How do I clean a carboy?

[oxeye]

I found a deal (steal!!!) at a yard sale yesterday.

It is a 6.5 gallon glass carboy, in perfect condition, just dusty. The man said that it had been sitting/laying, empty, in a shed since 1980.

I've got a long crooked bottle brush for scrubbing carboys, but I can still see a film of grime up in the curved shoulder area that I just can't seem to reach with the normal brushes/tools that I have on hand.

Does anyone have a suggestion on a better way?

oxeye

 

[cpfan]

Personally I would soak for a while in a Diversol (pink powder) solution. You can also use the brush at the same time. Try bending the brush to a different shape.

Steve

 

[Sacalait]

Add 1 or 2 cups of sand to detergent and water and swish this mixture around in the carboy where it's needed most. The abrasiveness of the sand will usually do the trick.

 

[Wine Maker]

Don't use any type of detergent that leaves a soapy residue. You should be able to by non suddsing washing detergent in your local supermarket but what I have found to work best for removing stains and film from carboys is B-Brite or One-Step. A little added to the carboy with about a gallon of water works wonders.

 

[petes]

For heavy grot I use caustic soda; for lesser grot I use bleach.
Both with appropriate rinsing. Seems to work well.

 

[Noontime]

I think you should use a bunch of these very good ideas. I'm particularly impressed with the sand idea...that's great idea. Since this had been sitting around for a quarter century who knows what's in there. I'd clean the heck out of it with cleaners and sanitizers. Something you can try is putting a wet cloth in there, turning it upside down so the cloth hits the corner you're having a problem with, and use the bottle brush to scrub it around.

Good luck!

 

[winemaker81]

It's a bit late now ... but you can use uncooked rice in place of the sand.

 

[twissty]

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