Newb - Sanitizing?

[DageonYar]

Totally fresh and new here. I just started my first batch at a local brew'yer own (Australian Shiraz yummy), and decided it would be fun to try my hand at doing this at home. Picked up a load of used equipment form a friend at work for a bargain, and now trying to figure out what all I need to do with it all lol.

My 1st question... Included in all this equipment, is a bag of pink powder (Chlorinated TSP). A little googling tells me this is a cleaning and sanitizing agent, but most wine making sites/forums I read suggest using Sodium Metabisulphite as a sanitizing agent. Should I use this pink stuff to clean/sanitize? Or should I just go out and buy some sodiummetabisulfite?

TIA

 

[Wade E]

What you have is a chlorinated cleaner for use before sanitizing or right after fermentation is over so that the vessels mess doesnt dry on. You should get Potassium od Sodium Metabisulfite for sanitizing. Welcome to this site and dont be afraid to ask any questions.

 

[DageonYar]

So I can use the pink stuff as a primary cleanser but rinse well and sanitize before starting right? Does the SMBS (or whatever is short for sodium metabisulphite lol) require rinsing after application?

The equipment I picked up is rather old, and smells musty (sat in a garage for a while likely). Should I soak in CTSP for a period to clean it all up?

 

[cpfan]

I would soak the used equipment in the pink powder for a while. It's a great cleaner, and also a sanitizer IF you soak for 20+ minutes. And then you need to rinse well afterwards.

Sodium (Na) or potassium (K) metabisulphite is a great sanitizer (abbrev Na-meta or K-meta) for wine making but has a distinctly annoying smell. Thats why I use Iodophor, I can't handle the stink of meta. I don't rinse after meta or iodophor, but I do drain well.

Steve

 

[arcticsid]

You could also soak the equipment in non chlorinated oxi-clean , as a pre cleaner, not a sanitizer. When you get that far, I've heard some of the people in here talk about using oxi clean to clean their bottles, they soak em in the bathtub, etc.

Good luck, keep us posted.
Troy

 

[DageonYar]

When you say 'soak', do you mean just coat all the areas in the stuff and let it sit, or actually fill it and let it soak? 6gal carboy and pail is going to take a lot of pink stuff if I have to fill em.

 

[cpfan]

When you say 'soak', do you mean just coat all the areas in the stuff and let it sit, or actually fill it and let it soak? 6gal carboy and pail is going to take a lot of pink stuff if I have to fill em.

Yep, fill er up and let em sit. But thats only for sanitizing. Cleaning you should be able to use less, but you'll need a brush to do carboys. You may even need a brush for 'tough spots' if you soak.

Steve

 

[Tom]

Dageon,
Welcome to the forum.
Does you "friend" have any mor stuff for sale?
Remember in winemaking the 3 "P's"
Patience
Patience
Patience
You can't rush winemaking

 

[Nubz]

soak it in some hot water with a cap full of bleach per gallon

anyway thats what i use since i dont have an easy way to get the other stuff

 

[arcticsid]

If you use bleach, make sure you rinse like crazy. I personally wouldn't use bleach for carboys or bottles, though spoons, funnels might be okay. When I first started I used bleach, not alot, but took alot more effort to rinse the stuff off than it would have been to have just used some of the "ggod stuff" that is available.

Thats just my take.

 

[DageonYar]

But for the stuff that was sitting idle and open in a musty garage for a while, would just the K-Meta be enough?

 

[arcticsid]

K Meta for SANITIZING. For cleaning there are other options as mentioned, TSP, "OXI CLEANERS", One Step Cleaners etc. For the soaking/cleaning I would use HOT water. Cleaning them shouldn't be a problem, remeber sanitizing and cleaning are two different things.

As you go along you will want to clean and sanitize before and after you use your equipment. No need to get to aggressive like you are doing now to clean "old" stuff but it is a good habit to get into.

Keep a spray bottle of K Meta solution handy. So for example you want to take a hydrometer reading, spray it a bit wait a minute and stick it in, same goes if you need to insert a spoon or anything else in your wine for whatever reason.

Sanitizing and patience are two very important concepts in this "business"

You'l be fine. Keep asking questions, we'll keep helping you find the answers.

 

[Tom]

Sanitizing and patience are two very important concepts in this "business"

You'l be fine. Keep asking questions, we'll keep helping you find the answers.

Troy,
You forgot there are THREE !
Sanitizing
3 "P's"
3 "T's"

LOL

 

[arcticsid]

I personally need to work on the P's, but don't have a problem with the T's!

I kin pruve it two!

Troy