2 Extremely Dirty Carboys

[ThatITGuy]

I recently acquired two extremely filthy 6 gallon carboys for 10$ each. The previous owner used to make wine and had stored them in a barn for many years. I'm not sure how well they were cleaned before storage but they have years of caked dust in them.

I'm looking for some recommendation on a powerful cleaner. Normally I use bleach and water according to instructions on the bottle, I'm planning to do a rinse in water first because there appears to be a dead mouse in one.

After I clean out the majority of the crap I was going to fill them with bleach water, shake it like a Polaroid picture and soak for a day or two. Then sanitize with Diversol multiple times.

How do these methods sound? Anything more powerful that I should use?

Thanks

View attachment 1498823863382.jpg

 

[flars]

Powdered Brewery Wash is a good cleaner. One of PBW's main ingredients is similar to Oxyclean Free. That can also be used but requires more rinsing to remove the soap residue.

I would caution against using hot water in the cleaning. Warm water is just as effective. Hot water may cause stress fractures in the glass. Keep the water near or just above the ambient temperature.

Edit: Don't mix bleach with other cleaners. Chlorine gas could be produced.

 

[ProblemChild]

Seriously - fill mostly with water, and get dollar store drain-o. Leave it soak. It will be clean as you please and rinse clean.

 

[k1ngl1ves]

Contrary to Outkast listeners' popular beliefs, Polaroid does not recommend shaking pictures that are developing. Place them face up on a flat surface, and out of direct sunlight, for best results.



On topic:

Those things are hideous! But hey! Great price! I would have passed on them though. My OCD Senses are tingling like crazy right now...

 

[Morrey]

If you use some PBW as a longggg soak, please send a pic afterwards. I'd love to see if PBW can tackle that job.

 

[ProblemChild]

truth is - it is glass. Glass does not absorb anything where prolonged sanitizing is required.

Soak in hot soapy water first and use a carboy brush to get rid of the easy stuff and dump, rinse and dump.

Use the drain-o method above to get rid of stuff still stuck in there (it will dissolve the mouse if used full strength BTW). Leave it soak for a day or so.

Rinse, wash and look inside. If it looks clean in the sunlight, spray the inside with Starsan and allow to dry. IF there is still stuff in there, take the carboy brush at it again, wash, rinse, and Starsan.

 

[IslandLizard]

Bleach, chlorine, is not a cleaner, it's a sanitizer.

+1^ to the $ store drano method. It contains lye, so watch out for your skin and eyes.

Carboys are large glass jugs that can break and cause serious injuries. Handle diligently and with respect. Especially when wet and super slippery from cleaners.

 

[z-bob]

I would use washing soda (not the same as baking soda) and warm water; let them soak overnight, then clean with soap and water and a big bottle brush. It's almost as good as lye, but it's safer and there's no chance of etching the glass. Wait with the bleach until after they are clean.

You got a heck of a deal. Don't break them; they are slippery when wet -- get some handles.

 

[processhead]

Bleach, chlorine, is not a cleaner, it's a sanitizer.

+1^ to the $ store drano method. It contains lye, so watch out for your skin and eyes.

Carboys are large glass jugs that can break and cause serious injuries. Handle diligently and with respect. Especially when wet and super slippery from cleaners.

Sodium Hypochlorite is also an effective oxidizer and cleaner. A strong solution of bleach and water left to soak will remove most organic residues.

 

[soccerdad]

I'll clean them 4 u. Sell them to me for 11$ and it's all good

 

[Lefou]

Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) - aka lye - is a strong alkalizing agent.
Good sources ... Drano.
+1 to using it mixed with water to clean up dirt, oils, fats, and break down proteins. It's pretty nasty, so be careful using it. Rinse well and use a dilute mix of lemon juice or vinegar in water, then sanitize.

 

[Temptd2]

My favorite cleaner is food-grade citric acid. KOTC uses it to clean the fermenter after brewing. I've used it in some really horrible toilet bowls which had years worth of hard water deposits accumulated in the bowl/neck.

You can buy it on Amazon or eBay and probably other places.

Locally, you may be able to find Lemishine for the dishwasher that is, "according to the label it is real fruit acids and natural citrus oil" - basically citric acid, which is much cheaper bought in bulk.

I'd add about 1/2 cup of the CA to the carboy, then add about a gallon of warm water, swish around to dissolve the CA, then fill with warm water and let sit a couple days. You may need to repeat that once or twice more.

