no swearing on jims....

[Steve D]

The only thing you need to worry about when using starsan is that once it is made up the pH is less than 3, it is the acidity of the solution that is important, not whether it is cloudy or not.

Oh ok, I read somewhere that if it goes cloudy it's knackered. It used to with my hard tap water, and doesn't with Ashbeck Spring.

[Steve D]

Is that the same stuff as washing soda?
Thanks for input guys

Washing soda is mainly sodium carbonate (Na2CO3)- A good medium strength cleaner / water softener


Caustic soda is a much more aggressive chemical. Its sodium hydroxide (NaOH) which is very, very corrosive and alkali. Sometimes used as a drain cleaner as it tends to break down most organic materials. (including skin etc)(ph ~13)
Nasty stuff where rubber gloves & eye protection are essential.

Yep, all true. Treat it with respect and make it up as instructed and It's a very handy stuff to have around - cleans virtually anything, unblock sinks and drains - dissolves hair blockages in sink and bath drains for instance, also strips and cleans wood - I've used it on doors, etc. Brewery muck, stuck on trub, yeast, etc, is no problem for it. But, as JMC said it's at the bad end of the scale as far as alkali is concerned, and will react with the fat in your skin turning it into soap so if your fingers suddenly feel soapy, get them under a tap fast! Some all in one cleaner/sanitsers such as Chempro SDP, and the one that replaced it who's name I forget are based on a caustic soda/chlorine combo though I've never had the balls to mix thin bleach with caustic. Can't think of anything chemically nastier to have slopping about the kitchen!! Probably turn into salt though, once it's set the kitchen on fire..

[timbo41]

Reckon I'll stick with oxy and a bit of elbow grease thanks all the same guys ...although one or two of my early brews were compared to drain cleaner!
re. Ph
can anyone suggest where to get litmus testers on a typical high street. Nearest hubs around 30 miles off