Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

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mshergold

Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by mshergold » Wed May 11, 2016 5:29 pm

I've got quite a large collection of bottles, a lot of which for various reasons (bad storage, people not rinsing them properly before they return them etc) need a good old clean. Generally, it's the bottom of the bottle which needs cleaning, and a bottle brush can't always do the job. With varying degrees of success I've used bicarbonate of soda and baking powder (not quite so good), but does anyone have a foolproof method for getting rid of the crap?

Secondly, I've acquired a couple of demijohns which have been used to hold olive and vegetable or sunflower oil. I sat them in very hot water to make the oil that remains more viscous and therefore easier to remove, but need to get the residue out. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what to use. I seems a shame to just throw them.

BenB

Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by BenB » Wed May 11, 2016 5:36 pm

It's expensive but I find PBW great stuff. A soak in that does wonders.

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Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by Dennis King » Wed May 11, 2016 5:46 pm

Give oxy a try, with very hot water leave to soak awhile.

mshergold

Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by mshergold » Wed May 11, 2016 6:12 pm

Thanks guys.

BenB

Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by BenB » Wed May 11, 2016 6:22 pm

Oxy is great but if you have hard water it can leave a white residue on the bottles. It happened to me the first time I used it- may or may not be an issue depending on your water supply. The residue can be removed with an acidic solution (I used starsan as I had a bucket of rather old solution I was going to dump anyway). Obviously not good to do this with currently used starsan solution as the pH will rise preventing it being effective. Top tip with PBW it to use relatively hot water otherwise it tends not to dissolve readily. Initially I was having to rinse loads to rinse out the undisolved crystals.

mshergold

Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by mshergold » Wed May 11, 2016 6:26 pm

Thanks Ben. I do have hard water. Would adding citric acid help and if so, any idea what sort of quantity/ratio?

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Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by injac » Thu May 12, 2016 10:12 pm

Oxy is great. The residue is gone with a few good rinses and shakes before starsan.

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Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by Fil » Fri May 13, 2016 12:26 am

Generic unscented laundry oxi is great, but be careful not to mix a too strong solution.
1 scoop per 10l is ample, if too much is used and allowed to soak till cool it can deposit crystals which weld themselves to the containing vessel. a sod to deal with when you can get into and scrape, worse in in a narrow necked bottle or demijohn..
ist update for months n months..
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Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by IPA » Fri May 13, 2016 7:13 am

This is what you need.
http://www.swimmingpoolchemicals.co.uk/ ... p-794.html

One teaspoon in 23 litres of water is the dose. Left over night will remove every trace of crud and it is far cheaper than PBW.
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Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by mshergold » Fri May 13, 2016 10:53 am

Ah. I have used too strong a solution of oxi and left it overnight.

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Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by MarkA » Mon May 23, 2016 12:46 pm

I had the same problem recently when given a load of bottles that hadn't been cleaned properly. I made up a weak VWP solution and soaked the bottles for a few days. This loosened all the muck and most of it came out when rinsed with cold water (the bottle brush took care of the more stubborn bits). I then soaked them in a strong VWP solution overnight. Before I use them they will again be soaked in VWP for 10 minutes or so (as per normal). They are all clean and shiny but it is a PITA :(

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Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by f00b4r » Mon May 23, 2016 2:04 pm

IPA wrote:This is what you need.
http://www.swimmingpoolchemicals.co.uk/ ... p-794.html

One teaspoon in 23 litres of water is the dose. Left over night will remove every trace of crud and it is far cheaper than PBW.
Is that the same chemical that is in the alkaline, chlorine based, non-caustic powder detergent that certain home brew suppliers sell or is it something different?

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Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by IPA » Wed May 25, 2016 8:39 am

f00b4r wrote:
IPA wrote:This is what you need.
http://www.swimmingpoolchemicals.co.uk/ ... p-794.html

One teaspoon in 23 litres of water is the dose. Left over night will remove every trace of crud and it is far cheaper than PBW.
Is that the same chemical that is in the alkaline, chlorine based, non-caustic powder detergent that certain home brew suppliers sell or is it something different?
No but product you mention from the Malt Miller is a very good cleaner and sanitiser but not quite so strong and I use both.
This one is 66 percent non stabilised chlorine and excellent for cleaning really dirty containers. Also because of the dilution rates it is very cheap to use. Do not use more than one teaspoon per 25 litres.
"You're not drunk if you can lie on the floor without holding on." Dean Martin

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: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by f00b4r » Wed May 25, 2016 9:28 am

Cheers, great info.

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Re: Renovating Bottles and Demijohns

Post by Haydnexport » Fri Jun 03, 2016 6:17 pm

a good jetwash with a 'turbo nozzle' will do the trick , i blast all my gear with mine before cleaning and sterilizing

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