# Storing carboys



## M1wino (May 12, 2012)

Any suggestions on the best way to store empty carboys? I want to keep them as clean and ready as possible


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## Rocky (May 12, 2012)

After using, I wash mine out, invert them to dry and spritz them with some K-meta. I place a solid stopper in the opening to keep the inside clean. Before using, I rinse with hot water and re-sanitize with K-meta for about 1/2 hour. Lastly, I dump out the K-meta, rinse and use.


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## cpfan (May 12, 2012)

For staorage, I clean my carboys, and then drain them upside down till dry. Then store so that dust doesn't enter them. Then when it's time to use them, they just need sanitizing.

Some folks store carboys with K-meta in them, but I don't like that idea. For one thing, I don't think it's necessary. For another, how often do you have to refresh the K-meta. Finally, I use iodophor rather than K-meta and it would last much shorter.

Steve


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## Runningwolf (May 12, 2012)

After cleaning I store them with and inch or two of meta solution with a solid bung.


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## winemaker_3352 (May 13, 2012)

Runningwolf said:


> After cleaning I store them with and inch or two of meta solution with a solid bung.



I do the exact same thing..


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## Stefani (May 13, 2012)

After I clean and dry the carboys I put a sandwich bag over the bung and the put a rubber band around the baggy to prevent dust and bugs from getting inside.


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## Brent2489 (May 13, 2012)

For Storage:
Clean
Rinse with K-Meta
Dry upside down
1/2" - 1" K-Meta
Airlock with K-Meta

Before using:
Dump K-Meta
Rinse with more K-Meta
Fill with good stuff 

Somehow they don't seem to stay empty for long!!!


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## garymc (May 14, 2012)

After cleaning and drying as described above, I'd go with a stopper, piece of Saran Wrap with a rubber band, or a piece of wide packaging tape over the mouth.


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## jeepingchick (May 14, 2012)

We use saran wrap and a rubber band. then sanitize before use.


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## jswordy (May 14, 2012)

I just wash 'em out with One Step, throw it away, pour in a bit more in the bottom and put them in the cabinet. Before use, I swish that around, dump it out, pour in more and splash that around. Drain.

I am suspicious that One Step is just another brand name for an Oxyclean formulation, so I may start using that instead when the One Step supply runs out. Can anyone confirm that? 

It's a good cleaner, I think, and I have had no contamination or mold problems. The One Step has cleaned up many a used moldy carboy for me after purchase. Never could understand why people don't wash their stuff after using it...


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## cmason1957 (May 14, 2012)

I wash and clean mine out. Then add just a tiny layer of a very, very mild bleach solution (one teaspoon/Gallon of water). Pop in a stopper.

When it comes time to use I clean with One Step, rinse, repeat and then sanitize with K-Meta solution.


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## whackfol (May 14, 2012)

I clean well, rinse with star san and let dry. Then I place a towel over the hole with a rubber band -- I like to let my bottles breathe during storage. I do store them in carboy racks that I picked up from a water supply store or cardboard boxes to avoid breakage.


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## robie (May 14, 2012)

cmason1957 said:


> I wash and clean mine out. Then add just a tiny layer of a very, very mild bleach solution (one teaspoon/Gallon of water). Pop in a stopper.
> 
> When it comes time to use I clean with One Step, rinse, repeat and then sanitize with K-Meta solution.



If that works for you then great. IMO, you would be better off not using the bleach at all and just replacing it with a cup or so of Kmeta solution.

TCA or cork taint is the result of wine (and the cork) coming into contact with minute amounts of chlorine. It is good that you rinse out the bleach, but if you ever miss even a tiny amount of it, it could ruin your whole batch of wine. 

Just food for thought.

Oh, and did you know that bleach is not really a very good sanitizer; it bleaches great, but that's about it.


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## hvac36 (May 14, 2012)

Empty carboy? What is that? lol


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## jdrum (May 14, 2012)

robie you may not use water in your wines, but anyone making wine that has to add water ( like to concentrates) is adding clorine in the tap water. and you rinse with clorinated water
just rinse well and let set for a while. and if you use tap waterto make wine fill a couple buckets a few days before, letting it set a few days drasticly reduces the amount of cloeine in the water


jim


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## hvac36 (May 14, 2012)

jdrum said:


> robie you may not use water in your wines, but anyone making wine that has to add water ( like to concentrates) is adding clorine in the tap water. and you rinse with clorinated water
> just rinse well and let set for a while. and if you use tap waterto make wine fill a couple buckets a few days before, letting it set a few days drasticly reduces the amount of cloeine in the water
> 
> 
> jim


 Not true I have well water no clorine in my system  just saying not everyone has city water.


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## GreginND (May 15, 2012)

And I have city water but it is treated with ozone, not chlorine.


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## Runningwolf (May 15, 2012)

Greg do they even make wine in ND?


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## GreginND (May 15, 2012)

You betcha we do!


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## tonyandkory (May 15, 2012)

We clean our carboys and dry them. then do nothing until we need them again then they are rinsed and sanitized, never had a problem yet


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## robie (May 15, 2012)

jdrum said:


> robie you may not use water in your wines, but anyone making wine that has to add water ( like to concentrates) is adding clorine in the tap water. and you rinse with clorinated water
> just rinse well and let set for a while. and if you use tap waterto make wine fill a couple buckets a few days before, letting it set a few days drasticly reduces the amount of cloeine in the water
> 
> 
> jim



Yes, I know. The chlorine level in most cities' water is not considered high enough to cause serious cork taint. However, I have been places where the chlorine in the water is so high, the smell is overwhelming; smells like bleach water.

That's one reason why some home wine makers get their water (for wine) from those water purifying machines in places like Wal-Mart.

Our water in Colorado Springs is very nice. Now, my daughter's city-supplied water in Plano, Texas is in my opinion not even drinkable. I know I can't drink it out of the faucet. She, like many others there, get their drinking water from bottled water. I'll bet if one makes wine straight from the Plano water supply, it could adversely affect the taste. (I love Plano, just not their water.)


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## tonyandkory (May 15, 2012)

robie said:


> Yes, I know. The chlorine level in most cities' water is not considered high enough to cause serious cork taint. However, I have been places where the chlorine in the water is so high, the smell is overwhelming; smells like bleach water.
> 
> That's one reason why some home wine makers get their water (for wine) from those water purifying machines in places like Wal-Mart.
> 
> Our water in Colorado Springs is very nice. Now, my daughter's city-supplied water in Plano, Texas is in my opinion not even drinkable. I know I can't drink it out of the faucet. She, like many others there, get their drinking water from bottled water. I'll bet if one makes wine straight from the Plano water supply, it could adversely affect the taste. (I love Plano, just not their water.)



We live close to Plano and I totally agree with the bad water. luckily we have a filtration system that takes out the chlorine and other nasties.


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## robie (May 15, 2012)

tonyandkory said:


> We live close to Plano and I totally agree with the bad water. luckily we have a filtration system that takes out the chlorine and other nasties.



I'll go visit her and forget about how bad the water is; I'll get up, pour me a big glass of tap water, take a big gulp, and shutter from how bad it is. She now gets her water from the 5 gallon purified water bottles.

I lived there many years ago and the water then was just fine. I don't know what has changed about the water system.


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## jswordy (May 15, 2012)

100% limestone purified well water here. If it's good enough for Mr. Jack, it's good enough for me - though if I went commercial, I'd have to have my well tested every 3 months by law. City water supply, no test required. Figures.


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