Cleaning Plastic Fermenters

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PBW all the way. Let's face it, brewing is all about cleaning, this stuff takes the hard work out of it. A balance of temperature, concentration and contact time. Increase 2 to reduce the 3rd. Its not linear, and remember, don't be stupid, they are chemicals. Sodium percarbonate on its own is no good for oils.
 
What oils do you get in your fermenter? Have used sod perc for many years and it’s never failed to clean my gear. Ran out recently and bought PBW. Works great but leaves a slick residue that needs rinsing. Never had that with pure sod perc
 
Just used pbw to clean oven racks in my oven. Have been amazed how well it cleaned them with years of caustic cleaners. It's amazing.
 
What oils do you get in your fermenter? Have used sod perc for many years and it’s never failed to clean my gear. Ran out recently and bought PBW. Works great but leaves a slick residue that needs rinsing. Never had that with pure sod perc
Hop oils? Adjuncts? And other organic deposits. As well as beer stone which sodium percarb won't remove on its own. You need chelates and surfactants to help lift deposits.

Yes, sodium percarb will be fine, but a purpose made brewery cleaner is better in my opinion
 
Agreed, they aren't fragile made of paper, but you do need to take care of them. One thing I did notice when I put boiling hot water, it would destroy the little stick on thermometers on them, so just keep that in mind too!


Hi all

well at last I think I can at least offer some advice back in a small token of appreciation of the monumental amount of advice I have received from or you good fellows.

KADMIUM. My advice to you my friend is not to worry about those stick on thermometers and to go to Bunnings and get an Ozito Ir thermometer for under $25. They are way more accurate, have a 3 years warranty…and I did need to return 1 after 6 months but that’s a bit of bad luck, and they have so many more benefits. I use the bloody thing to ensure the deep fryer is at the required temp, the beer fridge is at the right temperature and far more important, when I’ve done something wrong and the missus comes in, a shoot out a beam on her forehead to see whether I need to run, hide or pray!!!

I have been a commercial fish breeder for many many years and have had a large pet shop business which had a huge fish room for over 20 years and I can promise you, that those stick on thermometers are as useless as a flat warm beer on a hot day.

Butustart. I have found even more recently that if you have that crud in a bottle that has been there for a few days, where ordinarily I would use chlorine to dissolve it, I half fill it full of water, stick my finger in the bottle, and shake the living shit out of it, pour that out and refill it then drain it and it seems to work quite well. So now I must sadly relinquish my title as the “chlorine king”. To think I spent most of my life trying to acquire such a title and for it to be shattered by this forum in only a few days has required ongoing psychological counselling… But with all your love and support… I am sure I will get over it.
 
That's where I went wrong. I jab her with the probe thermometer. Usually ends up poorly for me!

Yeah I use a thermapen for Mash and a thermowell with probe for fermenter now. But agreed, I might grab an IR thermometer cause I like toys and gadgets lol
 
That's where I went wrong. I jab her with the probe thermometer. Usually ends up poorly for me!

Yeah I use a thermapen for Mash and a thermowell with probe for fermenter now. But agreed, I might grab an IR thermometer cause I like toys and gadgets lol


...and what bloke does not like toys !!!!
 
Keg king to an ABC cleaner made in Australia. Magic stuff but not sure what postage would cost
you can get it in brissie, but from where i live, it's either $10 tolls or a 2 day odyssey to get there (eg craftbrewer - wrong side of the river).
so just need to look around a bit more or pay either the toll or the courier.
 
I found PBW on EBay after drawing a blank elsewhere. It was not cheap when postage was considered.
Used to see it widely recommended. not so often these days.
I now do not use it, found alternatives that work but the product is sound.
 
i'm in the market for some pbw, i thought it was a registered name, so there's stellarclean??
my lhbs doesn't carry either, unless there are more names for it. they've got stellar-soda (caustic soda), but not stellar-clean.

Brewcraft in North Lakes stock it. Depending on where you live you could also try either country brewer in Stafford or the brew shed in Strathpine. Hoppy days is Virginia only stock pure sodium percarbonate.
 
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