Proper way to clean bottles

[qewret]

Hey y'all. Wasn't able to find a clear answer to my question so I'm hoping someone can help me out! I'm about to bottle one of my brews and its the first time that I'm using the bottles with the swing top, or lightning closures. For anyone not sure which I mean http://sell.lulusoso.com/upload/20110630/Wine_Bottle_Closure.jpg
So my question is: Usually I soak my bottles in a bleach solution for about 36 hours to get rid of all contamination and more so the stickers. I feel like this solution might degrade the rubber on the swivel? If anyone else can confirm it does/doesn't or tell me an alternate method I'd really appreciate it, otherwise I'll probably just star san it and scrub at the old stickers.
As an aside I'm also wondering if you guys can tell me an easy way to find out how much liquid is in my carboy for bulk priming. Since I want to have the priming sugar in the bottling bucket and then siphon onto it I can't use that bucket, I know the estimate but I'm just wondering if people found some way to measure the height and plug it into a formula since its just a generic 6 gallon carboy.
Appreciate it guys! Thanks in advance

 

[qewret]

Also for anyone that has used these swivel tops, they lock properly right? I don't have to worry about the not carbonating and being flat? Thanks again y'all!

 

[BrewThruYou]

I don't bleach my bottles, but it should be fine on the rubber/silicone. Make sure to rinse the ever living crap out of them. FYI, I've found that the original gaskets are usually silicone and replacement ones are usually rubber.

For cleaning all bottles, I just use oxyclean to clean and then starsan to sanitize. Make sure you are sanitizing the gaskets and the little part of the top that the gasket sits on.

Yes, I've had all my swing tops lock properly. I've heard some people having problems, but I've done several cases with zero carbonation issues...new swing tops from the LHBS, reused Grolsch bottles and reused amber commercial swing tops.

 

[qewret]

Hmm I use b-brite cleaner and star san for the sanitizing but I didn't think the b-brite would help with the labels which the bleach does, I guess I could try but if someone could tell me It'd save me a 24 hour soak ;p I'd definitely prefer to avoid the bleach all together if the b-brite gets the job done!

 

[BrewThruYou]

I'm betting the b brite will work with the labels...it's a similar cleanser to oxyclean I think. A lot of people (myself included) use OxyFree...it's a version of oxyclean without dyes or perfumes. When I get a lot of bottles, I use a home depot bucket full of oxyfree solution.

Other times, I just keep a cereal-keeper-esque pitcher filled with oxyfree solution...it fits 3 bottles at a time. After I drink a commercial beer, I rinse it, fill it with water and throw it in that pitcher.

 

[qewret]

I like that idea, OxyFree seems to be the way to go, to be honest my LHBS sold me the big b-brite when I was just getting started and after a few batches I'm still slowly using it but it seems like its not the best. I'll just try and use on a small scale like you mentioned such as a pitcher and also use the bleach, if they both work equally as well then I'd rather use the less abrasive one.

 

[BrewThruYou]

I'm sure OxyFree is cheaper too. I haven't had any issues with OxyFree getting labels off. Just don't use too much...it can build up a carbonate scale on the bottles (as can any carbonate-based cleanser) if you use too much and leave it there too long. I maybe use a tablespoon in my 3 bottle pitcher.

 

[sweetcell]

As an aside I'm also wondering if you guys can tell me an easy way to find out how much liquid is in my carboy for bulk priming. Since I want to have the priming sugar in the bottling bucket and then siphon onto it I can't use that bucket, I know the estimate but I'm just wondering if people found some way to measure the height and plug it into a formula since its just a generic 6 gallon carboy.

this isn't going to help you now, but: before i start a batch, i add measured amount of water to my carboy and make lines using a permanent marker (because it's glass, the lines aren't permenent). If I'm brewing a 5 gallon batch, i typically make lines for 4.75, 5.0, and 5.25 gals. and if i'm not going to secondary, i also add lines for the first 5 or 6 quarts at the bottom of the vessel. that way if my top line reads 5 gallons but the bottom line shows 3 quarts of yeast/trub, i know that i'll be bottling about 4.25 gallons.