Rinsing bottles with a bleach solution.

[arover]

Right, so I have a batch of recycled bottles I mixed in a bleach (unscented clorox, iirc) solution, just bleach and water. Did this for a few hours, then I had to leave rather quickly, so I took them out to dry, and left them. This was two weeks ago. Didn't rinse them. I have a 2nd batch of bottles that I soaked with oxyclean (rather cheap at costco, btw) for a good while, followed by a good rinse. I plan on bottling my first batch next week (w00t!). Should I soak the living hell out of my bleach cleaned bottles in water before going through the iodophor sanitizing?

And, since I like to combine questions for the sake of efficiency...I'm thinking of going for a fruit wheat for my 3rd batch, is the process any more tedious than a standard mini-mash kit?

Thanks HBT, as always.

 

[allanmac00]

Definitely rinse the hell out of them. Then ditch the bleach and get a bottle scrubber and a jet bottle washer. Best invetment I ever made.

 

[arover]

I have my scrubber already, I just get too lazy at times to use it. I'm going to use all the oxyclean rinsed bottles before getting into my bleached bottles I guess. Stuff wreaks of chlorine.

 

[barely]

The act of sanitizing with iodophor should effectively rinse any bleach from the bottles. Here's something you can try: fill one of your bleached bottles about 1/2 full of water and shake, then taste. If there's no chlorine flavor or scent from that, then a quick go-round with iodophor or starsan will be more than enough.

 

[arover]

Not a bad idea. I think I'm going to try that. Thanks =)

 

[boo boo]

I use bleach as a pre soak for all my bottles prior to sanitizing them with star-san. I rinse them off with hot water with my jet sprayer before sanitizing them.

 

[arover]

Yeah, it was all I had around the house for my cleaning after finding some bottles that day. My hands wreaked of chlorine for days...but it got the job done. Labels came off, eventually

 

[Figbash]

Bleach is a hassle.

Blast them out with a jet bottle washer, add a squirt or two of Star San from a spray bottle and hang them on a bottle tree, no rinsing required. Once you get into the habit of rinsing after you open them they'll clean up easily and bottling won't be as much of a chore.

Tom

 

[HSM]

I don't bottle anymore but when I did I only used beach to clean and sanitize.

After a soak, into the dishwasher, no detergent and the heat dry cycle. Cozy up a chair next to the dishwasher and put the bottle bucket on the counter and pull bottles direct from the dishwasher and fill/cap.

I've never had an infection and bottled beer for 10 years this way. The dishwasher makes a great bottle tree and does the rinsing for you!

 

[malkore]

also, when the bottles get consumed, rinse them thoroughly at that time. Clean IMMEDIATELY after draining, and then you need only sanitize prior to refilling.

don't even need a real cleanser...hot water should get all the solids out of the bottle.