How to clean the inside of a siphon tube

[Flem]

I probably have him distracted with all my PM's tonight!!!

 

[Dugger]

I use this gadget to clean out hoses - it attaches to faucet and blasts hot water through it; does a great job. I usually have an old tube attached to rinse out buckets/ carboys or the sink.

 

[Runningwolf]

Dugger that's a great idea and basically the same thing the plastic single bottle washer does.

 

[JLS]

Dugger where did you find this gadget, Thanks

 

[JLS]

Dan, When I put my plastic hose in my corkidore, they turn color on me, did I did something wrong?

 

[Dugger]

Got it at a local wine store called Noble Grape; not sure where they source them and it's the only local place I've found them.
Perhaps someelse on here knows of a source down your way; if not I will try to find out more; my wife and I are just leaving to go to a funeral outside Boston ( Wakefield) so I can check when we get back.

 

[Runningwolf]

Dugger where did you find this gadget, Thanks

I would check the big box stores or Tractor Supply.

Dan, When I put my plastic hose in my corkidore, they turn color on me, did I did something wrong?

Some of mine did also. I think its just a reaction and I don't worry about it.

 

[ibglowin]

Now there is a good idea! Must stop off at the hardware store today to look for one of those. I usually just rinse hot water through mine but it would seem to be so much better at cleaning if you could get some back pressure built up.

I use this gadget to clean out hoses - it attaches to faucet and blasts hot water through it; does a great job. I usually have an old tube attached to rinse out buckets/ carboys or the sink.

 

[Lurker]

So many good ideas, that's why I like this forum. I use my compressor to shoot an alcohol soaked cotton ball thru then follow it with a dry cotton ball.

 

[grapeman]

I use the super duper whiz bang vacuum pump to do this job also. I leave the racking cane attached to one end, take a gallon of warm water and stick the racking cane in the water and the other end of the hose attached to one of those orange carboy cover thingies on top of the carboy I was using. Hook the other end up to the pump and let er rip. Water is drawn out of the gallon jug and into the dirty carboy. When it hits the bottom it suck air through createing blasts of water and air mixed. The hose and racking cane are now clean. I simply dain out any water residue the air blasts didn't rmove and hang it up. You can corkidor it also, but I use mine so often I don't bother. When I want to use them again, I run some sanitizer through the hose and drain it and I am ready to go. It sounds like a lot of work but it can be done in seconds.

 

[Minnesotamaker]

I once had a stubborn stain (from racking elderberry, so I think it was green goo!). I used a piece of kite string that was just over twice the length of my racking tube. I tied a small nail to one end of the string and used it as a weight to feed the string through the tube. Once I had the string through, I tied a small piece of cloth in the middle of the string, added a bit of cleaner, then pulled it through. Once it emerged from the other side, the string was long enough that I could then pull it back through the other way. I just kept pulling the bit of cloth back and forth through the tube until the it was clean.

 

[ibglowin]

Some interesting cleaning ideas for sure, remember tubing is only ~$.50 a foot buy new if it gets that bad!

 

[Minnesotamaker]

Some interesting cleaning ideas for sure, remember tubing is only ~$.50 a foot buy new if it gets that bad!

Yeah, but it cost $14 in gas to drive to the stinkin store these days.

 

[docanddeb]

WALK!!

Internet orders are getting more affordable all the time!!

Debbie

 

[Julie]

WALK!!

Internet orders are getting more affordable all the time!!

Debbie

Not with the price of gas, shipping cost is increasing.

 

[docanddeb]

Man, at $7.99 shipping for any amount... it doesn't take many supplies to pay for THAT gas. I don't have a LHBS less than an hour away from me... and it's pretty scant at that. I'd have to drive 1.5 - 2 hrs to get a full selection of anything! It's really worth it in time AND selection for me!

Debbie

 

[JohnT]

Some interesting cleaning ideas for sure, remember tubing is only ~$.50 a foot buy new if it gets that bad!

The issue is that (at times) the right tubing is hard to find.

Me, personally, I use 20 gauge electrical wire. It is rigid enough to feed through nicely. I then twist a long strip of cheesecloth soaked in PBW. Works like a charm.

 

[Kristy Litch]

I have always enjoyed Lucs tips such as the stocking Idea from today. I want to add one of my own.

This green wire came from the hobby shop. It is used to tie dried flowers together. It is thin, but rigid enough to shove through your tube (I use a 1/2 inch tube)

After soaking your tube in your sanitizing solution, slide the wire all the way through it, twist the wire around a couple cotton balls, dip the cotton into the solution(they will shrink up and fit through the tube), and then pull the wire with the cotton balls back through.

Works great for scrubbing the inside of the tube!!!

Hint: works best to have the tube stretched straight as you feed the wire through.

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Great idea especially when u need to scrub it! Doing this now!!