Any special precautions needed with Iodinne based cleaners?
Thanks in advance for your help.
Idophor is not a cleaner it is a sanitizer. you should use a good cleaner first to remove all dirt. I like PBW or oxiclean (Unscented). I use a nylon hop bag if scrubbing is needed on plastic.
Sanitizer will only work if the surface is clean first.
Iodophor is for sanitizing, not cleaning.
I used the wrong term. Are there any special concerns with using Iodophor for sanitizing?
Thanks
Mix it to the proper concentration and there are no concerns. Mixed too strong it can stain and I suppose it is possible it could impact flavor.
Don’t get your face to close to the bucket when diluting as the vapors will sting your eyes.
1/2oz per 2.5 gallons (25ppm) is the proper concentration for sanitizing. 1oz per 2.5 gallons (50ppm - “sterilizing”) has been working for me to kill a particularly aggressive strain of Brett (at least I think it’s working - so far so good, knock on wood!) in the basement.
For the 50ppm solution, I rinse it out with tap water and then use a 25ppm solution to follow it with. Staining is an issue with the higher concentration, as well as flavor carryover. Don’t wear nice clothes around it.
I use 12.5 ppm for sanitizing.
Also, you are not supposed to use hot water.
60 second contact time at 12.5 ppm according to this.
http://www.franklinbrew.org/wp/?page_id=384
I used to use it and was constantly getting an iodine odor from my equipment so I switched to Star San.
Back in the day, all my buddies used it. I did not. I used One Step and/or bleach. I swore I could always taste the iodophor in their beers, and for all I know they might have tasted bleach in mine although no one ever said so. Things have come a long way today with PBW/Starsan, and unless you have a compelling reason to go back to the old ways, I’d recommend sticking with them. I think the risk of off-flavors is too great.
Looks like I need to read the side of my gallon’s label again… ;D
I researched it way back in the day for a homebrew club newsletter article and what I came up with was:
1 teaspoon per gallon water (25 ppm) – 60 second contact time – Rinse recommended at 25 ppm.
At 12.5 ppm (1/2 tsp/gal), 5 minute contact time, no rinse required
Dunno if I got that from the bottle or more likely the manufacturer’s website.
Personally I like to change sanitizers from time to time. My favorite is StarSan which needs a 2 min contact time, but the foam is contact so it takes very little. Just shake and drain out.
My MO if I thought something was amiss after cleaning was a heavy bleach solution followed by a through hot water rinse followed by some drying time and finally a StarSan foam session of a couple of minutes. I figured it whatever it was could make it through that it wasn’t going away anyhow. 
Star San does not kill Brett and Mold according to post from S. Cerv. not too long ago. Iodophor is a broad spectrum sanitizer and will kill those.
I have been using Iodophor in my kegs. Then I do a rinse with SS and flush it out through the liquid out post too insure no iodine flavor carryover.
Guess it’s a good thing I change sanitizers from time to time. Of course I don’t remember doing a Brett beer, but I have done some buggy ones.
That’s pretty much my MO, too.
Drew and I have a relationship woith the makers of BTF iodophor (disclaimer there) but I’m sure I could get someone from the company to come on and answer questions if people like.
Iodophor poses no risk of off flavors if used at the proper concentration, and it is a very effective sanitizer.
That would be educational. Please see if they are interested.
I sure will!