New Sanitisation plans - final check

[Shoit]

I'm brewing next week and planning on moving away from chlorine based cleaners. I have some antiformin S and some star-san. My plans are as follows:

1. Make up a solution of Antiformin S (1 in 1000) and spray fermentor, taps etc...
2. Rinse
3. Make up a solution of Star-San (1 in 1000) with a tsp citric acid and spray everything again.
4. Leave for 30 secs.

Is this all sounding ok? Also i was just wondering how to clean things like taps, plastic spoons and other fiddly items?

I've not had an infection yet but want to move away from using chlorine based cleaners for economical and practical reasons.

Kevin

[Graham]

Umm... Antiformin is a chlorine-based cleaner.

[Shoit]

Umm... Antiformin is a chlorine-based cleaner.

Ooops! That makes me look clever doesn't it Doh!

Any opinions on whether this will work?

[Graham]

Antiformin at 1000:1 is too weak to be particularly effective as a cleaner. 50:1 is more like it, perhaps 100:1 if the kit is visually clean. If you are set on spraying, it is probably cheaper to use Domestos spray bleach (Antiformin is a pseudonym for bleach), which is a ready diluted bleach, without thickeners as far as I can determine.

I have no experience of StarSan, you'll have to read the instructions on the bottle. However, if you are intending to use Starsan immediately after the Antiformin, the Starsan is pointless because absolutely nothing bacteriological will get past the Antiformin/bleach application. You'd be better off making up a stock solution of metabisulphite in a spray bottle and use that instead, as a no-rinse that will neutralise any residual chlorine. Starsan is nowhere near as powerful as bleach.

Typically you would use your Antiformin before putting your vessels away after use, and use your Starsan immediately before next use (or a weaker bleach solution).