cleaning a demijohn

[james_m_r]

How do you get clean those hard to reach areas of a demijohn that has been sitting in a loft for several years?
I have been working away at it for a few days now and although it looks pretty clean when I hold it up to the light you can see crud stuck inside.

I have tried all the usual, soaking in soda crystals, oxy cleaner etc. Would thick bleach do the trick?

[mysterio]

I've found a good long soak in Milton/bleach solution works well. Give it a good shake aswell if you've got some oxyclean style cleaning solution in.

[Vossy1]

The cheapest easiest way

Get a demijon pipe brush type cleaner, the type with the 2"bristles,then bend the bristly head through 90 deg, 1/2 way along it's length, so it cleans at a right angle when inside the demijon

This will get rid of stains/dirt, even on the horizontal glass beneath the opening

[Chiltern Brewer]

I'd give it a good soak with a strong solution of soda srystals or oxy cleaner for a least 24 hours, try using a brush, and if your still not happy just buy a new demi-john!

I too have been guilty of spending hours trying to fix things in the past - sometimes you just have to call it quits!

[james_m_r]

After another good soak in oxi cleaner I was happy to see that it was now clean as a whistle. I was not happy to see a large crack most of the way around the base which was not there previously.

I had been very careful not to knock it on anything whilst cleaning so can only assume it happened during the vigorous shaking.

Bloody waste of time that was!

[Chiltern Brewer]

What did I say... been there, done that, got the t-shirt. I once had the bottom of a milk bottle full of hot malt solution drop out!

Perhaps you used water that was too hot during your cleaning?

[james_m_r]

At the time I thought the temp was ok but in hindsight maybe it was a little too hot.

You live and learn.

[Chiltern Brewer]

Bummer, but at least it wasn't a new one or full of beer/wine.