Storing carboys

[M1wino]

Any suggestions on the best way to store empty carboys? I want to keep them as clean and ready as possible

 

[Rocky]

After using, I wash mine out, invert them to dry and spritz them with some K-meta. I place a solid stopper in the opening to keep the inside clean. Before using, I rinse with hot water and re-sanitize with K-meta for about 1/2 hour. Lastly, I dump out the K-meta, rinse and use.

 

[cpfan]

For staorage, I clean my carboys, and then drain them upside down till dry. Then store so that dust doesn't enter them. Then when it's time to use them, they just need sanitizing.

Some folks store carboys with K-meta in them, but I don't like that idea. For one thing, I don't think it's necessary. For another, how often do you have to refresh the K-meta. Finally, I use iodophor rather than K-meta and it would last much shorter.

Steve

 

[Runningwolf]

After cleaning I store them with and inch or two of meta solution with a solid bung.

 

[winemaker_3352]

After cleaning I store them with and inch or two of meta solution with a solid bung.

I do the exact same thing..

 

[Stefani]

After I clean and dry the carboys I put a sandwich bag over the bung and the put a rubber band around the baggy to prevent dust and bugs from getting inside.

 

[Brent2489]

For Storage:
Clean
Rinse with K-Meta
Dry upside down
1/2" - 1" K-Meta
Airlock with K-Meta

Before using:
Dump K-Meta
Rinse with more K-Meta
Fill with good stuff

Somehow they don't seem to stay empty for long!!!

 

[garymc]

After cleaning and drying as described above, I'd go with a stopper, piece of Saran Wrap with a rubber band, or a piece of wide packaging tape over the mouth.

 

[jeepingchick]

We use saran wrap and a rubber band. then sanitize before use.

 

[jswordy]

I just wash 'em out with One Step, throw it away, pour in a bit more in the bottom and put them in the cabinet. Before use, I swish that around, dump it out, pour in more and splash that around. Drain.

I am suspicious that One Step is just another brand name for an Oxyclean formulation, so I may start using that instead when the One Step supply runs out. Can anyone confirm that?

It's a good cleaner, I think, and I have had no contamination or mold problems. The One Step has cleaned up many a used moldy carboy for me after purchase. Never could understand why people don't wash their stuff after using it...

 

[cmason1957]

I wash and clean mine out. Then add just a tiny layer of a very, very mild bleach solution (one teaspoon/Gallon of water). Pop in a stopper.

When it comes time to use I clean with One Step, rinse, repeat and then sanitize with K-Meta solution.

 

[whackfol]

I clean well, rinse with star san and let dry. Then I place a towel over the hole with a rubber band -- I like to let my bottles breathe during storage. I do store them in carboy racks that I picked up from a water supply store or cardboard boxes to avoid breakage.

 

[robie]

I wash and clean mine out. Then add just a tiny layer of a very, very mild bleach solution (one teaspoon/Gallon of water). Pop in a stopper.

When it comes time to use I clean with One Step, rinse, repeat and then sanitize with K-Meta solution.

If that works for you then great. IMO, you would be better off not using the bleach at all and just replacing it with a cup or so of Kmeta solution.

TCA or cork taint is the result of wine (and the cork) coming into contact with minute amounts of chlorine. It is good that you rinse out the bleach, but if you ever miss even a tiny amount of it, it could ruin your whole batch of wine.

Just food for thought.

Oh, and did you know that bleach is not really a very good sanitizer; it bleaches great, but that's about it.

 

[hvac36]

Empty carboy? What is that? lol

 

[jdrum]

robie you may not use water in your wines, but anyone making wine that has to add water ( like to concentrates) is adding clorine in the tap water. and you rinse with clorinated water
just rinse well and let set for a while. and if you use tap waterto make wine fill a couple buckets a few days before, letting it set a few days drasticly reduces the amount of cloeine in the water


jim

 

[hvac36]

robie you may not use water in your wines, but anyone making wine that has to add water ( like to concentrates) is adding clorine in the tap water. and you rinse with clorinated water
just rinse well and let set for a while. and if you use tap waterto make wine fill a couple buckets a few days before, letting it set a few days drasticly reduces the amount of cloeine in the water


jim

Not true I have well water no clorine in my system just saying not everyone has city water.

 

[GreginND]

And I have city water but it is treated with ozone, not chlorine.

 

[Runningwolf]

Greg do they even make wine in ND?

 

[GreginND]

You betcha we do!

 

[tonyandkory]

We clean our carboys and dry them. then do nothing until we need them again then they are rinsed and sanitized, never had a problem yet