# Glass Carboy Cleaning ?



## Kpassa (Nov 17, 2015)

I was reading tips on cleaning glass carboys and the most common chemicals used were Oxiclean and PBW. However when I looked up TSP to see about making a batch of homemade PBW it says *Do not use on glass*. I also read The Definitive Guide to Washing and Sanitizing Winemaking Equipment and the only thing he seems to recommend is Potassium metabisulfite. So what do most of you do to clean your glass carboys? Up until now I've only been using warm water followed by boiling water but when I went to use it this last time I noticed a white film on the bottom of the carboy.


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## dralarms (Nov 17, 2015)

First, never put hot water in a glass carboy. That's asking for trouble. Second, I use one step. It's a no rinse cleaner. I always rinse it with a kmeta solution and store them with a small amount of kmeta in them and sealed.


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## wineforfun (Nov 17, 2015)

I also use one step. Rinse real well afterwards and store upside down in the box they came in.
Rinse real well with warm/hot water before using.

Never had a problem yet.


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## Floandgary (Nov 17, 2015)

No soaps or BLEACHES!!!! First off, never let anything dry in there!!! Rinse thoroughly with hottest tap water you have. Rinse out with K-Meta at sanitizer strength (2 TBSP/gal distilled water). Store with @1 cup K-meta and cork it!! Slosh some fresh K-meta around when you prepare to use it again...


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## JohnT (Nov 17, 2015)

Yes, Start with warm water and use increasingly hotter water each time you rinse. This is to avoid thermal shock of the glass..

I simply use the liquid form of automatic dish washing detergent. It is designed to be food safe and also rinse clean. I add a squirt to a bucket of warm water, pour some into the carboy and shake. I also pour some over the outside of the carboy and scrub with a brush. I then rinse 3 times with increasingly hotter water. 

Comes out spic and span!


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## ibglowin (Nov 17, 2015)

Oxyclean and triple hot water rinse.


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## vacuumpumpman (Nov 17, 2015)

OxiClean and carboy cleaner that fits on the drill


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## Runningwolf (Nov 17, 2015)

Oxy Clean and hot water


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## Julie (Nov 17, 2015)

Oxy clean and hot water.


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## stickman (Nov 17, 2015)

Sulfite solution with drill attachment, followed by hot water rinse, followed by RO water rinse.


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## Arne (Nov 17, 2015)

If you are feeling strong and you have some kind of stuff stuck inside, try the others, and with just a bit of hot water and rock salt shake and rattle the salt around. Takes some effort but will clean some stuck on debris that the brushes won't even get. Arne.


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## woodlan (Nov 17, 2015)

get the compact lees
out is the thing .. blast with garden hose till clean..
brush w/clorox & wash out good
add k-meta ..drain .and cover with foil..stor in origonal box..
when ready to use -wash good &use your favorite sterilizer
I use k-meta


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## ibglowin (Nov 17, 2015)

Clorox and wine is a very bad idea.


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## dralarms (Nov 17, 2015)

ibglowin said:


> Clorox and wine is a very bad idea.



I've been telling my brother that since I started, but he just won't listen.


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## ColemanM (Nov 17, 2015)

PBW with drill mounted cleaning whip followed by 3-4 hot rinses then swish with star-san and dry upside down.


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## sour_grapes (Nov 17, 2015)

Kpassa said:


> However when I looked up TSP to see about making a batch of homemade PBW



But PBW does not contain TSP! Instead, it contains sodium metasilicate, which is said to be a "TSP substitute."

Why not follow this guy's lead http://www.bertusbrewery.com/2012/11/super-charge-your-oxiclean.html


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## Steve_M (Nov 18, 2015)

JohnT said:


> Yes, Start with warm water and use increasingly hotter water each time you rinse. This is to avoid thermal shock of the glass..
> 
> I simply use the liquid form of automatic dish washing detergent. It is designed to be food safe and also rinse clean. I add a squirt to a bucket of warm water, pour some into the carboy and shake. I also pour some over the outside of the carboy and scrub with a brush. I then rinse 3 times with increasingly hotter water.
> 
> Comes out spic and span!



This is the first I am hearing on using a liquid dishawasher detergent, cool think I will give this a try!
Spic and Span? I had no idea it was still around!

Steve

edit: could not get picture to load.


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## JohnT (Nov 18, 2015)

Steve_M said:


> This is the first I am hearing on using a liquid dishawasher detergent, cool think I will give this a try!
> Spic and Span? I had no idea it was still around!
> 
> Steve
> ...


 
Ask the question.. Would you wash your dishes in oxy-clean? If not, then why use it on your wine equipment?

I am sure using oxy-clean is fine, and the active agents in oxy-clean are probably the same as what is in the dishwasher detergent, but I have to think that the dishwasher detergent is designed to rinse clean and must have been safeguarded for use on dishes. It is meant to clean the things that come into contact with your food. 

I have been using this stuff for years. If you simply take the most crud infested wine bottle you can get your hands on, add 2 or 3 drops of the liquid dishwasher detergent, then fill half way with HOT water, then give the bottle a good shake, you will see the crud just melt away. I then normally rinse the bottle 3 times in hot water just to be sure...


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## ibglowin (Nov 18, 2015)

Why yes, I believe I would! LOL Oxyclean is GOOD stuff. Just sayin.









JohnT said:


> Ask the question.. Would you wash your dishes in oxy-clean? If not, then why use it on your wine equipment?


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## JohnT (Nov 18, 2015)

OH.. Oxyclean dishwasher detergent. It is probably the same as the dishwasher gel that I use then.. 

Is this the same as the laundry stuff?


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## ibglowin (Nov 18, 2015)

Yes, 4X concentrated. No soap. Kinda hard to find in grocery stores but Wallymart seems to have cornered plenty of it. 4.5 out of 5 Stars reviews on Amazon.



JohnT said:


> Is this the same as the laundry stuff?


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## ibglowin (Nov 18, 2015)

The downside about using soaps of any kind is they just don't break down like Oxygenated cleansers do. Soap takes copious amounts of water to rinse off. Much much more than Oxyclean. Soaps leave films, Oxyclean doesn't as it breaks down easily and rinses away easily. That is my experience, YMMV.


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## sour_grapes (Nov 18, 2015)

JohnT said:


> OH.. Oxyclean dishwasher detergent. It is probably the same as the dishwasher gel that I use then..
> 
> Is this the same as the laundry stuff?



Oh, John, you may want to check the ingredients of your particular brand of dishwashing gel. In searching for an answer to your question, I discovered that some dishwashing gels (Finish, for example) contain the dreaded bleach:

http://www.rbnainfo.com/productpro/ProductSearch.do?brandId=16&productLineId=293&searchType=PL&template=1


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## JohnT (Nov 18, 2015)

sour_grapes said:


> Oh, John, you may want to check the ingredients of your particular brand of dishwashing gel. In searching for an answer to your question, I discovered that some dishwashing gels (Finish, for example) contain the dreaded bleach:
> 
> http://www.rbnainfo.com/productpro/...16&productLineId=293&searchType=PL&template=1


 
I do not believe that the particular brand I use has any bleach, but is an OXY type of detergent. I will research it.


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## garymc (Nov 19, 2015)

I read somewhere that k-meta takes care of any chlorine remnants if you use bleach or dishwashing stuff with bleach. I just use oxyclean, warm water, and a carboy brush.


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