Cleaning

[TAR]

Hi there, I have just joined this Forum and introduced myself on the Guestbook.

I have about 2000 new bottles to clean - any advice on my method below would be very much appreciated.

1 - I hot wash, (very Hot), with soap and water and scrub bottles with Plastic Wire Wool, give the bottles a really good swirl inside as well and rinse to remove all soapy water and drain

2. Stand bottles in a Sodium Metabisulphite solution, about 1 heaped teaspoon to 20 litres, for about 20 minutes, then drain till dry before use.

My concern is the inside of the bottles - how well do the manufacturers clean the inside of the bottles when made and can I improve on the inside cleaning.

I get a bit 'anal' about this and wake up in the night hoping I am not going to poison someone.

Cheers

TAR

[gibbiem]

I just wash bottles with soapy water and then starsan them before filling and I'm still alive.... I think

[barry44]

Rinse them out three times with hot tap water, drain and starsan them. Lid goes back on and they stay that way until I fill them again.

[gibbiem]

Rinse them out three times with hot tap water, drain and starsan them. Lid goes back on and they stay that way until I fill them again.

You mean you recap clean sanitised bottles? That's quite good actually as I find myself washing them all again on bottle day as they live in the shed

[simmyb]

I pretty much do the same. Rinse with hot water and starsan. Sometimes I fill the bottle with hot water and leave to stand for half an hour before starsan to make sure any yeast crud is loosened. I have some grolsh type bottles which I flip the lids back on, standard bottles get a square of tin foil on top to stop bacteria laden dust dropping in.

I also tend to starsan again before bottling using a bottle washer squirty thing, but I suspect there would be no ill effects if I didnt bother...

[barry44]

Rinse them out three times with hot tap water, drain and starsan them. Lid goes back on and they stay that way until I fill them again.

You mean you recap clean sanitised bottles? That's quite good actually as I find myself washing them all again on bottle day as they live in the shed

Gibbie, I use coopers PET bottles.

[barry44]

standard bottles get a square of tin foil on top to stop bacteria laden dust dropping in.

That's sounds like a good idea for glass bottles.

As I pour my beer, the hot water tap goes on and I ensure that the bottle is clean inside before I take a sip!

[DeadFall]

I just clean mine with hot water, then store upside down. I then rinse with water and star san. I dip the mouth of the bottle in star san too. Every few brews, or if they have been allowed to sit for while before cleaning, they get a soaking in oxy

[schlafsack]

Where did the bottles come from? Were they sold as clean? The might just need a quick rinse with sanitiser.

[sbond10]

2000 bottles I'd advise getting something to prevent your self losing the will to live