# Do You Clean & Sanitize the Bottle Tree?



## NoSnob (Jun 14, 2012)

I try to stay up on these cleaning & sanitizing threads but I don't recall this question ever being asked.

My custom has been to not wash the bottle tree for just draining cleaned bottles but to both wash and sanitize the tree prior to draining sanitized bottles. 

What practice do you use/recommend?

NS


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## saramc (Jun 14, 2012)

I sanitize the bottling tree, because a portion of the inner part of the bottle touches the tree. If in doubt, sanitize. (Though I also keep the tree covered after the last use; sanitize, allow to dry, and cover it.) I also sanitize my floor corker!


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## tonyandkory (Jun 14, 2012)

hmmm never thought about it ... I may have to start now!


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## Runningwolf (Jun 14, 2012)

Honestly, I have never sanitized mine either. I figured the sanitizer draining out of the bottles is good enough.


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## cpfan (Jun 14, 2012)

When I first started making wine, I didn't sanitize the tree. Nobody had suggested it. One day I noticed the same thing that saramc had. The tree's finger touch inside the bottle where I plan to store my wine. These days I give the tree a quick spray from my sanitizer sprayer before use.

Cleaning the tree!! For me that's a big ouch. I didn't think to do that in the beginning either. I guess I also didn't drain all the drippings out of it either. As one day I noticed some growths or discolourations in the base. Really tough to clean out. 

Steve


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## Runningwolf (Jun 14, 2012)

Steve, I have noticed residue from the meta solution also on the bottom tray. Now I make sure I dum it out when I'm finished but I don't rinse it until next time I'm ready to use it.


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## FTC Wines (Jun 14, 2012)

I spritz my bottling rack once in a while with K- meta. The way I soak my bottles with K-meta they drain & sanitize the area around the dowels. My drain board board holds 36 bottles so I can bottle a 6 gal. carboy & have a few left! But I still "spritz" they board once & a while with K-meta. Never had any issues. Roy


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## NoSnob (Jun 15, 2012)

These are interesting answers reflecting that some have not really thought about the possibility of the bottle tree itself being a potential source of contamination. I suspect most of our practices reflect a compromise between obsessive cleanliness and reasonable procedure. 

Anyone clean and sanitize the bottle tree every time it's used for any purpose? 

NS


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## joea132 (Jun 15, 2012)

After my tirade about how we are overly concerned with sanitizing, even I have started to spritz everything with k meta. If you don't have a bottle sprayer with k meta yet I suggest you get one. It's impossible to over sanitize your Equipment. Just don't let it sit on anything metal, it's corrosive. Anything plastic you can fire away. 

I use 3 tablespoons of k meta to a gallon of water. It's easy and effective. On the other hand don't get too concerned, people have made great wine without k meta for years. But when in doubt....


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## joea132 (Jun 15, 2012)

FTC Wines said:


> I spritz my bottling rack once in a while with K- meta. The way I soak my bottles with K-meta they drain & sanitize the area around the dowels. My drain board board holds 36 bottles so I can bottle a 6 gal. carboy & have a few left! But I still "spritz" they board once & a while with K-meta. Never had any issues. Roy



Anything wooden should be compulsively sanitized. I didn't even take a wooden tree into consideration.


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## vacuumpumpman (Jun 15, 2012)

Thats a good question? I have not used a tree in a long tome I will typically will use this rack. They stay upside down till bottling and they get turned upright and then I carry them to the bottling station and then to the boxing area . And we start all over again !


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## saramc (Jun 15, 2012)

Steve....the rack in your photo is exactly what I am looking for. Do you recall where you found that?


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## millwright01 (Jun 15, 2012)

I didn't before I read this. I will now be sanitising it. Better safe than sorry!


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