forget to thoroughly clean and sanitize the threads, nut, and rubber washers too!

Especially the rubber washers, they're somewhat porous and become gnarly if allowed to sit around uncleaned. Therefore it's best to clean (and then sanitize) all parts directly after each use, and let dry unassembled. Then resanitize and assemble wet, right before using.

 

[Luxy]

It requires quite some force though but it’s doable, just need to grip on the edge of the part and pull them.

 

[IslandLizard]

It requires quite some force though but it’s doable, just need to grip on the edge of the part and pull them.

As I mentioned before, first soak in (very) hot water for 30-60 seconds (longer if needed) to make the plastic more pliable. Then immediately (while still hot) push the 2 halves apart using a wooden dowel or such. That should not gouge or otherwise damage the parts.

 

[CascadesBrewer]

I use a wood dowel inserted into the outlet of the spigot then give it a good whack. Pops the red piece right out of the white piece. You do need to have a firm grip on the white piece.

Note that it is not getting the red piece out that is the the challenge, it is getting the two white pieces apart (as shown in the pic a few post back). When I took mine apart after an infection, there was some crud in those parts.

When using the "simple spigots" (the ones that don't rotate), I do something similar but use a chopstick to push out the "handle/valve" piece after running some hot tap water through the spigot.

There are still a lot of crevasses with those spigots that are a bit hard to fully clean. I try to do my best with a sponge, pipe cleaner and a tooth brush and that seems to be working well for me.