At least it's not poisonous!!

 

[IslandLizard]

Sodium Hypochlorite is also an effective oxidizer and cleaner. A strong solution of bleach and water left to soak will remove most organic residues.

Sure it's a strong oxidizer, but not a detergent. It won't cut grease or dissolve heavy deposits.

It's amazing what a tablespoon of NaOH (lye) can accomplish, especially with other detergents present, like PBW.

 

[passedpawn]

I think Lye / sodium hydroxide will etch glass. Not positive, but I wouldn't use it. Not sure how strong drano (contains lye) is, but be careful.

Best bet is PBW, ( or mix 7 parts oxyclean with 3 parts TSP trisodium phosphate from home depot).

If those carboys have built up minerals on the inside or outside, use Zep grout cleaner with a drop of dish soap, add and shake and wait and hose out.

If the dead mouse won't shake out, rehydrate it and put a few flies in there. They will hatch their maggots in there, which will gorge on the mouse flesh, making it easier to remove. Let nature work for you (ok, I doubt you'd do that, but it would work great).

 

[NitrogenWidget]

my carboys had wine in them also.
I dumped a cup of bleach in them then filled them up with the hose and let them soak outside for a few days then rinsed them out thoroughly.

crystal clear.

 

[ThatITGuy]

Thanks for all the great feedback everyone, I'm planning on going with the Drano method, after a couple trusty old soap & water baths. Despite my concerns with etching, I think a careful dosage will be most effective.

I'll be sure to post a photo of the result one cleaned, I didn't expect to get this many responses, I truly appreciate the through responses thus far. I should mention that my LHBS doesn't carry PBW (small town U-Brews) otherwise I would have used that, I don't want anyone to think I've disregarded their advice.

Thanks everyone

 

[Bilsch]

What ever the draino doesn't take off, mineral deposits etc, you can follow up with a dilute muriatic acid (hydrochloric acid concrete cleaner) solution with warm water should do the rest. Now if you really have some nasty stuff in there, and you were brave.. you could use an acid drain cleaner (sulfuric) and hydrogen peroxide. But I'd just as soon get new carboys then mess with piranha bath.

 

[ThatITGuy]

I got them pretty clean with some warm water, dish soap and a through scrub.

I can't see anything lingering, I might just give them a hot water rinse then a bleach soak to finish it off

 

[ThatITGuy]

Here's the result with just water & soap

View attachment 1499003460699.jpg

 

[ProblemChild]

I got them pretty clean with some warm water, dish soap and a through scrub.

I can't see anything lingering, I might just give them a hot water rinse then a bleach soak to finish it off

sounds good. People flip with dirty glass for some reason. Not a big deal - it cleans very well. Plastic? Sure - all kinds of stuff can linger in there. I get being concerned. Glass just doesn't absorb stuff.

You have two nice carboys now!!!

 

[beernutz]

Ha, when I first looked at the thread title I thought it said 2 Extremely Dirty Cowboys so I had to come take a look to see what that was about.

Back when I still used glass carboys 1/4 cup bleach in 5 gallons of water used to get mine sparkling no matter how grungy they'd gotten. But I no longer use glass or bleach.

 

[RedlegEd]

I got them pretty clean with some warm water, dish soap and a through scrub.

I can't see anything lingering, I might just give them a hot water rinse then a bleach soak to finish it off

That's a good idea, but be careful with "hot" water. If it's too hot, you can thermal shock & crack your now clean carboys. I would advise to use warm water (i.e. you can comfortably put your hands in without burning.) That should also do the trick. Ed

 

[ThatITGuy]

That's a good idea, but be careful with "hot" water. If it's too hot, you can thermal shock & crack your now clean carboys. I would advise to use warm water (i.e. you can comfortably put your hands in without burning.) That should also do the trick. Ed

I typically start with warm and slowly increase the temperature while rinsing until the carboy is slightly warm to hold. (about 1 min)

 

[Temptd2]

ha, when i first looked at the thread title i thought it said 2 extremely dirty cowboys so i had to come take a look to see what that was about.

.

roflmao!

 

[Murphys_Law]

Ha, when I first looked at the thread title I thought it said 2 Extremely Dirty Cowboys so I had to come take a look to see what that was about.

Back when I still used glass carboys 1/4 cup bleach in 5 gallons of water used to get mine sparkling no matter how grungy they'd gotten. But I no longer use glass or bleach.

Now "two dirty cowgirls" would have really gotten my attention!!