Storing and rinsing bottles sanitized with sodium metabisulfite?

[buttonsrtoys]

I'm wondering about the best way to sanitize, store, and reuse wine bottles. With my carboys, I rinse out 3X with warm water and then sanitize with sodium metabisulfite. I drain the SM from the carboy but don't rinse it away while stored empty figuring the SM residue provide extra protection. While empty, I stuff loose paper tower in the opening to allow it to air dry while keeping dust out. Then, immediately before reusing the carboy, I rinse 3X with warm water to remove the SM residue.

I'm thinking I'll use the same approach to store and reuse the bottles. Specifically, rinse bottles with warm water using a faucet mounted bottle washer and warm water then fill with SM solution. Drain the SM but don't rinse with water so SM residue is left behind. Store upside down for 24 hours to allow to dry then stuff loose paper tower in opening to prevent dust from entering and store horizontally. At bottling time, rinse out SM residue with bottle washer and warm water immediately before bottling.

I'm interested to hear opinions on any of the above, specifically if anything is improper or overkill.

 

[Johnd]

Once clean, I just store bottles in cardboard cases, upside down, until bottling time. At bottling time, sanitize with sulfite, put on bottle rack, and start filling.

 

[salcoco]

an alternative for carboy storing is use potassium metabisulfite, ie less sodium. clean and sanitize the carboy and then add about two cups of potassium metabisulfite solution. close with a stopper. the sulfite evaporating from the solution will keep the carboy safe. once ready to use just empty and rinse with water.

the solution I use is three grams of potassium metabisulfite, 11 grams citric or tartaric acid to one gallon of water.

 

[Vinobeau]

I do the same with carboys, but with sodium metabisulfite. I now use almost 100% tasting corks and screw tops and after I rinse the bottles , I add some sodium meta and just recork or screw top the bottles, and voila, they are ready to bottle! I usually drain them and rinse before bottling. I've been doing this for twenty years and no problems. I can also age the screw top bottles for at least 5 years.