# Cleaning the Fermentasaurus



## NzBrewerMatt (17/4/18)

Hi team, how are you guys cleaning the fermentasaurus?
I finished my first brew with this fermenter over the weekend and found cleaning to be a massive pain. I couldn't get my arm in there to clean the outside where the hops and yeast had left marks.

Are you using a specific tool to clean or a specific cleaning agent? Let me know how you guys do it!
Thanks.


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## Fro-Daddy (17/4/18)

Chuck a clean rag in with some water and swish it around?


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## NzBrewerMatt (17/4/18)

Fro-Daddy said:


> Chuck a clean rag in with some water and swish it around?


Yeah I tried that however it doesn't seem to get the grit and stuff off the sides of the fermenter where the top of the wort was sitting.


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## wide eyed and legless (17/4/18)

What about something like a bean bag but using those glass blobs they sell in $2 Dollar shops.


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## wynnum1 (17/4/18)

You need to soak it first to soften fill with a cleaning solution and let soak have to be careful about temperature and not to scratch .


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## NzBrewerMatt (17/4/18)

wynnum1 said:


> You need to soak it first to soften fill with a cleaning solution and let soak have to be careful about temperature and not to scratch .


Yeah i did think this. What would be a good cleaning product/agent to use to soak the Fermentasaurus in?


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## Kev R (17/4/18)

Hi, don't go using anything but a soft rag inside or you will scratch it. I hose of as much as i can with the garden hose then add a cup of sodium perc and fill with water. Come back the next day and it will just rinse off.


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## Pugdog1 (17/4/18)

I made something like this for kegs but would probably work for this as well? https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewin...keg_washer_i_built/?utm_source=reddit-android


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## NealK (17/4/18)

50 degree water and sodium percarbonate. Let it sit for a day and all the gunk comes off.


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## The Punt (17/4/18)

Hey,
I picked up one of these (actually i got 2 as it was cheaper to buy two at the special price than it was to buy one...go figure) at supercheap auto, then attached it to a garden hose fitting. If you crimp the end almost closed, it works a bit like a small pressure washer, and is bloody useful for all sorts of things, especially cleaning the dried up krausen off the fermentasaurus. 




http://www.supercheapauto.com.au/Product/Blackridge-Air-Blow-Gun-30cm/221634?menuFrom=1021511


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## BrutusB (19/4/18)

NealK said:


> 50 degree water and sodium percarbonate


+ 1 for this.


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## leeroy (20/4/18)

Vortex from KegKING easy as on the end of a Battery drill


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## snails07 (20/4/18)

NealK said:


> 50 degree water and sodium percarbonate. Let it sit for a day and all the gunk comes off.



+2. This is what I do too. 
I just use the woolies brand unscented laundry soaker, whcih is about 35% sodium perc. Works well.


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## meathead (20/4/18)

Blast krausen ring
Overnight hot water unscented Napisan
Rinse
Soak bits in hot water napisan
Rinse
Starsan co2 picnic tap
Roll starsan around to contact everything
Fill


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## BestBeer (21/4/18)

The MODERN bleaches that contain sodium hypochlorite (Chrlorine) and sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) - a strong solution of that swished around the inside several times, and a bit of a soak between swishes, will destroy anything. You only need 1/4 of a cup full and 1 cup of water and the foamy suds will coat every thing... leave for an hour or two and then reswish, let rest, reswish etc......

Only use it on plastic - for a long soak, if you can dechlorinate the plastic afterwards with a soak in HOT water....


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## mashhammer (22/4/18)

I’ve never done any of this shit....

A nylon brush. I.e. plastic on plastic works.

Also, don’t be lazy. Clean it as soon as you empty it, makes a huge difference. If you are worried about the smell afterwards, just put a bit of water and sodium percarb in the bottom until the next time you use it, works for me. Cheers

Edit Btw bleach tends to leave a taint that I’ve not been able to get rid of. Also I just use a “natural” dishwashing detergent like earthchoice immediately after emptying


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## professional_drunk (22/4/18)

Hose the krausen ring.
40c water with PBW.
Close the ends and shake.
Spotless.


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## wide eyed and legless (22/4/18)

The chemist where I was getting my sodium percarbonate from suggested using sodium perborate after I asked the question why a couple of the members of this forum had reported heat coming from the percarbonate, it should be kept in a dark fairly cool and especially dry environment.
Perborate is more stable and does the same job and only costs a few dollars more, that is what I use now.
https://sciencing.com/use-sodium-perborate-5215007.html


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## mischa62 (22/4/18)

Pugdog1 said:


> I made something like this for kegs but would probably work for this as well? https://www.reddit.com/r/Homebrewin...keg_washer_i_built/?utm_source=reddit-android


mate whats the diameter of the spray ball? im looking for one that can go into my 50 litre keg opening


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## RedSproket (22/4/18)

wide eyed and legless said:


> The chemist where I was getting my sodium percarbonate from suggested using sodium perborate after I asked the question why a couple of the members of this forum had reported heat coming from the percarbonate, it should be kept in a dark fairly cool and especially dry environment.
> Perborate is more stable and does the same job and only costs a few dollars more, that is what I use now.
> https://sciencing.com/use-sodium-perborate-5215007.html



Where were you getting your sodium percarbonate out of interest?


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## wide eyed and legless (22/4/18)

RedSproket said:


> Where were you getting your sodium percarbonate out of interest?


 Stelco Chemicals 46-48 Henderson Road Rowville.


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## NealK (22/4/18)

BestBeer said:


> The MODERN bleaches that contain sodium hypochlorite (Chrlorine) and sodium hydroxide (caustic soda) - a strong solution of that swished around the inside several times, and a bit of a soak between swishes, will destroy anything. You only need 1/4 of a cup full and 1 cup of water and the foamy suds will coat every thing... leave for an hour or two and then reswish, let rest, reswish etc......
> 
> Only use it on plastic - for a long soak, if you can dechlorinate the plastic afterwards with a soak in HOT water....



Do not put HOT water in the fermentasaurus, it will shrink!
I put 60-65 degree water in mine and it started to shrink. They aren't joking when they say MAX 55 degrees.


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## KegLand-com-au (23/4/18)

Definitely the sodium percarbonate is good. PBW is slightly better as it contains some surfactants which also help the process. Either one of these will do the job though.

Sodium percarbonate on it's own is great for removing protein, tanins and some other types of material on the fermenters. The main issue i find is that it's completely useless against oils. Sodium percarbonate will not remove oil at all. So you might find after long term repeated use you might not be cleaning the fermenter perfectly and you gradually get a build up of some oils and other stuff that requires surfactants to remove.

Also the Fermentasaurus is very clear so any contamination becomes very visable on the wall of the fermenter.


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