Hello - does anyone use ecover for cleaning plastic fermenters and corny kegs? I would like to use eco friendly stuff if possible.
Thanks
Ecover
- Kev888
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Re: Ecover
IIRC Ecover used to make a laundry bleach that was almost completely sodium percarbonate, which was excellent for shifting dirt. But I think they changed the formula so can't say if its still suitable or not.
You often don't need very powerful cleaners for day-to-day cleaning; a hot soak in mild ones will typically suffice where things aren't baked on, so many products can work. Perhaps the main thing is avoiding those which are heavily perfumed and/or difficult to rinse completely away. Also, unlike some specialist brew cleaners, they may permit scale to form up on equipment so excessively long soaks should be avoided. (I would always use the best possible cleaners for things like plate chillers though, which can't be disassembled to clean or verify success). Relatively gentle acids like Citric can deal with scale if that forms on elements etc.
Disinfecting is a little more critical, and unlike physical cleaning you can't see if it has worked. My favourite in this respect is peracetic acid; it is not nice stuff so takes care in handling, but once diluted for use it is considerably better and then quickly degrades to friendly components; it is also possibly the best no-rinse disinfectant available. For materials that can handle the heat then boiling, steaming, pressure cooking and baking are good solutions.
You often don't need very powerful cleaners for day-to-day cleaning; a hot soak in mild ones will typically suffice where things aren't baked on, so many products can work. Perhaps the main thing is avoiding those which are heavily perfumed and/or difficult to rinse completely away. Also, unlike some specialist brew cleaners, they may permit scale to form up on equipment so excessively long soaks should be avoided. (I would always use the best possible cleaners for things like plate chillers though, which can't be disassembled to clean or verify success). Relatively gentle acids like Citric can deal with scale if that forms on elements etc.
Disinfecting is a little more critical, and unlike physical cleaning you can't see if it has worked. My favourite in this respect is peracetic acid; it is not nice stuff so takes care in handling, but once diluted for use it is considerably better and then quickly degrades to friendly components; it is also possibly the best no-rinse disinfectant available. For materials that can handle the heat then boiling, steaming, pressure cooking and baking are good solutions.
Kev
Re: Ecover
Due to the difficulty in obtaining sanitisers here I have gone back to using domestic bleach which also eventually breaks down naturally and it is dirt cheap.
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1. Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, thoroughly used, totally worn out and loudly proclaiming... "f*ck, what a trip
It's better to lose time with friends than to lose friends with time (Portuguese proverb)
Alone we travel faster
Together we travel further
( In an admonishing email from our golf club)
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Re: Ecover
i hope laundry oxi and starsan qualify as eco friendly as my brewshed has a heath robinson drain leading to just behind my compost box and veggie plots. If im producing 'clean' grey water i may as well use it for the garden..
ist update for months n months..
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
Fermnting: not a lot..
Conditioning: nowt
Maturing: Challenger smash, and a kit lager
Drinking: dry one minikeg left in the store
Coming Soon Lots planned for the near future nowt for the immediate
Re: Ecover
So if fermenters and kegs are cleaned straight after use, a gentle washing up liquid can be used to clean and then starsan for sanitising? And all unwanted bacteria should be controlled?
- Kev888
- So far gone I'm on the way back again!
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- Joined: Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:22 pm
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Re: Ecover
Almost. Things need to be physically clean because disinfectants/sanitisers may be defeated or compromised by organic matter or deposits on the surface. But 'unless its something you can't see into', it is pretty easy to tell if the equipment is clean of such things or not, so in that case there is no need to go OTT with the type or strength/concentration of cleaning chemicals; many will work for day-to-day cleaning with a hot soak. Though don't get into scrubbing fermenters etc to allow even less cleaner; a gentle rub with a soft kitchen towel is okay but you don't want to be scratching them.
Unfortunately I say 'almost' because many household detergents will work but have a small issue; they can leave residues which hamper head retention of the beer. So if that matters to you then perhaps a percabonate based laundry cleaner or something like soda crystals could be better, if they come up to your eco standards. And of course still with thorough rinsing afterwards
Once clean and rinsed, then the sanitiser/disinfectant of your choice will have free reign on the surfaces. Depending on your water you may occasionally need to use something like citric acid to clean off build-ups of scale.
Unfortunately I say 'almost' because many household detergents will work but have a small issue; they can leave residues which hamper head retention of the beer. So if that matters to you then perhaps a percabonate based laundry cleaner or something like soda crystals could be better, if they come up to your eco standards. And of course still with thorough rinsing afterwards
Once clean and rinsed, then the sanitiser/disinfectant of your choice will have free reign on the surfaces. Depending on your water you may occasionally need to use something like citric acid to clean off build-ups of scale.
Kev