cleaning my stuff

hey guys.. so i got some star san for my sanitation purposes.. but what do i use to clean my equipment before and after use? also, what type of sponge or rag? anything abrasive?

thanks!

Don't use anything that might cause scratches, esp. in your plastic containers. Scratches like to hide bacteria and are difficult to sanitize.
So, here's what I do:
metal, such as boil kettles- after use, I just use regular dish soap and a rag, making sure I rinse very well after.
plastic, such as bucket fermenters or Better Bottles- after use, I use oxyclean (others use PBW). This I use as a warm water soak, then use a soft scrubby or sponge to clean. Don't use a regular carboy brush in BBs as it will scratch them. There is a special soft BB brush which is supposedly OK. Rinse very well. Then Starsan before using.
Glass, such as Carboys - after use, I use the oxyclean soak and a carboy brush. Rinse very well. Then Starsan before using.

Only use the star san for sanitation, but I like to use it for cleaning if I have some left over after I am done sanitizing.

For general cleaning I use PBW (Powered Brewery Cleaner) and warm water. It works really well, for instance it almost eliminates scrubbing the inside of carboys after an overnight soak. Make sure to follow instructions and wear rubber gloves.

For anything that just needs a little cleaning I use LC carlson's Easy Clean powder mixed with water.

Do not use any household cleaners or dish soap. (except for a plain bleach with water solution without additives or scents). Household cleaners tend to kill head retention.

For anything that is plastic, do not use anything abrasive this includes scrubbies, carboy/bottle brushes, steel wool, etc. They will leave little grooves in the plastic where bacteria can grow and not get sanitized.

I use a regular, clean dish cloth or a very soft spunge for my plastics.

What you use is ultimately up to you, but I just wanted to let you know what I use.

I use Oxyclean free for cleaning and Starsan for sanitizing. Only sanitize stuff that will be used post boil.

Buy PBW, it rocks for cleaning. Easily rinsed off, too.