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  • Cleaning bottles

    Hi.

    I got a box full of 440ml amber bottles but they are quite dirty with dried up beer at the bottom. I've been soaking them in hot water and scrubbing with a bottle brush with some dishwashing liquid for couple days now, but there remains a thin film of haze inside the bottle. What would be the best chemical to clean these with ? - I looked on my LHBS websites but they just seem to list sanitisers - looking for something more industrial/aggressive to clean - possibly something for Cape Agri co-op?

    Thanks

  • #2
    I got extremely dirty bottles back when I started ....

    Soak in a solution with Sodium PERcarbonate ....

    then sprayed with high pressure gun (Kärcher) to rinse ....

    came out like new
    The Problem With The World Is That Everyone Is A Few Drinks Behind.!

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    • #3
      Originally posted by JIGSAW View Post
      Sodium PERcarbonate ....
      Where can I buy this ? Supermarket / hardware ? - else I'll ask around..

      Why is 'PER' in caps - is there something similar that I could get confused with ?

      Thanks

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by AlexBrew View Post
        Where can I buy this ? Supermarket / hardware ? - else I'll ask around..

        Why is 'PER' in caps - is there something similar that I could get confused with ?

        Thanks
        There was an online supplier: https://www.blackwellproducts.co.za/...m-percarbonate
        Some members bought from them recently and they didnt have stock despite the website saying they did.
        Sodium Percarbonate is the active ingredient in PBW and other products like oxy-clean.
        If you cant get hold of it then oxy-clean works too, just be sure to rinse thoroughly afterwards.

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        • #5
          Originally posted by AlexBrew View Post

          Why is 'PER' in caps - is there something similar that I could get confused with ?

          Thanks
          Some might confuse it with Sodium Bicarbonate, which won't work as well

          - - - Updated - - -

          Originally posted by Rocket-Boy View Post
          There was an online supplier: https://www.blackwellproducts.co.za/...m-percarbonate
          Some members bought from them recently and they didnt have stock despite the website saying they did.
          .
          I got a full refund and was to alerted when they have stock again, let's see. They are VERY cheap

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by BackOffMyBrew View Post
            I got a full refund and was to alerted when they have stock again, let's see. They are VERY cheap
            Please update your thread if you do get notified, I was about to buy some from them until I saw what happened to your order.
            Its a great price for a really effective product.

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            • #7
              OK thanks. I'm aware of sodium bicarb.

              Don't always like online buying .. prefer to buy it off the shelve from a shop.

              Does it have any other common names ? I googled now and found 'washing soda' and 'soda ash' ? Same thing ?

              I''l go to Malmesbury Agri - see if they've got.

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by AlexBrew View Post
                OK thanks. I'm aware of sodium bicarb.

                Don't always like online buying .. prefer to buy it off the shelve from a shop.

                Does it have any other common names ? I googled now and found 'washing soda' and 'soda ash' ? Same thing ?

                I''l go to Malmesbury Agri - see if they've got.
                I have used Washing Soda on some dirty bottles but I think some dish-washing liquid may have performed better.

                Water and time are your friends, as is a bit of heat.

                A dishwasher is your friend. Note that this may also remove labels.

                I have experimented a bit and the only problem with hot water is that it might burn your hands (wear gloves?), dish-washing soap or washing soda makes the bottles slippery.

                The home brew supply stores, Beer Guevara and Beer Lab (the two I have seen), sell some impressive looking bottle brushes....

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by AlexBrew View Post
                  Where can I buy this ? Supermarket / hardware ? - else I'll ask around..

                  Why is 'PER' in caps - is there something similar that I could get confused with ?

                  Thanks
                  Looks like you already got the correct answers ....

                  It's usually when you phone around that you have to make sure they understand that its "PER" you looking for.

                  I buy mine from kleen-eezy

                  102 Connaught Rd, Parow, Cape Town
                  The Problem With The World Is That Everyone Is A Few Drinks Behind.!

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    I took my beer bottle brush and cut off the plastic hanging thing over the weekend. And then stuck the wire en into my battery operated drill. I also have a ton of bottles soaking and it makes cleaning them much nicer. Still not perfect, but nicer.

                    I like Jigsaw's solution. I'll be buying some percarbonate sometime because I'm also stuck with a hazy film. It doesn't affect the beer, but I like my bottles shiny.

                    PS: The film seems to "reduce" when I wash the bottles and then rinse them and then let them soak in acidisan. Dunno if that makes sense.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      A slight digression from chemicals... Has anyone ever tried using a pressure washer to clean INSIDE the bottles? Probably would require making a special lance to slide in and spray flat sideways.

                      My bottles now definately need some mechanical cleaning, but I really hate the forcing in the brush and then spraying everywhere when removing it, and then the brush being destroyed after the first ten bottles.


                      EDIT: Meh. Sorry I didnt see your post on using the Karcher Jigsaw. Duh.
                      Did you just use the rotating/ cone spray and spray from the top?
                      Langchop
                      Senior Member
                      Last edited by Langchop; 29 September 2020, 09:23.
                      Cheers,
                      Lang
                      ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                      "Dudddde...Hold my beer!".... ; "I wonder what will happen if I ...."

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        This tread has given me the idea of using my Karcher WAP - the nozzle won't fit inside but the spray can be adjusted to spray al sorts of patterns - maybe I can megafter the nozzle to fit inside. That will work like a bomb.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          I really shouldnt post on bottles, what the dishwasher doesn't get the recycling sorts out. I do rinse it straight after a pour, but I use about 5 bottles in 2-3 months - so there is that
                          groenspookasem
                          Banned
                          Last edited by groenspookasem; 29 September 2020, 10:17.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Langchop View Post
                            <snip>


                            EDIT: Meh. Sorry I didnt see your post on using the Karcher Jigsaw. Duh.
                            Did you just use the rotating/ cone spray and spray from the top?
                            Yes the cone nozzle .... the water "twirls" on the inside reaching al sides. Just dont press the nozzle to hard on the bottle's top as then the air can't escape and it builds up pressure. I did short 2sec bursts. This was nice fun to wash bottles in summer .... cools you down when you have water gushing all over
                            The Problem With The World Is That Everyone Is A Few Drinks Behind.!

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Yup, same. I don't mind washing with the hosepipe. I had a tap installed at my place, after the municipality meter (with the cutoff switch) but before the house's pressure regulator. So the water pressure from that tap is quite high. It helps. A soak in the cooler box (usually do around 30 bottles or so at a time) not only helps to remove labels, but also softens the gunk on the inside. What the hose doesn't spray out, the bottlebrush-on-the-drill fixes.

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