Does co2 impact the efficiency of soap?

[kiwipen]

I heard somewhere that co2 was detrimental to the effect of soap. Is that true?

If you have PBW, Oxiclean or some other soap used on brewing equipment in a keg, will pressurizing it with co2 and shaking reduce the efficiency of the soap?

I push soap trough my beer lines with co2. I shake the keg with soap and co2 inside.

 

[MaxM]

I heard somewhere that co2 was detrimental to the effect of soap. Is that true?

If you have PBW, Oxiclean or some other soap used on brewing equipment in a keg, will pressurizing it with co2 and shaking reduce the efficiency of the soap?

I push soap trough my beer lines with co2. I shake the keg with soap and co2 inside.

Any chance you remember where you heard this? I've never noticed anything detrimental about it, but I clean my kegs with a thorough rinsing and maybe a light scrub if required, then I make a PBW solution with hot water and shake it around for a while and let it cool while shaking it periodically. I then gas it and push the solution through my lines. Granted, I have less CO2 exposure to the PBW than what you're describing, but I haven't had any issues getting the job done!

 

[IslandLizard]

I never heard of it, or noticed it either.

 

[Qhrumphf]

CO2 will neutralize sodium hydroxide (caustic or lye), which is used in *making* soap. If done in a sealed container it can also have disastrous results (drop in pressure collapsing the container).

But as few homebrewers clean with caustic (as they shouldn't without proper training and PPE) it's more an issue in commercial breweries.

If CO2 has any effect on percarbonate I don't know, but I doubt it.

 

[Qhrumphf]

Also soap means something specific. Not all cleaners are soaps. Neither PBW or Oxiclean are soap, chemically speaking.

 

[kiwipen]

Any chance you remember where you heard this? I've never noticed anything detrimental about it, but I clean my kegs with a thorough rinsing and maybe a light scrub if required, then I make a PBW solution with hot water and shake it around for a while and let it cool while shaking it periodically. I then gas it and push the solution through my lines. Granted, I have less CO2 exposure to the PBW than what you're describing, but I haven't had any issues getting the job done!

Sorry, I don't remember where I heard it.

CO2 will neutralize sodium hydroxide (caustic or lye), which is used in *making* soap. If done in a sealed container it can also have disastrous results (drop in pressure collapsing the container).

But as few homebrewers clean with caustic (as they shouldn't without proper training and PPE) it's more an issue in commercial breweries.

If CO2 has any effect on percarbonate I don't know, but I doubt it.

That might be the answer. I can't remember exactly what cleaner I heard it about, but it must have been lye then.

 

[TechFanMD]

I think the key here is that soap implies use of something that includes a surfactant (like oil or fat) - and most of us are not using soap on any of our brewing equipment, ever. Those who do use it mostly use it to clean things they can see and reach.....kegs, lines, dip tubes not being among them.