Cleaning the Carboy

[Coldone]

So.. Just as I sounds.. Any good tips on how to clean the inside of the carboy thoroughly?

 

[diggerdan17]

I bought a carboy brush for getting the stubborn gunk and film off the inside.

Soaking it in a good cleaner with hot water for a few hours will sometimes dissolve the gunk if you don,t have a brush handy.

Finish by sanitizing with kmeta and you should be good to go.

 

[Dugger]

I use a carboy brush as well; I also sometimes put a dishcloth in the carboy and swish it around with the cleaner and this is very effective for cleaning. You can also buy a drill mounted carboy cleaner that probably works quite well although I've not used one. Sometimes when the neck area gets coated from red wines I will put cleaner in the carboy and invert it so this area soaks well and that does a good job ( saves having to fill the whole carboy with cleaner).

 

[jeepingchick]

FWIW- I just soak in cleaner and hot water then bottle brush it after I feel its time... nothing special... Ill sometimes tip the carboy on its side on my padded mats and roll it back and forth swishing the hell outta it....

 

[Coldone]

Thanks everyone.. I scrubbed the heck out of it, used a cleanser as suggested and they look good as new ..

 

[djrockinsteve]

As soon as you empty a Carboy rinse it out. Then soapy warm water and a bottle brush it to get any stick on sediment. Rinse well and allow to dry.

Before you use it again k meta it a few minutes. Drain and fill.

Remember it's the fumes that kills/stuns bacteria not necessarily contact.

 

[Runningwolf]

I very rarely have to scub a carboy. Within minutes of emptying it, I use hot water and this wand. After its cleaned out I store it with about 3/4" of meta solution and a solid bung. When I need it again all I have to do is dump out the meta and it's ready to go. I've stored carboys like this up to 8 months and the meta was still good and strong.

 

[bstnh1]

Does anyone else have a problem with drying a PET carboy that's had wine in it? I wash using One Step or Oxyclean, let it soak a bit, slosh it around for a few minutes and rinse it at least 4 times. I do this within a few minutes of emptying it, so we're not talking about a grubby carboy. The ones that have had white wine in them drain beautifully - no beads of water clinging to the inside. But the ones that have had red in them look like there's a coating of an oil like substance on the inside making the water bead all over and nearly impossible to dry. Anyone else experience this or know of a solution to better clean the reds?

 

[TonyP]

There shouldn't be anything in most wines (except a few exotic types) that would cause what you're describing. You mentioned One Step also, but I'd bet it's the Oxi-Clean - which leaves a residue. If the carboy is dirty, and you want to go with something special try Five Star PBW. It's a commercial grade cleaner used in food production. Otherwise, I suggest Easy Clean. Just make certain to clean out the carboy soon after racking.

 

[tonyt]

Coldone, +1 what Dan said. I almost never have a carboy empty for more than a few minutes. So I usually rinse very well with hot water and IF it's really gunkie inside I'll sue a tiny bit of dish detergent, rinsing very well and adding sanitizer. Then I rack back into it after draining any extra water or sanitizer. If I do store an empty carboy for a few days or weeks I clean well with soapy water and use a drill mounted carboy cleaner, kind of like a chamois on a drill. Then I spray the inside liberally with sanitizer and cover the bung hole with saran wrap. When I am ready to fill it again I rinse once and spray again with sanitizer.

 

[Pumpkinman]

I bought a carboy cleaner, click here to check this out, even dried on crud from making beer comes off within seconds.
I'll never clean a carboy with that retched brush again.

 

[dralarms]

I bought a carboy cleaner, click here to check this out, even dried on crud from making beer comes off within seconds.
I'll never clean a carboy with that retched brush again.

That's cool.

 

[GreginND]

I bought a carboy cleaner, click here to check this out, even dried on crud from making beer comes off within seconds.
I'll never clean a carboy with that retched brush again.

It works well. I have been using it for a while now. The only problem I have is that some of my carboys have a smaller opening and it's difficult to get this in and out.

 

[tonyt]

It works well. I have been using it for a while now. The only problem I have is that some of my carboys have a smaller opening and it's difficult to get this in and out.

Yei I had to file down the stainless steel bolt to get it to fit in all of my carboys. Its a good tool.

 

[UglyJohn]

All I have at the moment is a carboy brush. Is there a trick to using it? It seems like I can get the lower part of the carboy ok, and the shoulder part ok, but in between seems like a miss. Any tips?

 

[novalou]

All I have at the moment is a carboy brush. Is there a trick to using it? It seems like I can get the lower part of the carboy ok, and the shoulder part ok, but in between seems like a miss. Any tips?

Buy an additional brush and bend it into the shape that would allow you to clean the sides.

 

[jswordy]

I'm scared of using dish soaps, too many variables, so I just wash the lees out of the carboys immediately after use with lukewarm water (too hot and you may weaken the glass), then I toss in some Easy Clean solution and shake it around in there. That is some good non-foaming cleaner. Let set, dump that and add some clean Easy Clean solution, shake, store with solution in it until next use.

To me the key is to wash out the carboy as soon as you are done with it. I have a carboy brush but have only used it on used carboys I have bought from someone not as fastidious about cleaning as I am.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I bought a carboy cleaner, click here to check this out, even dried on crud from making beer comes off within seconds.
I'll never clean a carboy with that retched brush again.

Tom
Yes this is a great tool !!!!
I should of bought one of these long time ago - what a time saver !!

 

[Jwatson]

I soak the inside of the carboy with oxyclean and water for 2-3 days followed by another soak. I brew beer and this dissolves the leftover krausen that really sticks to the sides. I follow up with a little brushing around the former residue line. oxyclean is great, much cheaper than other products.

 

[g8keeper]

as others have stated, i rinse mine out right away, but with hot water....i have never had an issue....then i'll use some b-brite solution, and take the brush to it a bit, rinse, and empty....done, and inside of carboy is sparkling clean.....even when i have made beer, b-brite seemed to cut right through the dried kraussen residue...