So i was trying to clean the scum that the krausen left around the top ring of my carboy and was having some trouble figuring out a good way to scrub around there. It was at such a weird angle i couldnt clean it well enough with a wire brush so i started to do some brain storming.
That is when i got the idea to buy some of that aquarium gravel and put some of that in the carboy with just enough water to swish it around. I then just capped the opening with my hand and swirled the gravel around and BAM! clean as a whistle. I was so excited i thought i might share with you all. I probably am not the first person to think of this but figured it might help someone else out as well. 8)
You could also just use some oxyclean, one step, or PBW and soak overnight. Try swirling a dish rag instead of aquarium gravel, and get yourself a carboy brush instead of a wire one.
I have a screw cap for my 6.5 gal carboys. I just fill with about 1.5-2 gal of water and oxy or pbw and flip. let sit over night at most and swirl and drain, rinse…Clear!
The 5 gal carboys i do the same but no cap so I use a gallon sized vessel filled with water. flip quickly to keep the
water from pouring out and let it sit. the vessel holds the carboy up side down and it allows the gunk to soak.
Plus one to oxyclean soaks and swirling the rag around. Aquarium stones seem like they might do some damage.
Sometimes I still use my carboy brush. I find it easier to get around the top of the carboy if you bend it at and angle less than the 90 degrees it ships at.
I bent my carboy brush at different points at 90 degree angles, and this takes care of it…I had the same problem until I discovered that, “hey, this is made of bendable wire, why can’t I just bend it?” It’s kind of a Z shape at the end of the brush.