[mcallijb]

I'm a novice brewer on a tiny island in the Pacific.  Bottles are not easily accessible here, so I try to clean and re-use as much as possible.  I always rinse right after using, but I've got about a dozen 22's with some sediment stuck on the bottom.  I've tried soaking them in cleansers, hot water, and bleach, but they are still stubborn.  The bottle brush sucks because there are no bristles on the tip.  I've even tried using a wire clothes hanger to scrub the bottom without much success.  I've seen a few "bristle-tipped" or "cotton-tipped" brushes online, but haven't bought one yet. 

Any suggestions?

[ynotbrusum]

Try a prolonged soak in PBW solution followed with a bottle brush.  Like a week in the PBW - if that doesn't work, I don't know what will!

[cornershot]

+1 to long pbw soak. The water jet bottle washers are a must as well. Maybe a green scrubby pad attached to the end of a rod?
This is probably already obvious to you, but in the future always rinse bottles immediately after pouring the beer.

[drjones]

Stuck out in the Pacific, I doubt PBW is available.  Can you get your hands on any oxyclean powder?  That would do the trick - use a long soak, even a couple of days to loosen up the organics, then scrub as best you can.  Anyone know if a strong baking soda solution would work in a pinch?  At least you could probably find that at a local market.

[bluesman]

+1 to a hot PBW soak OR oxyclean

[hubie]

Powdered dishwasher detergent can substitute for PBW in a pinch.  I assume liquid would work just as well, but powdered would be easier to dose (1 to 2 Tbs per gallon).

[tomsawyer]

My SOP for bottles is a rinse, then fill with warm water and add 1/2tsp of Oxyclean Free.  Let that soak for at least a few hours, then pour out and tripple rinse.  I run my finger inside the lip of the bottle because sometimes the Oxy leaves a residue there.  I let them dry, then before I use I squirt Starsan in them and let that drain on the bottle tree.

[Jimmy K]

I soak for up to a few days in ammonia. It's cheap and a great cleaner, though it does smell. There is not much it won't remove.

[scott]

My SOP for bottles is a rinse, then fill with warm water and add 1/2tsp of Oxyclean Free.  Let that soak for at least a few hours, then pour out and tripple rinse.  I run my finger inside the lip of the bottle because sometimes the Oxy leaves a residue there.  I let them dry, then before I use I squirt Starsan in them and let that drain on the bottle tree.

+1
This is what I do.  Use hot water.

[morticaixavier]

Stuck out in the Pacific, I doubt PBW is available.  Can you get your hands on any oxyclean powder?  That would do the trick - use a long soak, even a couple of days to loosen up the organics, then scrub as best you can.  Anyone know if a strong baking soda solution would work in a pinch?  At least you could probably find that at a local market.

I don't know about baking soda but washing soda, which should be available on any quality desert island, might.

[Joe Sr.]

Powdered dishwasher detergent can substitute for PBW in a pinch.

I use Cascade and have for years.  Generic some times, but usually Cascade.  Most of the time I mix it with oxyclean, but it works well on it's own.

[morticaixavier]

Powdered dishwasher detergent can substitute for PBW in a pinch.

I use Cascade and have for years.  Generic some times, but usually Cascade.  Most of the time I mix it with oxyclean, but it works well on it's own.

Wait, you clean bottles with hops? how's that work 

[hubie]

I soak for up to a few days in ammonia. It's cheap and a great cleaner, though it does smell. There is not much it won't remove.

This was what I did until I got a big tub of PBW.  Ammonia is also great for removing labels.  I think I used to use 8oz ammonia per 5 gallons water.

[Jimmy K]

I soak for up to a few days in ammonia. It's cheap and a great cleaner, though it does smell. There is not much it won't remove.

This was what I did until I got a big tub of PBW.  Ammonia is also great for removing labels.  I think I used to use 8oz ammonia per 5 gallons water.

That's about what I use, but I eyeball it.

[Joe Sr.]

Wait, you clean bottles with hops? how's that work 

I was going to come up with a witty response but I've got nothing.