Planning ahead to cleaning my carboy, how necessary is a cleaner like PBW? Save a lot of time and scrubbing? How different is PBW vs Oxiclean?
I’ve read PBW does most of the work for you, just fill up the carboy and let it sit, true?
PBW contains a sufactant that makes it a bit more effective than Oxiclean IMO. But Oxi works very well. I find that filling with a couple Tbsp. of either along with hot water (DO NOT use hot water in carboys!) and letting it soak for a couple hours is all it takes.
So no hot water in a glass carboy?
Nope, not recommended. Nothing more than warm.
Shatter issue?
Never heard that before. I’ve gotten rid of all my glass, but I’m pretty sure I used hot water in them for years. Maybe not HOT, but hot enough.
With Better Bottles I definitely don’t use hot water.
As far as cleaning, I’ve never used PBW. I use Oxi Clean and unscented dishwasher detergent (Cascade or generic). Sometimes together, sometimes not. A good soak with either removes everything.
Hot tap water is fine for carboys. My tap water is 110F or so and that worked great when I used carboys. I’d call that hot.
You can make your own PBW mix with a 70/30 blend of Oxiclean and TSP/90 (The Red Devil kind found at Ace Hardware). Much cheaper and just as effective.
Yep. Every carboy I have has something like “not for hot liquids” stamped on the bottom.
Couple things to consider…
http://www.homebrewersassociation.org/forum/index.php?topic=10052.5;wap2
Ultimately it was cracking one on the concrete floor that did it for me. More accurately, the proximity of one of my children when I cracked the carboy.
I’ll take risks with myself, but not with my kids.
Better Bottles and buckets will not shatter.
I found out the hard way that my tap water was >140 when it melted one of my Better Bottles. That being said, I love PBW with warm water and let soak for about 30 minutes.
flbrewer, you’re gona learn that there are as many ways to do anything as there are homebrewers trying to do it, but one thing we all agree on is that glass is very dangerous and you cannot be too careful around it.
Well said corky. Good reminder that big shards of flying glass is not good.
Ive always soaked my carboys with a little bleach and cool water when i want to get them super clean. Id also suggest something like
IT works the balls and is leaps and bounds ahead of a carboy brush.
No but they will stress and crack at the most inopportune times spilling precious homebrew everywhere. If I do plastic, its a nice thick walled bucket…
While that has never happened to me in 10 years of use, I can’t argue with your experience if it has happened to you. There is the potential for mishaps with any piece of equipment.
Most plastics i have experience with will crack when they have been warmed and cooled quickly too many times. I think the main point here is no matter what material you use, it will have a failure story that is dangerous attached too it. Just be cautious and aware and you can save you or someone you love a very dangerous experience.
Saw a You Tube video about PBW vs. Oxiclean and the person stated that Oxi won’t remove metals that will stick around like PBW will. Any truth to this?
My friend broke one while holding it upside down and draining it. A rather large, sharp piece of the glass sliced into his wrist and he lost a lot of blood. This makes me think twice every time I drain a carboy.
+1. I’ve seen one break and got cut cleaning it up fairly badly. Having kids, SWMBO is happier when I use buckets and better bottles. Don’t blame her. And my beer quality is certainly not suffering either.