Sanitizing bottles

[spunk]

Does anyone use the dishwasher to sanitize bottles. I use it when canning my vegetables and fruit

 

[bkisel]

I don't know if that would work for me. I'd question whether the water got hot enough to sanitize. Might work for canning jars but not bottles... My bottles would not stay straight up so I'd not be certain if the water was shooting all the way up through a small opening to the bottom of the bottle.

I'll stay with my k-meta spritz after a B-Brite washing of the bottles. So far, so good.

 

[roger80465]

In the dishwasher, it isn't the water so much as the temperature of the drying conditions that sanitizes the bottles. Ironically, I would want the bottles clean before they went into the dishwasher. I've been thinking about trying that to sanitize

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I believe this might of been discussed before ?
As I recall the temperature needs to be higher and a longer duration if my memory serves me correct. I would have to do more research when I get home latter tonight

 

[Elmer]

I put my sanitizing solution in a spray bottle.
Spritz the bottles right before bottling.
I leave a little wet with K-meta solution.
Never had an issue thus far!

 

[cmason1957]

I use one of the bottle rinsers to sanitize my bottles. You put some sanitizer into it, put the bottle over the white shaft, give it a few pumps, which forces the sanitizer into the bottle, then I put it on my bottle drying rack for a few minutes. Flip the bottle over, ready to put my wine into it. I think it takes about 5 minutes start to finish to do 30 bottles.

 

[richmke]

My dishwasher has a Sanitize Rinse button. It boosts and holds the final rinse temp.

That said, I use Start San.

 

[DoctorCAD]

I did use a sanitizing dishwasher once. I cleaned the bottles then ran them through the sanitize cycle. They were HOT when they came out, so I imagine they were sanitized. The problem was that some water was left behind.

Easier to just spray with k meta. It sanitizes and protects.

 

[dralarms]

Best way I have found is the sanitizing bucket that Steve put the plans on here for. It works great

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Here is the pic of the sanitizing bucket I designed a few years back. It uses a self priming pump on demand pump with a adjustable pressure. I use meta sulfite solution and it recirculates - I added a inline filter to keep the sulfited water even cleaner.

 

[spunk]

The bucket sounds good I'm not very good at making anything like that. I have been using easy clean. Wine shop didn't have it thus time I bought 1 step. But now that I'm reading I'm beginning to wonder if either of the two is enough. Read about star san. Am I ok using 1 step or easy clean. I haven't had any problems with easy clean except some doesn't like to desolve.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

The bucket sounds good I'm not very good at making anything like that. I have been using easy clean. Wine shop didn't have it thus time I bought 1 step. But now that I'm reading I'm beginning to wonder if either of the two is enough. Read about star san. Am I ok using 1 step or easy clean. I haven't had any problems with easy clean except some doesn't like to desolve.

Why not just use meta bisulfite ? its cheap - works great - no rinse

 

[spunk]

Dumb question so I can use campton tab for sanitizing my bottles and equiptment?

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Dumb question so I can use campton tab for sanitizing my bottles and equiptment?

Simple answer is yes - but it is better to purchase meta bisulfite as it is more concentrated.
TO SANITIZE EQUIPMENT: All equipment should be cleaned with soapy water first. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of Potassium Bisulfite per each gallon of water. Also add 1/2 teaspoon of Citric Acid. Sanitize fermentation vessels by putting in 2 to 3 inches of solution in the bottom of the vessel. Seal the vessel air-tight for 20 minutes to allow the fumes from the solution to permeate the inside walls. You can also put in the vessel other equipment such as hoses, hydrometer, air-locks, rubber stoppers to be sanitized at the same time.
\
taken from - http://www.eckraus.com/8-oz-potassium-metabisulfite.html

 

[richmke]

Why not just use meta bisulfite ? its cheap - works great - no rinse

Because StarSan works in 30 seconds vs 20 minutes for metabisulfite.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

Rich -
I guess that is the only thing I was brought up on how to sanitize -
I know I only rinse my bottles out with sulfite and not for 20 minute contact - possibly 5 minute of liquid and or vapor contact.


I did find this topic from this site -
http://www.winemakingtalk.com/forum/f5/sulfite-v-starsan-36074/

 

[cmason1957]

I had always thought that Star-San is a one minute sanitizer, metabisulphite is a 5 minute sanitizer. I always have the metabisulphite solution mixed up, so why not use it? Beside, I squirt my bottles, turn them over on my bottling tree. then count out corks, bet everythging all set up. I am sure well over the 5 minutes elapse.

 

[petey_c]

I use the vinator bottle washer and starsan. Thirty-six bottles in 5 minutes. No rinsing required. The vinator can be bought for around $20.

 

[bkisel]

I use the vinator bottle washer and starsan. Thirty-six bottles in 5 minutes. No rinsing required. The vinator can be bought for around $20.

I would like to give Starsan a try, but would want to first know...

Can the Starsan solution (I'm assuming you make a solution) you use one day be saved and reused effectively a month or two later?

Can a Starsan solution be used as a spritz from a spray bottle to sanitize bottles and other equipment?

Thanks

 

[richmke]

Can the Starsan solution (I'm assuming you make a solution) you use one day be saved and reused effectively a month or two later?

Yes. I was told as long as it foams, it is good. I store 1/2 gallon (mixed) in a 1 gallon bottle (because of the foam). I reuse it for about a month or two, and then mix a fresh 1/2 gallon.

Can a Starsan solution be used as a spritz from a spray bottle to sanitize bottles and other equipment?

Yes.

8 ounce bottle of Star San costs $10. Use 1 ounce per 5 gallons. At that rate, the $10 bottle of StarSan will last me years.

FYI: Metabisulfite primarily sanitizes by SO2 gas. That is fine for bottles and carboys. But, if you are sanitizing spoons, hydrometer, and such, I wonder how well it works. Thus my preference for Star San. Star San is a contact santizier.