Cleaning Bottles

[rodwha]

Initially I had read that a good rinse was all that was needed for keeping bottles clean. Rinse well and sanitize on bottling day.

For a long time this is what I did. I obviously didn't pay a lot of attention to the actual condition of the bottles. Most were OK, but I began noticing what I assume to be yeast that just wouldn't come off.

I generally have a rinse regiment in which I add ~2 oz of water and give it a rigorous swirl 3 times. If there is something solid I'll put a couple of oz of water and let it sit until I get around to it.

Having noticed a few bottles with what seems to be yeast in it I've noticed something of a film or haze in most of my bottles. It's noticeable only when held just so against the light, and it's like a clean area has been scratched into it. If held up against the light it looks perfectly clean.

Having noticed this I began washing all of my bottles in Oxyclean with a bottle brush. But I was still noticing areas that weren't perfectly clean. For that I took a large caliber nylon pistol cleaning brush and bent it so that I can scratch the bottom of the bottles.

Is this not something to be concerned about? My friend doesn't worry and it doesn't seem to matter, and I can't say I've noticed a problem.

But I just don't like it...

 

[unionrdr]

I just rinsed my bottles out & onto the bottle tree for a long time myself. Then I started noticing something like bits of thin stuff in the bottom of my bottles. I poured PBW in them in an ice cream bucket to soak for a half hour or so. Then bottle brushed them well & rinsed/brushed/rinsed again. They're squeeky clean now.
From then on,after going through several boxes of bottles this way,I drain,rinse & scrub with bottle brush. Then rinse again & onto the bottle tree to dry. I think it's just a gradual build up myself. Problem solved with a bit more diligence.

 

[Yooper]

I have enough bottles that when I go to fill them, I hold them up to the light and eyeball them. If there is anything stuck in them, I don't mess with them and just toss them. But if I wanted to save them, I'd put them aside and fill with a bleach/water solution and let them sit and then rinse very well. Then store upside down.

I have an attachment for my sink that goes on the faucet and works as a pressure sprayer. I haven't used it in years, but when I wanted to rinse a bleach/water bottle well with hot water that's what I'd do. I'm not a fan of the old fashioned bottle brush and elbow grease. Just a bleach/water pour in the bottle breaks up everything well, followed by a hot water rinse.

 

[rodwha]

I'll have to give that a try as I don't care for the amount of work involved.

So much so that I've now begun to wash all of the bottles the day before...

 

[unionrdr]

Mine get scrubbed & rinsed well in advance of bottling day. Besides the fact that I have a couple hundred bottles. I don't think rinsing scrubbing rinsing again is that bad. doesn't take me that long to do. And keeps that tiny bit of build up that I was getting by not scrubbing cleaned off. I'm not a fan of bleach,as it takes too much rinsing to get rid of the smell.

 

[rodwha]

Having moved bottle cleaning day to the day before it isn't so bad anymore. I suppose I shouldn't complain too much.

I'm curious as to what it is though, and why it doesn't seem to be a problem.

I still don't like it though...

 

[richlong8020]

I do an Oxyclean and really hot water soak. Followed by a hot water rinse and up on the tree they go. Have not had a problem. If I find a stubborn dirty bottle I soak it for the night. If it doesn't clean then, I toss it.

 

[QuercusMax]

I use a jet bottle washer, which works great. If there is stuck on crud, I hit it with the washer, scrub with bottle brush, then soak in hot water. Repeat till squeaky clean.