Cleaning bottles and carboys

[harmony24]

Does anyone clean their bottles with dish liquid? Has anyone ever sanitized by putting bottles or carboys in the oven?

 

[dralarms]

I have cleaning my bottles with dish soap, its hard to get out. I would not recommend putting anything glass in the oven.

 

[BeerAlchemist]

My little brewing brain says oxyclean is about the best cleaner as it is both economical and highly effective at removing organic materials. No scrubbing just let it soak and it will do the job.

I have never used an oven but I will admit to using a rinse and dry cycle in my dishwasher as that gets very hot and never had an infection in my beer. Nor have I ever had a wine or beer bottle break by washing it in my dishwasher.

 

[harmony24]

Thanks all for the replies.

 

[garymc]

This is Oxy Clean laundry detergent you're talking about?

 

[harmony24]

I'm going to buy some oxygen clean. Right now I'm washing with oxi dawn dish liquid and then rewashing with one step then rinsing again.

 

[Runningwolf]

I only use oxy-clean.

 

[harmony24]

Ok. Sounds good

 

[vacuumpumpman]

non scented oxy clean all the way !!

 

[Rodnboro]

The first wine that I bottled, I sanitized the bottles in the oven. It was too much time and effort. I use StarSan. A few minutes soaking in a dishpan and its done. And yes, Oxyclean works good for cleaning.

 

[Arne]

If you leave the oxyclean too long, it can leave deposits that will probably defy you to get rid of them. Too long is not like a couple of hours, more like days. Don't remember how long ago, but they were put in to soak and got forgotten. Lesson learned, lol, Arne. I still use the oxyclean, just make sure to get it rinsed in a timely manner.

 

[garymc]

I guess it is the laundry detergent product.

 

[BeerAlchemist]

This is Oxy Clean laundry detergent you're talking about?

Yeah, I buy the non-scented stuff at Costco...pretty similar to PBW (powdered brew wash) but much cheaper and only slightly weaker in strength. I clean everything with it in my brewery, just add to hot water and rinse with hot water.

I have a few glass carboys, but have now fully bought into Better Bottles or similar PET plastic containers and I am hesitant to scrub those so what I do is make enough Oxy solution that I can invert the carboy and cover the yeast skum ring, put one of those orange silicone caps on it with a 12" plastic dip tube inserted and the other port sealed with the white cap. I then invert the thing and set it down ontop of a small round bathroom size garbage can. The dip tube acts to balance the pressure as without it the BB would crush itself as the oxy solution cooled. That way I don't need to waste oxy and water making 6 gallons.

 

[BeerAlchemist]

If you leave the oxyclean too long, it can leave deposits that will probably defy you to get rid of them. Too long is not like a couple of hours, more like days. Don't remember how long ago, but they were put in to soak and got forgotten. Lesson learned, lol, Arne. I still use the oxyclean, just make sure to get it rinsed in a timely manner.

Try rinsing/soaking again with really hot water and see if that helps remove the deposits.

 

[sly22guy]

I would not recommend putting anything glass in the oven.

I wouldn't recomend putting your better bottles in there either!

And yes Unscented Oxy Clean is the way to go. I still spritz with potassium meta-sulfate before i bottle.

 

[jangel]

I use oxyclean also, but did learn my lesson on using to much. Ruined several gallon jugs with deposits that i could not get out.

 

[sly22guy]

Get your self a bottle washer. Hooks to your sink and shoots a high pressure stream and rinses them out awesome. Got my off eBay for cheap. It can do two bottles at a time plus it works really good for carboy's too.

 

[Dino466]

Just started using Oxy Clean - way better then dish soap. I always do a large batch of bottle (90+) - soak and wash in sink (10 at a time) rinse then hit with the k-meta , let dry for a day on the bottle tree and store upside down in the wine box. Then before bottling - I rinse and hit with k-meta again let dry an hour or so then bottle. Oxy Clean there is les scrubbing and my hands are more scrummer so I rinse before the k-meta.

 

[Elmer]

I clean and sterilize my sink.
Fill the sink with 2 gallon of nice warm/hot water.
Add 2 Tbps of one step cleaner.
Submerge the bottles
Drain.
let air dry!

 

[Runningwolf]

let dry for a day on the bottle tree and store upside down in the wine box. Then before bottling - I rinse and hit with k-meta again let dry an hour or so then bottle.

I understand drying before storing in the box but there is no need to wait when bottling. I would rather sanitize, hang all bottles on tree and immediately bottle. With that said, there are also times I didn't get to bottling for 3-4 hours after hanging them. Either way is fine.

I clean and sterilize my sink.
Fill the sink with 2 gallon of nice warm/hot water.
Add 2 Tbps of one step cleaner.
Submerge the bottles
Drain.
let air dry!

One Step is nice but Oxy-Clean is cheaper.