PBW is wonderful.. but.....

[r8rphan]

... it's not cheap...

When I was soaking my racking cane and corny dip tubes in my SS deep sink using that stuff, it removed all the old coffee stains that I had been trying to get rid of for several years... leaving the sink looking brand new... I was stoked..

So I'm definitely a believer.. but you go through ti fast and it's costly..

So the only alternative I keep hearing of is oxiclean.. I'm thinking I can use that for general washing, and save the PBW for the tougher jobs...

What is the difference between both products.. Are they the same or similar in the chemical reactions behind them?

Also, I understand the reasoning behind using 'unscented' oxiclean... How do you tell which ones are unscented? If I search amazon and similar places for the stuff, I get no results for 'unscented' oxiclean... If I google 'unscented oxiclean' all I get is a kazillion references to discussion in home brew forums...

So which 'oxiclean' is the unscented one? I have a 15-20 year old bucket of the stuff in the garage, but I have no way of knowing if 'that's the unscented variety either...

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

If it has a scent, it's not unscented.

Do you have any means to order wholesale?

I have a 5 gallon bucket of PBW I got for less than $100 wholesale. I expect it will last forever and I use it very generously.

 

[wildwest450]

Search for Oxyclean FREE, this is what you want

http://bit.ly/e4JMOE


Even cheaper is sun oxygen cleaner from walmart, you might need to use a bit more than oxy, to get the same results.

 

[r8rphan]

How does oxiclean differ from PBW.. both chemically and performance wise...

$100 for 5lbs of PBW is still more than ten times the cost of PBW.. Plus, my personal economy is very tight and what little money I have is needed in a lot of places...

 

[r8rphan]

If it has a scent, it's not unscented.

I sniffed the picture of the stuff at amazon on my computer monitor, and smelled nothing.... I guess I'm good to go...


But seriously, any idea how oxiclean and PBW differ or are the same...

 

[ArcaneXor]

I believe, if I recall correctly, that PBW is essentially an oxiclean/sodium metasilicate blend. I don't understand what it actually achieves chemically, but reportedly it's more effective at prying deposits off the container walls than oxiclean alone.

 

[JonW]

I'm sold on how well PBW works that I won't entertain trying oxi or anything else.

The trick to keeping it affordable is using it in ways that doesn't require you to mix up a ton of it. Just last night I cleaned 8 kegs with only two gallons (and 2 oz pbw) by using a home made keg cleaner (bucket & sump pump).

 

[r8rphan]

If PBW is partly oxiclean, would there be any harm in mixing the two together? IOW, putting two tablespoons of PBW and three or so tablespoons of oxiclean in a five gallon batch of water?

Anyone tried that?

 

[Shooter]

I make a mixture of about 1/2 Oxiclean Free and 1/2 Red Devil TSP cleaner to make a psuedo PBW clone.

 

[r8rphan]

I make a mixture of about 1/2 Oxiclean Free and 1/2 Red Devil TSP cleaner to make a psuedo PBW clone.

What's the active ingredient in TSP? It rinses clean like PBW?

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

I have a 15-20 year old bucket of the stuff in the garage, but I have no way of knowing if 'that's the unscented variety either...

I sniffed the picture of the stuff at amazon on my computer monitor, and smelled nothing.... I guess I'm good to go...


But seriously, any idea how oxiclean and PBW differ or are the same...

 

[GilaMinumBeer]

What's the active ingredient in TSP? It rinses clean like PBW?

Tri Sodium Phosphate?

 

[Shooter]

What's the active ingredient in TSP? It rinses clean like PBW?

Red Devil TSP is not Tri-Sodium Phosphate. It's now made with Sodium Metasilicate. Supposedly PBW is composed of Oxiclean and Sodium Metasilicate with some sort of chelating agent.

I've only recently started using it, but it seems to rinse cleaner than just straight Oxi.

 

[r8rphan]

Oh, I got ya.. I'm kinda reluctant to use that seeing as it's so old and there's grease and what not all over the container... So, unless I absolutely have to use it, I'd rather get a new tub seeing as it's so cheap.. Besides, there's probably less than half a pound left in it...

