# How to clean the inside of a siphon tube



## arcticsid (Feb 12, 2010)

I have always enjoyed Lucs tips such as the stocking Idea from today. I want to add one of my own.

This green wire came from the hobby shop. It is used to tie dried flowers together. It is thin, but rigid enough to shove through your tube (I use a 1/2 inch tube)

After soaking your tube in your sanitizing solution, slide the wire all the way through it, twist the wire around a couple cotton balls, dip the cotton into the solution(they will shrink up and fit through the tube), and then pull the wire with the cotton balls back through.

Works great for scrubbing the inside of the tube!!!

Hint: works best to have the tube stretched straight as you feed the wire through.


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## BobF (Feb 12, 2010)

I find it easier to immediately rinse the tube and to later (but before it dries) run ~2 gallons of soapy water through it. Follow up with ~2 gallons of HOT rinse water.

THEN I dry the outside and spritz sanatizer into the tube. Run that back and forth a few times, drain and throw in the box.

The very first batch I made I let the must dry inside the tube. I purchased another length of tube for ~$2 bux.


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## Runningwolf (Feb 12, 2010)

I immediately rinse my hoses in very hot water then roll some sanitizer back and forth in them. Then I either put them away or roll them up and store them in the corkidore.


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## cpfan (Feb 12, 2010)

Personally I use a Blast or Double Blast bottle washer to rinse the inside of my hoses. Then i use the bottle washer to push a little pom pom ball (similar to the cotton in the original post) soaked in cleaner through the hose. Works well.

Steve


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## Wade E (Feb 12, 2010)

I do the same as Running wolf but hang them to drip dry first before putting in the corkidor.


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## WinoOutWest (Feb 13, 2010)

My first post in here: 

Being a mountain biker I used my Camelback cleaning brush. It has a pipe cleaner on the end of a flexible but strong wire. For those that don't know a Camelback it uses the same type of tubing to drink water from a bladder that sits on your back. Here's a link to the cleaning kit from Amazon for pictures.

Scratch the link as I am a newbie its won't let me post it but you search Amazon for "Camelback Cleaning kit" if you are interested.\

Maybe someone else can post a picture of one for me.
Cheers!


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## NSwiner (Feb 13, 2010)

http://www.rei.com/product/757176

Is this what you were talking about ? That rolled up cleaner must be what you use .Looks like a good idea .


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## WinoOutWest (Feb 13, 2010)

Yes, Exactly. The are available in a variety of kits and combos. Lowest I've seen them is for around $9.00 for just the two brushes.
Thanks for posting!


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## AlFulchino (Feb 13, 2010)

Arctic good idea


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## arcticsid (Feb 13, 2010)

I had that tube laying around in the shed and it was dirty and I wanted to use it and had to come up with a way to clean the inside. But now that it is clean, I to do the rinse sulfite rine, hang upside down deal.


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## JLS (Jun 13, 2011)

WinoOutWest said:


> My first post in here:
> 
> Being a mountain biker I used my Camelback cleaning brush. It has a pipe cleaner on the end of a flexible but strong wire. For those that don't know a Camelback it uses the same type of tubing to drink water from a bladder that sits on your back. Here's a link to the cleaning kit from Amazon for pictures.
> 
> ...



I find them here at a great price and free shipping
http://www.heartratemonitorsusa.com/camelbak-cleaning.html


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## docanddeb (Jun 13, 2011)

It's cheaper and probably safer to replace it every few years! You rinse immediately after using... not a problem!!

Debbie


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## Runningwolf (Jun 13, 2011)

I agree with Debbie. I personally would not use a brush on any of my tubes. I rinse them with very hot water immediately after using and then spray k-meta in them. I swirl them a bit to dry them and then put them away in my corkidore. The ones with racking canes attached like for the auto siphon, I just hang them on my pegboard. This is the best little tool for rinsing hoses...
http://www.finevinewines.com/XPListDet1.asp


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## docanddeb (Jun 13, 2011)

uummmm....

THAT was a pail of MERLOT!! Interesting way to rinse tubing, I must say!

Debbie


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## Tom (Jun 13, 2011)

Dan was DRINKING his stuff and it got to his head...


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## Runningwolf (Jun 13, 2011)

docanddeb said:


> uummmm....
> 
> THAT was a pail of MERLOT!! Interesting way to rinse tubing, I must say!
> 
> Debbie



????????? get out of here.... it's suppose to be 4796 Single Blast Bottle Washer from The Wine Makers Toy Store


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## docanddeb (Jun 13, 2011)

Did you click on the link? It shows a pail of Merlot juice!!

Debbie


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## Runningwolf (Jun 13, 2011)

docanddeb said:


> Did you click on the link? It shows a pail of Merlot juice!!
> 
> Debbie



That is the second time I have posted a link there and the same thing happened. Well I posted the item and item number and if anyone ois interested they can look it up.


