StarSan Melts Beer Line?

King_Coaster · Jul 10, 2015

I left 26' of beer line in starsan for 3 days because I did not have time to work on my lines, when I took it out today my whole line is slimey like the pvc is melting... Took several washes to get it off of my hands.

Could that be or is that just what starsan does??? Can this be rectified with a major soak in plain water or is my $40 in beer line buggered?

DrunkleJon · Jul 10, 2015

Starsan is an acid based sanitizer. You really shouldnt leave it in prolonged contact with soft plastic like tubing. I have noticed that it can make flare fittings corrode to a pretty blackish color and made tubing hazy and white, but never start dissolving. Did you follow the label instructions on diluting?

You may be able to get away with a good rinse to see, but it sounds to me like if the line started melting or decomposing that it may be (pardon the pun) hosed.

IslandLizard · Jul 10, 2015

It does look and feel scary, but it doesn't melt or harm the line as far as I know.

I have vinyl tubes soaking in Starsan perpetually. They do get slick after a few days, and turn cloudy after longer immersion. It could be some plasticizer in the PVC reacting with one or more ingredients in Starsan, which contains phosphoric acid, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, a surfactant, and a small amount of Sodium EDTA, a strong cationic sequester.

Just drain the Starsan and they will be fine. If they've turned cloudy, drying for a few days will make them crystal clear again.
You could pump (recirculate) some PBW water through them to rinse out the slimy residue, rinse with water and resanitize with Starsan but not for 3 days. A few minutes contact time is sufficient. Even an hour won't turn them slimy.

DrunkleJon said:
[...] I have noticed that it can make flare fittings corrode to a pretty blackish color [...]

Flare fittings are not stainless, I found that out too, they are a brass alloy, and the chrome plating turns black from the acids in Starsan. It brushes off and you'll end up with a dull brass fitting. Lesson learned: don't soak them in Starsan for prolonged time. 1-2 minutes contact time is enough.

vNmd · Jul 10, 2015

I left a bottle brush in a bucket of the stuff when I first started out and turned what ever metal they are made of black as well as some tubing going sticky slimy. I was under the impression that just because it is mildly acidic it wouldn't go overboard and harm anything. I am not sure what a proper soak time would be but I now limit things (other than kegs I use for storage) to under an hour(ish) time frame.

daksin · Jul 10, 2015

The slimy feeling is starsan residue, not dissolved tubing. You can rinse it with water and it will return to its regular texture.

NightFlight · Jun 28, 2021

YOU CAN'T GET THAT SLIME OFF YOUR HANDS.

I had to use paper towel. I didn't have any experience and wasn't willing to risk it. I threw out my 6' of PVC 5/16" siphon line and just got 10' of new stuff from the local depot. I figured I'd never get that slime out if the inner part and was not really wanting to drink it. So there.