Fed up of doing the bleach rinse

skydivedan · Post by **skydivedan** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 4:50 pm

Hi all,

Sorry another sanitising thread!

I've always used bleach to sanitise all my brewing stuff. But I'm getting fed up of all that extra rinsing! and the amount of waste water I create. I think Starsan sounds like a good way to go, what do you think? Pros and cons?

What do people think of Chemipro Oxi or PBW?

I would like to use something that is environmentally friendly!!

Any help would be much appreciated, thx

DeadFall · Post by **DeadFall** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:28 pm

I came from the same route, I seemed to be pouring as much water down the sink from rinsing as I was into my beer. Star san was a revelation to me, not just do you save water, but a lot of time. I'm not sure of the others, but the oxi stuff is interesting.

GrowlingDogBeer · Post by **GrowlingDogBeer** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:29 pm

I use Oxi cleaner, to clean all my kit, then give it a rinse out.

I then use Sarsan as a sanitiser. I think Starsan is wonderful, but it is only a sanitiser, the things have to be clean first.

Starsan lasts for ages as well as you can reuse it, or you just put it in a spray bottle and spray a small amount on things to sanitise them.

The other opyion is Videne, but I haven't used that.

DeadFall · Post by **DeadFall** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:57 pm

If I have stubborn cleaning, I use a bleach solution. But most of the time I roll my sleaves up and scrub with a scouring pad for kegs/fvs and make sure I give bottles a scrub out with hot water and a clean bottle brush shortly after I've emptied them (usually the next morning). I've not had any problems yet, but I'm starting to think a proper cleaning regime is needed and will give Oxi a go when I can find a local supplier. I don't think Edina brew carries it.

GrowlingDogBeer · Post by **GrowlingDogBeer** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 5:59 pm

You can get Oxy cleaner in any supermarket. It is down the aisle with the washing powder.

EoinMag · Post by **EoinMag** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:11 pm

VWP to clean and star san to sanitise, jobs a good un.

I have not yet seen a downside to star san.

Twistedfinger · Post by **Twistedfinger** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:14 pm

Runwell-Steve wrote:The other opyion is Videne, but I haven't used that.

I use videne as it was easier to get hold of than starsan. does the job and cheap as chips. You can get it at any good chemist and make it up with tap water at 1.25ml Videne to 1litre water. 1.25ml is about 1/4 of a teaspoon if you have a measuring thingymajig in your kitchen or you can ask your chemist for a syringe.

greenxpaddy · Post by **greenxpaddy** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 6:24 pm

I use diluted bleach solution. It doesn't take that much rinsing out to be honest

skydivedan · Post by **skydivedan** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 10:06 pm

Thanks everyone. I'm officially quitting bleach, starsan is sounding like the way! but will be checking out videne

Does starsan have a shelf life premixing? And mixed?

DeadFall · Post by **DeadFall** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:04 pm

I had a look at the supermarket over the road and they had a few different oxi style cleaners. Can they be used as a no rinse cleaner in the same way as the stuff that hopandgape sells?

EoinMag · Post by **EoinMag** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:10 pm

skydivedan wrote:Thanks everyone. I'm officially quitting bleach, starsan is sounding like the way! but will be checking out videne

Does starsan have a shelf life premixing? And mixed?

when star san goes cloudy it is not as effective, the pH is normally gone at that point, I have very hard water so I have to buy Halfords deionised water, but I mix it and pour it back into the jerry cans after, so I reuse it until it gets very cloudy. The unmixed stuff does not really have a shelf life.

Post by **Andy** » Fri Dec 02, 2011 11:16 pm

DeadFall wrote:I had a look at the supermarket over the road and they had a few different oxi style cleaners. Can they be used as a no rinse cleaner in the same way as the stuff that hopandgape sells?

You need to rinse Oxyclean after cleaning otherwise it will leave a deposit on the kit being cleaned.

I clean stuff using Oyclean, then rinse, drip dry and store. Whenever I need the (cleaned) kit then I rinse out with water, drip dry and then spray with Starsan. Shake around for a bit and then pour out Starsan, let drip dry (or don't bother) and use.

jmc · Post by **jmc** » Sat Dec 03, 2011 1:38 am

Andy wrote:
DeadFall wrote:I had a look at the supermarket over the road and they had a few different oxi style cleaners. Can they be used as a no rinse cleaner in the same way as the stuff that hopandgape sells?
You need to rinse Oxyclean after cleaning otherwise it will leave a deposit on the kit being cleaned.

I clean stuff using Oyclean, then rinse, drip dry and store. Whenever I need the (cleaned) kit then I rinse out with water, drip dry and then spray with Starsan. Shake around for a bit and then pour out Starsan, let drip dry (or don't bother) and use.

+1
oxy cleans well, but if left in FV it does leave a (PIA) deposit.
(I use a cheap unbranded, no odour oxy.)
I believe final sanitation with starsan will also neutralise any trace of oxy/percarbonate left after rinsing

skydivedan · Post by **skydivedan** » Mon Dec 05, 2011 3:16 pm

I just need to get round to ordering some starsan now!

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