Worth cleaning out? Or risk not worth reward?

Revvy said:

Just soak everything in oxclean and hot water for a day or so

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DO NOT DO THIS IF YOU HAVE HARD WATER.

Or else you'll have to soak the bottles in vinegar to get the soap scale off.

Just how poor are you? Bottles are one of the cheapest investments in brewing because they are infinitely reusable. Unless of course you use one that didn't get clean enough and that last bit of trub harbored some wild yeast which caused that bottle to become a bottle bomb. Then you lose that bottle and the beer it contained and also have a mess to clean up that includes shards of glass that may have sprayed a long ways. Forget trying to clean up the bottles with dried up contents and buy new bottles. Let your friend know that since the bottles you gave him weren't rinsed as you asked that you won't be giving him any more homebrew unless he buys you new bottles.

Shred said:

Not massively more elaborate. I built a 3-6 bottle automatic rinser (and sanitizer) with an acquarium pump and some CPVC and drilled a basin stopper to slowly allow rinse water drain while fresh water is added at the same rate from the faucet.

I can clean, de-label and rinse most bottles in under a minute now (and do 6 at a time).... Have I mentioned I hate washing bottles and love automation?

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ummmm..... we need a video on this like stat.

kombat said:

Sounds to me like a good excuse to head down to the local Liquor Emporium and pick up some new, pre-filled beer bottles.

I don't worry too much about getting my bottles back, as I find I buy enough bottles of craft beer here and there to keep a decent supply on hand. However, I reserve my good flip-top Grolsch bottles for when I want to bring some brew to a party, for my own consumption. I don't trust others with my flip-top bottles. Can't risk losing those babies.

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How about the new stainless bottles that northern brewer has. As expensive as they are (assuming you could justify buying them) I wouldn't let them out of my sight!
Seriously, $50 for a six pack of them. Only way I'm getting those is if someone gives them as a gift :-/

Hoptimistic said:

ummmm..... we need a video on this like stat.

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Mmkay. Here it is. I use it in the bucket when sanitizing. For rinsing, I just put it in the sink basin with a drilled drain stopper and run the water to cycle fresh water in as the dirty slowly drains.


http://www.flickr.com/photos/57096585@N02/9020849350/

Here's my "elaborate" method for dirty bottles:

1. A soak for a day, or longer if needed, in a tote with hot water and washing soda (sodium carbonate) loosens up all the caked on crud, and floats the labels off. Sometimes I use Surf.

2. A good brushing inside and out and a few rinses with a jet sprayer and hot water.

3. Let drain, inspect, and store upside down.

4. Ready for Starsan on bottling day.

AnOldUR said:

I agree. Guess I'm just lazy, but if an oxiclean soak doesn't work, it goes into recycling. Not worth the time or effort to take a brush to it.

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That made me laugh - only because my MIL won't recycle anything until she has totally washed it with soap and water...

This isn't 100% the same thing, but I once picked up some ancient Coca-Cola bottles that were laying out in the woods, partially buried and half-full of dirt and moss. I can't remember exactly what I used (probably oxy clean), but they cleaned right up and never caused any problems with infection or anything.

I like the idea of the automated bottle washer.. I use something kind of like that for carboys, and it is very effective.

I agree with the rest: Oxiclean and hot water will kill just about anything that's left in their. Rinse a lot, and bam, the bottles will be good as new