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Author Topic: Can't clean fermenter  (Read 5297 times)

Offline davidgzach

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Re: Can't clean fermenter
« Reply #15 on: March 27, 2013, 09:21:26 am »
I agree with trying hot water rather than cold water with the oxyclean.

Me too.  I use hot water no matter what.

Dave
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Offline udubdawg

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Re: Can't clean fermenter
« Reply #16 on: March 28, 2013, 12:04:12 pm »
I use fairly hot water with quite a bit of PBW, but I would caution anyone against overnight soaks with such a solution.  This will in my experience ruin your BB.

read their study and make your own decision.  Since limiting contact time I've had zero stress cracking in the BBs.  http://www.better-bottle.com/pdf/WashingSanitizingStudy.pdf

The stuff they recommend simply does not do the job nearly as well.  Also, I get my PBW fully dissolved in a bucket before pouring into the BB.  For truly stubborn gunk I leave it longer, but make sure the fermenter is inverted so I'm not exposing the bottom to the solution (the trouble spots are usually near the top anyway, right?)

cheers--
--Michael

Offline kramerog

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Re: Can't clean fermenter
« Reply #17 on: March 28, 2013, 12:22:21 pm »
I'll try the Free & Clear Natural 2X Seventh Generation detergent if the current 5-day soak in PBW/oxyclean does not work.  Sometimes you gotta change your approach rather than doing more of the same.

Offline dbarber

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Re: Can't clean fermenter
« Reply #18 on: March 28, 2013, 06:36:44 pm »
I'll try the Free & Clear Natural 2X Seventh Generation detergent if the current 5-day soak in PBW/oxyclean does not work.  Sometimes you gotta change your approach rather than doing more of the same.

I tried the 7th generation detergent and did 2 soaks before dumping it an hitting it with PBW.  I have started inverting by BB when soaking with PBW to avoid stress fractures on the bottom.
Dave Barber
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Offline kramerog

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Re: Can't clean fermenter
« Reply #19 on: April 08, 2013, 07:41:28 am »
Free & Clear Natural 2X Seventh Generation detergent worked like a charm (after weeklong soak).  PBW and oxyclean will remain my first and second choices. 

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: Can't clean fermenter
« Reply #20 on: April 08, 2013, 08:34:27 am »
Roger - I use oxyclean and cascade (unscented) on my better bottles.  I've never really measured the amount, but I dump some in, fill it with warm/hot water and let it soak.

I've yet to encounter a crust that can withstand the soak.

Sometimes I will put an old sock on a bottle brush and give the interior a scrub, too.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline AmandaK

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Re: Can't clean fermenter
« Reply #21 on: April 08, 2013, 10:26:24 am »
I've never met any sort of brown crusty stuff that Mark's Keg Washer and some PBW hasn't been able to tackle.

Now, the 1 year old lambic crust in a 6 gallon glass carboy... that took about 40 minutes on the Keg Washer, but it still worked without me scrubbing. Pretty cool.
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Offline ynotbrusum

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Re: Can't clean fermenter
« Reply #22 on: April 08, 2013, 01:49:15 pm »
I'm going to clean a Berliner Weisse that sat for Five months - hot PBW solution to start, but it is a glass carboy, so no stress fracture worries, just regular fracture worries!  I use my BB on short term fermenting beers that leave less of a mess.  I also have a Dubbel in a plastic bucket that was looking highly crudded up and is ready for racking to secondary, so PBW will get a lot of use at my house this week.
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