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## docanddeb (Jun 13, 2011)

uh huh....

What are you drinking tonight??

Debbie


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## grapeman (Jun 13, 2011)

Oviously whateverr it is Dan has had to drink- it has been a bit much!






Please Dan, everybody knows you don't use Merlot to clean the tubes, you use a Chardonnay!


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## Flem (Jun 13, 2011)

I probably have him distracted with all my PM's tonight!!!


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## Dugger (Jun 13, 2011)

I use this gadget to clean out hoses - it attaches to faucet and blasts hot water through it; does a great job. I usually have an old tube attached to rinse out buckets/ carboys or the sink.


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## Runningwolf (Jun 13, 2011)

Dugger that's a great idea and basically the same thing the plastic single bottle washer does.


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## JLS (Jun 14, 2011)

Dugger where did you find this gadget, Thanks


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## JLS (Jun 14, 2011)

Dan, When I put my plastic hose in my corkidore, they turn color on me, did I did something wrong?


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## Dugger (Jun 14, 2011)

Got it at a local wine store called Noble Grape; not sure where they source them and it's the only local place I've found them.
Perhaps someelse on here knows of a source down your way; if not I will try to find out more; my wife and I are just leaving to go to a funeral outside Boston ( Wakefield) so I can check when we get back.


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## Runningwolf (Jun 14, 2011)

JLS said:


> Dugger where did you find this gadget, Thanks



I would check the big box stores or Tractor Supply. 



JLS said:


> Dan, When I put my plastic hose in my corkidore, they turn color on me, did I did something wrong?



Some of mine did also. I think its just a reaction and I don't worry about it.


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## ibglowin (Jun 14, 2011)

Now there is a good idea! Must stop off at the hardware store today to look for one of those. I usually just rinse hot water through mine but it would seem to be so much better at cleaning if you could get some back pressure built up.



Dugger said:


> I use this gadget to clean out hoses - it attaches to faucet and blasts hot water through it; does a great job. I usually have an old tube attached to rinse out buckets/ carboys or the sink.


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## Lurker (Jun 14, 2011)

So many good ideas, that's why I like this forum. I use my compressor to shoot an alcohol soaked cotton ball thru then follow it with a dry cotton ball.


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## grapeman (Jun 14, 2011)

I use the super duper whiz bang vacuum pump to do this job also. I leave the racking cane attached to one end, take a gallon of warm water and stick the racking cane in the water and the other end of the hose attached to one of those orange carboy cover thingies on top of the carboy I was using. Hook the other end up to the pump and let er rip. Water is drawn out of the gallon jug and into the dirty carboy. When it hits the bottom it suck air through createing blasts of water and air mixed. The hose and racking cane are now clean. I simply dain out any water residue the air blasts didn't rmove and hang it up. You can corkidor it also, but I use mine so often I don't bother. When I want to use them again, I run some sanitizer through the hose and drain it and I am ready to go. It sounds like a lot of work but it can be done in seconds.


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## Minnesotamaker (Jun 14, 2011)

I once had a stubborn stain (from racking elderberry, so I think it was green goo!). I used a piece of kite string that was just over twice the length of my racking tube. I tied a small nail to one end of the string and used it as a weight to feed the string through the tube. Once I had the string through, I tied a small piece of cloth in the middle of the string, added a bit of cleaner, then pulled it through. Once it emerged from the other side, the string was long enough that I could then pull it back through the other way. I just kept pulling the bit of cloth back and forth through the tube until the it was clean.


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## ibglowin (Jun 15, 2011)

Some interesting cleaning ideas for sure, remember tubing is only ~$.50 a foot buy new if it gets that bad!


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## Minnesotamaker (Jun 16, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> Some interesting cleaning ideas for sure, remember tubing is only ~$.50 a foot buy new if it gets that bad!



Yeah, but it cost $14 in gas to drive to the stinkin store these days.


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## docanddeb (Jun 17, 2011)

WALK!!

Internet orders are getting more affordable all the time!!

Debbie


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## Julie (Jun 17, 2011)

docanddeb said:


> WALK!!
> 
> Internet orders are getting more affordable all the time!!
> 
> Debbie



Not with the price of gas, shipping cost is increasing.


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## docanddeb (Jun 17, 2011)

Man, at $7.99 shipping for any amount... it doesn't take many supplies to pay for THAT gas. I don't have a LHBS less than an hour away from me... and it's pretty scant at that. I'd have to drive 1.5 - 2 hrs to get a full selection of anything! It's really worth it in time AND selection for me!

Debbie


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## JohnT (Jun 23, 2011)

ibglowin said:


> Some interesting cleaning ideas for sure, remember tubing is only ~$.50 a foot buy new if it gets that bad!



The issue is that (at times) the right tubing is hard to find. 

Me, personally, I use 20 gauge electrical wire. It is rigid enough to feed through nicely. I then twist a long strip of cheesecloth soaked in PBW. Works like a charm.


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