 

[r8rphan]

Red Devil TSP is not Tri-Sodium Phosphate. It's now made with Sodium Metasilicate. Supposedly PBW is composed of Oxiclean and Sodium Metasilicate with some sort of chelating agent.

I've only recently started using it, but it seems to rinse cleaner than just straight Oxi.

WOW! If that's true, then there we go!

Can anyone verify this?

 

[jkarp]

I've only recently started using it, but it seems to rinse cleaner than just straight Oxi.

This.

I used oxy for ages and tried some PBW on a whim back at the beginning of this year. It cleaned my kettle better and definitely rinsed easier. Decided it was worth the extra $$ - especially with a counterflow chiller in the mix.

 

[wildwest450]

You guys must have poop water, oxi rinses very well in this neck of the woods.

 

[Shooter]

I've seen various recipes for this PBW mix on a couple of websites. There is some debate as to the proper ratio of the Oxi to Red Devil. Once I had an empty Oxi canister I purchased a new one, I think they're 3lbs, and then just divided it evenly between the two and put a one pound bag of Red devil in each one and stirred. So, I'm going with 1.5lbs of Oxi to 1lb of Red Devil in each batch. Like I said, it's early yet, so I'm going to continue to monitor how effective this stuff is.

 

[Shooter]

You guys must have poop water, oxi rinses very well in this neck of the woods.

I haven't had too many issues with rinsing either, warm water is preferrable. I do notice the Oxi leaves a reside on my hands, which Star San seems to remove.

 

[r8rphan]

I'm going to look for this stuff when I'm in town this week.. And I need to know exactly what I'm looking for, as there seems to now be various kinds or brands...

Is 'this' the stuff?

or 'this'

or 'this'?

or this?

 

[r8rphan]

And this is the oxiclean I'm looking for right?

 

[lustreking]

I'm going to look for this stuff when I'm in town this week.. And I need to know exactly what I'm looking for, as there seems to now be various kinds or brands...

The top one definitely, the second one possibly.

 

[maida7]

be careful using TSP. I have heard that it will eat thru your skin. Probably a good idea to wear gloves. Possibly some eye protection as well.

 

[kanzimonson]

I just make 1-2qts of PBW solution at a time and try to clean several things at once. It's not a one-use item, either - you can save it to wash several things. So long as it's removing solids from the target item, it's still working right?

Starsan, on the other hand, I won't take much of a chance with. I make a 5gal bucket every month, and nothing goes in that isn't already clean and rinsed.

 

[Shooter]

The top one definitely, the second one possibly.

Yep, the top bag of TSP/90 is what I use and, yes, your Oxiclean Free picture is the product to mix it with.

 

[Namako]

Well, to resurrect an old thread, I was just wondering... have any of you guys have settled into a preference? What's working, what doesn't?

I'm pulling for the OxyClean/TSP combo, since I can get that cheaper in the commissary here on base (Japan). It would sure beat paying DOUBLE for PBW, once the cost of shipping is included.

 

[MaxStout]

I have used both PBW and Oxy, and saw no difference in performance between the two. Unsurprisingly, I now use Oxy (Sun Cleaner from Wally World), as I can't justify paying the equivalent price of top sirloin for a powdered wash.

 

[naga77777]

I use a mixture of 5 scoops oxiclean free, to 3 scoops TSP/90. (Using the scoop from the oxyclean free container). I pretty much just use it to soak kegs these days, and I mix up a small tub for various parts (airlocks, botting wand, etc).

I've been doing "mechanical cleaning" (bonus points for using a Palmer term!) lately on the buckets, and the SS boil kettle. Using the soft side of an ordinary kitchen sponge on the plastic, and the coarse side on the SS.

I'm of the impression that the "PBW clone" rinses cleaner/easier than straight oxiclean. And I've never used PBW, so I don't miss it.

 

[MaxStout]

I've been doing "mechanical cleaning" (bonus points for using a Palmer term!) lately on the buckets, and the SS boil kettle. Using the soft side of an ordinary kitchen sponge on the plastic, and the coarse side on the SS.

I get good results using a Dobie pad to "mechanically clean" the more troublesome gunk from kettles.