Apparently I’ve lost all kinds of stuff since the last time I kegged a beer. I can’t find my dip tube brush and I need to go to keg tonight to free up some space to crash a starter for the next batch. I can’t find my 12 point socket either but at least I have 2 kegs that have 11/16 hex fittings. My LHBS doesn’t carry dip tube brushes for some reason & these kegs have been sitting for a long time (at least 2 years). I disassembled them completely last night and Oxycleaned but I’m still a lil’ nervous what might be lurking in the dip tubes. This beer turned out to be 8.1% somehow so I’ not even sure if I need to be. Still…does anybody have a good way to clean a dip tube or know where to get something that will work?
-J.K.L.
Other than a really good PBW/Oxiclean soak and thorough rinse, one other thing you might consider would be just boil the dip tube for a few minutes. If the PBW/Oxiclean doesn’t clean it well enough you’ll never really be able to sanitize it using Starsan/Iodofor/Bleach, but boiling it should sanitize it even if you didn’t clean it perfectly.
A length of strong string (I’ve use braided fishing line) with a finish nail tied on one end to drop down the tube & a piece of cloth tied on the other end (dipped in a cleaner) and just pull it through 3-4 times. Cheers!!!
That is a really simple, yet elegant solution.
That’s what I do. Get it wet with sanitizer and make a second pass. 
I actually brush the diptubes every few cleanings, but I always make sure to depress the out poppet (tell it it’s a worthless piece of trash ;)) one the keg is full of Oxiclean or PBW. The cleaner then fills the diptube and cleans it.
Yep, that’s about the same way I clean out my blowoff tubing.
I do exactly as hamiltont has described with fishing line and rag/bits of nylon scrubbie/whatever.
However, steel wool is a no-no with stainless steel (can cause rust).
I recommend you tie the rag in the middle of the fishing line line, so that you can pull it through the dip tube both ways or reverse it if you get stuck near the bend in the tube.
If, for whatever reason, the line breaks and the rag becomes lodged, I’ve found the wire coat hangers (bent into a straight wire) are very good for dip tube disimpaction. Tape the cut tips of the wire to protect yourself and the dip tube lumen from scratches.