old carboys vs brand new

roblloyd · Mar 15, 2011

Arne said:
Instead of sand, I have a friend that uses small ice cubes and rock salt. Seems to get a lot of the stuff off the inside. Swirling the carboys is kinda a job, tho. Just got to thinking, don't try this with a carboy that you have just had hot water in and don't rinse with hot water right after you do this. Don't want anybody hurt when glass cracks. Arne.

I remember people doing this to clean out coffee pots with stuck on/burnt coffee. Worked very well.
Sand doesn't sound good. I get the chills thinking about it - like some people get with nails on a chalkboard. Grinding sand does that to me.

George_A · Mar 16, 2011

If your careful and use fine sand you should not have to any problems with scratching the glass carboy, I have sanded 4 carboys and only have scratches on 1 where I got help cleaning it with brush.
Here are some more methods [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyQxIZlMwtc[/ame]

Wade E · Mar 16, 2011

I added the link for you, Thanks George, great stuff!

Runningwolf · Mar 16, 2011

George thanks for sharing. Good idea posting it Wade or I would not have seen it. Good Stuff. I would not use sand.

xoltri · Mar 17, 2011

I wouldn't use sand...oxyclean does wonders. It will even take all of the burnt coffee off of the inside of a coffee pot if you leave it to soak for a couple hours. It's like magic. I use the unscented stuff.

WVMountaineerJack · Mar 17, 2011

We got an old 7 gallon carboy that needed a good cleaning. We added some unscented dishwasher powder, a little water and then dumped in some distilled vinegar on top. The reaction was fast and furious and cleaned up the gunk really well. Then I just washed it out well with hot waterjet, did the KMeta wash and dried it out and stuck a papertowel in the end. I was amazed at how easily it cleaned up that old gunk stuck on the bottom.

ps. this is how the wife cleans the coffee pot and she thought it would work well on an old carboy from the 1970s!!

Crackedcork