# Cleaning



## Catfish (Nov 8, 2010)

I need a sanitizing agent to clean my carboys and hydrometer\wine thief. I see a lot of you have different things you use. Could you post me up a link of where I can order some please? Thanks everyone


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## JohnT (Nov 8, 2010)

I like PBW. Oxyclean is also pretty good.


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## winemaker_3352 (Nov 8, 2010)

The vendors on this site all sell these sanitizers/cleaners.


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## Catfish (Nov 8, 2010)

Ok Ill check out the Oxyclean thanks guys


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## kirbyclk (Nov 11, 2010)

the best lesson I have learned from making wine so far is a SPRAY BOTTLE. Whatever cleaner/sanitizer you choose, 1 step, Star San, etc. MAKE A SPRAY bottle. It makes things so much easier to sanitize on the spot!!


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## Luc (Nov 12, 2010)

For cleaning I always use hot water and soda ash (household soda) works best, is dead cheap, everywhere available and is non toxic.

Then rinse with a sulphite solution.

Luc


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## Minnesotamaker (Nov 12, 2010)

Luc said:


> For cleaning I always use hot water and soda ash (household soda) works best, is dead cheap, everywhere available and is non toxic.
> 
> Then rinse with a sulphite solution.
> 
> Luc



I shy away from hot water in glass carboys (Don't want temperature fractures and lost wine). I like the PBW and Diversol cleaners; they work very well, dissolve easily, are very cheap per use, rinse clean, don't leave odors, and last a long time and can be reused.


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## Tom (Nov 12, 2010)

for cleaning = A "oxy" cleaner
For Sanitizing = K-Meta and a spray bottle


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## St Allie (Nov 12, 2010)

Warm metabisulphate for sanitising, then rinsed the warmed glass with boiling water. Basically I use the same system for wine as I do for glass preserving jars.

When I have been completely out of metabisulphate, have used bleach as a stop gap.. if well rinsed and then rinsed with boiling water, it's fine.. haven't had any issues with bleach residue tainting anything.

Allie


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## RoastedChestnut (Dec 6, 2010)

I'm new to wine making just picked up a kit on impulse.

Regarding, K-Meta I understand that (1/4 teaspoon K-Meta:6gallon batch wine) is to kill off wild yeast and microorganisms and that (3 tablespoons K-META:1 gallon) is effective sanitizing solution. K-meta uses the fumes to sanitize I read up on.

I looked on the web that the wine can have an acceptable 40-60 ppm of sulphite. 

I was wondering what the concentration of the sulphite is when making a proper sanitize solution. 

Also is it acceptable to use a spray bottle with the 3tbsp:1gallo k-meta solution to sanitize my bottles without rinsing? Every spray bottle has different 'nozzle adjustments', but I recon I only leave just a thin mist inside the bottles is that safe for the wine? (I don't think I want to buy the sulphiter bottle sanitizer)

Will the sulphite levels evaporate if I aged my bottled wine(4weeks), like if CO2 was released from bulk aging? I understand I can't completely remove the sulphite as it is an anti-oxidizing thingy to protect the wine, just wondering if there will be a obvious smelly sulphite taste/odour.

Thanks!


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## Minnesotamaker (Dec 6, 2010)

RoastedChestnut said:


> I'm new to wine making just picked up a kit on impulse.
> 
> Regarding, K-Meta I understand that (1/4 teaspoon K-Meta:6gallon batch wine) is to kill off wild yeast and microorganisms and that (3 tablespoons K-META:1 gallon) is effective sanitizing solution. K-meta uses the fumes to sanitize I read up on. *You are correct, keep in mind though that with kits, you won't need to add K-meta at the start because the juice is already sanitized and sulfited. Most sanitizers used on equipment will ask you to wet the entire surface and then leave the two in contact for a specified amount of time. You'll need to read the instructions on what ever sanitizer you choose to use for equipment.*
> 
> ...



See my answers above in red. Cheers


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