Carboy cleaning, sanitizing and storage????

[Elmer]

my process for cleaning a carboy after racking is the following:
rinse goop out of carboy. Fill 1 gallon warm water use 1 tbs of One step cleaner. Swish all around for a minute, dump water, store in basement and let air dry.

When it is time for me to rack into a carboy I retrieve from basement and Fill 1 gallon warm water use 1 tbs of One step cleaner. Swish all around for a minute, dump water let air dry.

I am trying to figure out a way to be more effocient in my cleaning/sterilzing.

is there any harm in instead of cleaning a second time with one step, to fill the carboy with 1 gallon of water and the appropriate amount of K-meta. Let sit in a carboy with a solid stopper on it.
Then when time to use, shake solution around and let air dry?

Is it necessary for me to clean a carboy before use, if I have cleaned it after the last racking. I tend to feel like I am doing this twice. However since I store my carboys in the basement with an open top they have been known to get dust and stuff in there.

Now most my carboys only really sit for maybe a month at most inbetween use, so any k-meta would not be sitting long.

or could I just steralize with K-meta instead of cleaning a 2nd time?

I do store my carboys open, but I am thinking of putting a solid stopper on them.
Would there be any difference or benefit if I put an airlock on it instead. (utilizing either k-meta filled carboy or empty).

 

[djrockinsteve]

Carboys are not usually empty long but all you need do is wash with warm water with a drop or two of auld liquid soap. Use brush to clean bottom and sides. Rinse well and allow to dry.

When its time to use again spray a few shots of water/sulfite mix. Allow to rest a minute. Rinse out and let water drain out a few seconds and fill.

Keep it simple and establish good cleaning practices. You'll be fine.

 

[jamesngalveston]

i do just as djrockinsteve does..

 

[Elmer]

Carboys are not usually empty long but all you need do is wash with warm water with a drop or two of auld liquid soap. Use brush to clean bottom and sides. Rinse well and allow to dry.

When its time to use again spray a few shots of water/sulfite mix. Allow to rest a minute. Rinse out and let water drain out a few seconds and fill.

Keep it simple and establish good cleaning practices. You'll be fine.

thanks for info.

Do you leave a solid stopper or airlock in the carboy when it is sitting in storage.

Mine tends to pick up basement matter, which leads me to want to sterilize and clean neurotically!

 

[Juggernaut]

I don't know if this is a senior member thread only, but I use One Step and a carboy brush to clean it, and let it dry. I find I have to tip it over and drain it out once a day for three days to get all the water out. When I'm ready to use it, I rinse it out with Star San, drain it out, and fill it.

 

[wineforfun]

I don't know if this is a senior member thread only, but I use One Step and a carboy brush to clean it, and let it dry. I find I have to tip it over and drain it out once a day for three days to get all the water out. When I'm ready to use it, I rinse it out with Star San, drain it out, and fill it.

Same here, as above.

I store mine upside down in their original boxes too. Keeps dirt and other junk out.

 

[Elmer]

Same here, as above.

I store mine upside down in their original boxes too. Keeps dirt and other junk out.

My original boxes are long gone.

I am trying to keep dirt and junk out as well,

I guess if I clean with one step and put a bung/airlock on, no dirt or junk would get in and remaining water can evaporate and fumes can escape!

 

[harleydmn]

I clean them with oxy clean rinse add a couple ounces of kmeta and put a clean air lock on it. When ready to use I just dump out the kmeta.

 

[Ricky]

Same here, as above.

I store mine upside down in their original boxes too. Keeps dirt and other junk out.

Same,same....lol

 

[pjd]

I clean mine after use then put 1/2 tsp kmeta and about 1 quart water in them and either solid stopper or carboy cap them until next use, just dump out then use, perfectly sanitized.

 

[DoctorCAD]

I bought one of those carboy cleaning drill things. It works very well, only need about 2" of one-step water and a couple of minutes of spinning the crap out of the cleaning device.

I just stick an orange carboy cap on them and stand them up beside the wine cabinet.

 

[Pumpkinman]

I rinse mine out, then clean with Star San using the "Carboy Cleaner" , you won't get it cleaner than using this tool, I let it drain on a Carboy Dryer. when dry, I plug the opening with a paper towel so no dust or particles get inside and store in its original box.

 

[cimbaliw]

I vary from week to week it seems. The one constant is that I triple rinse my carboys after using and give them a good visual inspection. From there any number cleaning/sanitizing options may occur. I think the bottom line is that if you're relatively prudent about "the routine" you'll be fine. Remember for microbes to propagate there needs to be a favorable environment for doing so. Eliminate the food source and the critters will leave.

BC

 

[cedarswamp]

I clean with B-brite, rinse and store with a 1/4" of Kmeta solution and an airlock.

 

[vacuumpumpman]

I will usually only have to add 1 tsp of equal amounts of Meta and acid (citric,malic, tartaric) to 1 gallon of water. I add it to the carboy after water rinsing it and then use the carboy cleaner to do the rest. I do that everytime I use a carboy - whether it is in storage or just transferring one.

 

[Enologo]

After cleaning I spritz in some meta enough to cover the bottom then stuff a rag in the top to keep out anything unwanted.

 

[BeeWine]

I rinse or wash well depending on what was in the carboy. I than add a half a gallon of hot tap water and half a teaspoon of kmeta. I than cap with a solid rubber bung.
As the carboy sits a vacuum should form from the cooling of the warm water. Later when I am ready to reuse the carboy the presents of this small vacuum lets me know the sterile in the carboy is still good and I simply rinse and reuse the carboy.
John

 

[spaniel]

After cleaning by one of the methods described in prior posts (it varies for me for some reason), I drip dry upside down, then cover with a wrap of tinfoil. I figure if covering with tinfoil was sufficient in the lab for autoclaved, super-sterilized glass, it's sufficient for winemaking.

Typically I'll give a quick rinse before use.

 

[garymc]

Clean, let dry, use an air lock, solid stopper, piece of Saran wrap with a rubber band, or a piece of wide tape over the top of it.

 

[Rocky]

I bush away any visible residue and rinse mine with hot water immediately after emptying. I dry them inverted in a homemade rack and store them under a bench uncovered. (See picture) When I need them again, I rinse out any dust with hot water, add k-meta sanitizing solution, cover and let sit for about a half hour. Works for me.