Cleaning Stainless Steel

[brenjak]

How do use citirc acid to clean stainless steel. I heard it was the go and found some in the pantry. I have 50lt keg to clean before doing my first AG.

Prost.

 

[raven19]

Found this that may be of some use:

http://www.michaelsappliancecentre.com.au/..._SSadvisory.htm

Lime scale deposits from hard waterProlonged soaking in a 25% vinegar solution or a 5% nitric acid solution. Periodically rub with a nylon bristled brush or a fine synthetic scourer pad.
Can usually be prevented by regular routine cleaning. Do not allow excessive build up before treating.

Rust marks due to presence of or contact with ferrous materialsIf heavy, swab with a sponge wetted with a diluted (10-15%) solution of nitric acid. Follow by routine cleaningAvoid any contact of ferrous (iron) containing materials with stainless steel. Nitric acid is the only acid which may be used with no risk to stainless steel

 

[brenjak]

Found this that may be of some use:

http://www.michaelsappliancecentre.com.au/..._SSadvisory.htm

Lime scale deposits from hard waterProlonged soaking in a 25% vinegar solution or a 5% nitric acid solution. Periodically rub with a nylon bristled brush or a fine synthetic scourer pad.
Can usually be prevented by regular routine cleaning. Do not allow excessive build up before treating.

Rust marks due to presence of or contact with ferrous materialsIf heavy, swab with a sponge wetted with a diluted (10-15%) solution of nitric acid. Follow by routine cleaningAvoid any contact of ferrous (iron) containing materials with stainless steel. Nitric acid is the only acid which may be used with no risk to stainless steel

Thanks mate. The keg is failry clean but i want to start off with it as clean as possible

 

[Rod]

I used a product called

BAM stainless cleaner

got it from Franklins

worked well

 

[David Sinclair]

Is there anything you can soak it in without manually scrubbing it? I have some SS coil use in party kegs for heat transfer etc. But it's been sitting in a shed for donkey's age's and i don't know the best way to clean inside of it? Will just soaking it in napisan or some other solution work?

Cheers Dave.

 

[schooey]

Is there anything you can soak it in without manually scrubbing it? I have some SS coil use in party kegs for heat transfer etc. But it's been sitting in a shed for donkey's age's and i don't know the best way to clean inside of it? Will just soaking it in napisan or some other solution work?

Cheers Dave.

Boil it in a high concentrate solution of caustic soda. I did that with mine, worked a treat.

 

[buttersd70]

Nitric acid is the only acid which may be used with no risk to stainless steel

hmmm, disagree with this part. The rest of what you posted is right, though Raven.

Common acids used with stainless in an industrial sense are HNO3 and HF, but citric or acetic is often used for minor cleaning. Basically, most acids are fine as long is it doesn't contain chlorides.

The cleaning with citric is done basically the same way as with vinegar (acetic)....just let it sit. So beer4us, use either citric acid or a vinegar solution, sit the coil in it, and come back to it a few days later....rinse thouroughly, and roberts your fathers sister.

For those with itching curiosity, here is a handbook on pickling, passifying and cleaning, which contains much more info than you'll probably ever need.....link

(gee I miss being a sheetie sometimes...it has lots of geek-like chemical fun.)

 

[tdh]

Use a 1% solution of Oxyper (stronger than Napisan) in 60*-70*C water. Let solution soak for 5-10 minutes then scrub lightly with a new dunny brush.

Rinse with citric acid to neutralise the Oxyper.

tdh

 

[raven19]

hmmm, disagree with this part. The rest of what you posted is right, though Raven.

Common acids used with stainless in an industrial sense are HNO3 and HF, but citric or acetic is often used for minor cleaning. Basically, most acids are fine as long is it doesn't contain chlorides.

The cleaning with citric is done basically the same way as with vinegar (acetic)....just let it sit. So beer4us, use either citric acid or a vinegar solution, sit the coil in it, and come back to it a few days later....rinse thouroughly, and roberts your fathers sister.

For those with itching curiosity, here is a handbook on pickling, passifying and cleaning, which contains much more info than you'll probably ever need.....link

(gee I miss being a sheetie sometimes...it has lots of geek-like chemical fun.)

Happy to be corrected Butters! That link is much better than mine indeed, so many useful titbits!

I remember getting mighty dirty from all the carbon on the steel when doing work in steel fabrication - agree great fun though!

 

[buttersd70]

Happy to be corrected Butters! That link is much better than mine indeed, so many useful titbits!

I remember getting mighty dirty from all the carbon on the steel when doing work in steel fabrication - agree great fun though!

I certainly don't miss the lincoln green snot caused by welding zincalume, though. Or the razor sharp edges on the thin stainless...or being 5'4" and slightly built (as I was when younger). Guess who always got the tight fitting jobs that small hands were needed for. :lol:

Back OT, didn't think to mention oxyper given that the thred was about 'household' acids, but would have to agree that it is amazing stuff. Love the dunny brush addition, TDH....adds a touch of class

 

[David Sinclair]

Thanks Buttersd70 and Schooey, it's too good-a piece of gear to let go to waste.

 

[Tony]

PBW!

 

[Jye]

PBW!

:super:

Use it at 70C or let it soak at room temp... either way its awesome!

 

[buttersd70]

The absolute awsomeness of PBW has been mentioned so often lately, I really must get some for a try.....if it's even half as good as (many experienced and respected) people have said, it must be absolutely awsome in it's awsome-ness.

(not being sarcy, just watched way too much HIMYM. :lol: )

 

[brenjak]

Well, the missus can keep her citric acid for whatever the hell use it has in cooking or the kitchen. I am going to get PBW and justify to the minister of war and finance the cleaning of a single 50lt keg by buying corny kegs! I think it is a done deal!

 

[oldbugman]

I splashed some hot PBW in my eye on the weekend.. and I can still see.. wouldnt like to do that with hot caustic.

 

[redlegger]

Thought I would post this here rather than start a new thread....

I'm pretty much finished my single vessel rig and have completed water tests etc but now ive got some rust stains where I have used the wire brush and dremel to clean up the holes...

Any recommendations for this type of cleaning?

 

[Camo6]

Use a clean green scourer to clean off the rust then apply some star-san neat or barkeepers friend or similar with a fresh scourer. Rinse, dry and allow to stay dry for an hour or so.

 

[antiphile]

A really great question and nothing I ever thought about before buying quite a few items of stainless gadgetry. I bookmarked a few items for myself when I went searching the reasons for "passivating" stainless. This explained it for me:

http://morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue2.4/millspaw.html

And the short "how-to" video from SS Brewtech (Unboxing and Initial Setup video) on this webpage:
http://www.ssbrewtech.com/collections/fermenters/products/brewbucket

Cheers.

 

[MastersBrewery]

What Camo6 said.