How do I clean a carboy?

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oxeye

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I found a deal (steal!!!) at a yard sale yesterday.

It is a 6.5 gallon glass carboy, in perfect condition, just dusty. The man said that it had been sitting/laying, empty, in a shed since 1980.

I've got a long crooked bottle brush for scrubbing carboys, but I can still see a film of grime up in the curved shoulder area that I just can't seem to reach with the normal brushes/tools that I have on hand.

Does anyone have a suggestion on a better way?

oxeye
 
Personally I would soak for a while in a Diversol (pink powder) solution. You can also use the brush at the same time. Try bending the brush to a different shape.

Steve
 
Add 1 or 2 cups of sand to detergent and water and swish this mixture around in the carboy where it's needed most. The abrasiveness of the sand will usually do the trick.
 
Don't use any type of detergent that leaves a soapy residue. You should be able to by non suddsing washing detergent in your local supermarket but what I have found to work best for removing stains and film from carboys is B-Brite or One-Step. A little added to the carboy with about a gallon of water works wonders.
 
For heavy grot I use caustic soda; for lesser grot I use bleach.
Both with appropriate rinsing. Seems to work well.
 
I think you should use a bunch of these very good ideas. I'm particularly impressed with the sand idea...that's great idea. Since this had been sitting around for a quarter century who knows what's in there. I'd clean the heck out of it with cleaners and sanitizers. Something you can try is putting a wet cloth in there, turning it upside down so the cloth hits the corner you're having a problem with, and use the bottle brush to scrub it around.

Good luck!
 

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