Hop spider cleaning

[captwalt]

View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1466873668.033392.jpg
Hop spider was getting clogged and I'm sure It wasn't flowing as well as it used too. We always rinse it good after ward but it seemed to be getting worse every time we used it.

I tried star San. It don't really do anything. Brewery wash and finally a good soak in oxyclean. Nothing was really cleaning it like I needed it so in my haste I tried a very unconventional approach to cleaning this thing and the result were nothing short of amazing.
View attachment ImageUploadedByHome Brew1466873851.582654.jpg


The trick, I discovered was dish soap and a good scrub with a sponge.
For some odd reason I think I was over thinking it and when nothing seemed to work I reached for the thing that cleaned everything off of everything and it worked.
Just thought I would share

 

[IslandLizard]

Have you soaked it in very, very hot PBW? It's way more active above 150-160°F

I know it's difficult to spend the $$ on making a half bucket of a decently strong (homemade) PBW solution, but it can be reused many, many times; you can even filter it, if you want. I store mine in a bucket or gallon milk jugs. The oxygen action dissipates quickly, but the Washing Soda it leaves behind and the Sodium Metasilicate it contains remain the most active detergents that should remove any hops, leftover oils, proteins and other break products. I recently circulated boiling PBW from my kettle, through the hoses and plate chiller and was amazed at how dark the liquid had become after an hour. My hop screen was in the PBW boil at the same time as well as other parts and some small washcloths I use to mop Starsan with.

I'm surprised to hear how well your dishwash soap apparently cleaned it up. The only drawback on soap could be leftover surfactants that didn't get washed off/out thoroughly. Perhaps a soak in hot PBW or washing soda afterwards can remove whatever of those is left?