I read on a description of one-step (an oxygen-based cleaner, I assume similar to oxyclean) that it releases hydrogen peroxide when in solution. If that’s the case, it seems like just diluting bottled peroxide in water might be cheaper. Anyone try this?
Maybe answered my own question…
From How to Brew
soap, water and oxyclean is all I ever use to clean.
I use oxyclean and love it.
I always have a problem with oxyclean leaving a residue. I have tried using weaker and weaker solutions. I never have this problem with PBW.
Really, I haven’t noticed that. I’m using the Oxyclean Free (no scents, etc.) Maybe its reacting with the water? Or it’s that sodium metasilicate doing something in PBW.
Do you have hard water? It’s probably just calcium scale, in which case an acid rinse would remove it.
the bottled peroxide is only like 3-5 % peroxide, I don’t think you would want to dilute it. I used to gargle with that stuff so it’s not very strong. you could probably use it as a cleaner as you suggest but I don’t think it would be cheaper. put together a group buy and get 5 lbs of PBW it’ll cost pennies to clean all your equipment each time.
Hydrogen peroxide is an oxidizer, the sodium metasilicate is more of a detergent. I’m sure peroxide could be effective at 1% but probably not as good as the one-two punch you get with the products specifically designed for the job.
^ This is what I do here in Limestone Country. I just use Star San as an ‘acid rinse’, either dunking the piece or spraying it down, then letting it air dry. Of course, you’ll have to sanitize before use.
I suspected that if it was cheaper and effective that it would already be all over the internet.
Sometimes peroxide is combined with acetic acid for sanitizing purposes, it forms peroxyacetic acid which is a highly effective but relatively short lived (and stinky) sanitizer.