Tube cleaning

[DNKDUKE]

How do all y'all clean any of your tubing?
Should I be concerned with finding a brush on - say - a 3 foot wire for cleaning or should I just throw the tubing away and buy another piece?
I do not brew with a pump yet.

 

[airdog_47]

I answered this question just a couple of days ago. Here's my response.

The trick that I have been doing may or may not work for your needs.. I use smaller blow off tubes. From time to time they would get gunk in them. I would try rinsing them with hot water, soaking with hot water and chemicals. None of those worked like I wanted them too. Now my solution is to soak briefly with pbw then cramp paper towel into the tubing. And for the the trick... to take my air compressor and basically shoot it out like a giant speeding spit wad. Watch the other end of the hose if you have your compressor too high that thing could hurt. This cleans out tubing pretty quick and nicely.

 

[IslandLizard]

I use 3' draw brushes to clean my tubing and SS racking cane. For longer or wider tubing, a wad of fabric on a pull string.

A good rinse right after use reduces or eliminates gunk build-up. When needed, a good soak in hot PBW followed by some brushing cleans the tubing walls best. I still use the same tubing after 5 years!

I connect a barb to my faucet so I can attach tubes and hoses to it. That really creates a good flow of (hot) water. It also swells when restricting the output, which in my opinion helps in cleaning. I get sprayed once in a while too, when the hose pops off. That's the best

My 1/2" silicone hoses get cleaned by recirculating hot PBW when I clean my pump and plate chiller. Then rinsed and Starsan'ed. Most tubing I use regularly remains in a bucket of Starsan between uses. They turn cloudy, but clear fine after drying thoroughly. Just hang them up and let air-dry.