Sterilizing Carboy and Equipment

[codeman]

If you have something larger like a large stainless tank or flex tank do you think one could use a new garden sprayer with properly diluted Star SAN and spray down the surfaces?

 

[Scooter68]

I use mine for weeks. I usually mix up a gallon and store in the frig between uses. Like i said I have doing this for manyyyyy years and never had a problem. Hope I don't jinx myself!

If you have something larger like a large stainless tank or flex tank do you think one could use a new garden sprayer with properly diluted Star SAN and spray down the surfaces?

Sure, just let it drain and dry. Read this linked PDF file - the section on Food Plant use applies directly to you question.

http://www.fivestarchemicals.com/wp-content/uploads/StarSanTech-HB2.pdf

 

[Scooter68]

Update from the makers of "One Step "

Storage time after mixing is estimated at one Week. After that the effectiveness may begin to drop off.

For me, not working actively with my wine every week - This is a bummer. Will throw out what I have and probably stay with Star San - Much easier to mix and keep tabs on when it needs additional concentrate added or needs to be replaced.

 

[hounddawg]

i work very hard to show i am nothing more then a poor dumb hillbilly, by choice, but i still like open grey matter like you an others.
CHEERS my friend
i am 1/4 way thru a memorial case, i drink a glass a nite till my friend has only one bottle left then i will sneak into the grave yard to burry his bottle unopened with him, he passed last week, he was in a one vehicle accident and broke his neck he made it thru both surgery's and was believed to heal completely but god call my friend on, till then , (burry his bottle) i will only do up keep on my winery, he was the only high up politician that always put the poor first, and the rich last, i will always miss Dale ,, MAY GOD REST HIS SOUL, AMEN,,
Dawg

Update from the makers of "One Step "

Storage time after mixing is estimated at one Week. After that the effectiveness may begin to drop off.

For me, not working actively with my wine every week - This is a bummer. Will throw out what I have and probably stay with Star San - Much easier to mix and keep tabs on when it needs additional concentrate added or needs to be replaced.

 

[drainsurgeon]

I'm with jumby on this one. I have used one-step for years for cleaning AND sanitizing with no problems. It's what the local wine shop recommended when I started this hobby some 7 years ago. I only use K-meta when racking to keep the bugs out of my wine. Werks for me!

 

[joshayogi]

To keep bugs out during racking? Can you elaborate?

 

[drainsurgeon]

To keep bugs out during racking? Can you elaborate?

Sure, I add 1/4 tsp of k-meta at second racking (when ferment is done) and every other racking or every 3 months after that until bottling.

After reading it here 100 times it kind of sinks in.

 

[cintipam]

I think when he said keep bugs out he meant stopping bacteria etc from growing in the must. It has no effect at all on the gnats that are drawn to fermentation.

Pam in cinti

 

[Partenopei]

How would you guys go about sanitizing a wood press? My father normally just hoses it down but I was wondering what you guys would suggest.

He also uses a bit of bleach when cleaning the carboys which I've already gathered from reading is actually a big NO NO.

Honestly, the wine he made always came out pretty good using very rudimentary techniques except for the past few years so I'm trying to be a bit more careful about everything this year.

Thanks for your help and I'm excited to have found this place!

 

[cmason1957]

I just spritz mine with my normal sanitizing solution. Maybe a bit heavy on the spritz, then give it some time to work and kill anything, ready to go. Never have problems.

 

[TXWineDuo]

@Partenopei we use iodophor on our wood press. You mix with water and it sanitizes in a few minutes then air dry.
https://www.amazon.com/National-Chemicals-BTF-Iodophor-Sanitizer/dp/B00I2WGKVQ

 

[drainsurgeon]

I think when he said keep bugs out he meant stopping bacteria etc from growing in the must. It has no effect at all on the gnats that are drawn to fermentation.

Pam in cinti

Yes, Pam is correct. Didn't mean to mislead on the bugs thing.

I spray down my carboys with Raid for the real bugs. (JK)

 

[Partenopei]

Thanks for the replies! I picked up One step at the store and liked it so much I ordered 5 lbs of it online

 

[Mismost]

I totally agree with DoctorCAD, I get concerned when I hear "no rinse" with this product, I am familiar with its chemistry, if there is any active hydrogen peroxide left in the residue, it will cause a loss of free so2 in the wine. The only thing that minimizes this issue is that once the product is dissolved in water it decomposes rapidly, the half life of the pure solution is around 8hrs, and realistically less than that, depending on contaminants in your water and carboys etc. Storing the solution for more than 8hrs is therefore not recommended. To claim "no rinse" means the manufacturer is relying on how quickly the material decomposes under normal conditions of use, so any residue has to sufficiently age before contacting wine (too risky for me in my opinion).

There are other sanitizers that work well also, but I prefer slightly acidic kmeta solutions for sanitizing as the residue is completely compatible with wine.

I hate One Step because for me One Step caused a dozen more steps. I used this stuff in my bottle washer because it was "no rinse". Now, it did do a good job of cleaning the bottles and I did not rinse. BUT, I stacked those bottles upside down in the cases to dry. Fast forward to bottling day a couple of weeks later, when I pull out those bottles, there was a white film on the inside. And that stuff was tough as nails, had to scrub it out with a brush....had to throw several bottles away because I could not get the film off. Never used that stuff again.

In all fairness to One Step, this problem may have something to do with my well water which has a lot of calcium in it....maybe that reacted and bonded with the One Step. But, if you wind up rinsing and scrubbing....that ain't one step...it's a PITA!

I use OxiClean to clean and Star San to sanitize...two steps, but faster in the long run.

 

[Partenopei]

Thanks for the warning. I wound up just rinsing everything anyway as a precaution and will definitely continue to do so now!

 

[Scooter68]

I would consider the well water as the culprit in the white film issue. Even Star-San states that use of distilled water results in a longer lasting mix.

My wife insists on well water for her coffee and drinking use. So about every 8-12 weeks I get to clean the coffee maker (1Cup unit) and remove all the mineral build up and it is thick.

So it's most likely that your well water left that film as the minerals precipitated out in reaction with One Step. You should check with any other sanitizer maker before you commit to a large purchase of it or any for that matter. It may be cheaper and more effective to used Wallyworld Distilled water at less than $1.00 a gallon and avoid those issues.