26 replies to this topic

[rdusseau]

I am wondering if anyone out there has a great way to scrub the inside of a carboy. I have brushes, etc... but it always seems really difficult to get those stubborn stains out. Anyone got ideas, hardware, or chemicals they recoomend?

Thanks!
Rob

[WineThief]

I have always just used Dawn for dishes and the large carboy brush and have never had a problem getting anything out of a carboy. If they are not left to dry with stuff in them and are cleaned right away they come clean pretty easy. I have to bend my carboy brush to make it reach into the shoulder of the carboy to clean that area.

What kind of stains or residue exactly are you having problems getting out of the carboy? The only thing I can think of that is sometimes difficult to get out of a carboy is elderberry goo. But there are things that can be used even for that.

[Al F]

somewhere along the way...in the last year...i saw a post made by Gene (Marty Yule), that showed his method/device that he made.....its worth seeing again...i have to run otherwise i would search for you...

[Little Blind Guy]

I have used the same technique that I have used to clean coffee from a pot that has been left on and cooked dry with good results. I do not use this on a regular basis but only when there are some stubborn spots.

Put about a 1/2 cup table salt in your carboy. Add quite a few ice cube. Begin swirling the carboy around to get the ice cubes moving. The salt works as an abrasive to scour the insides. As the ice melts back to water, the salt begins to dissolve. It can then be poured out. A good rinse with your carboy washer gets the remaining salt out.

You may need to adjust the amount of salt or ice cubes.

It's worth a shot.

[Hammered]

My wife got me a carafe drying rack and a carafe cleaner from Wine Enthusiast for Christmas. The cleaner consisted of a quarter cup of little BB's that you pour into the carafe and swirl around. I would think you could go to your local sporting goods store and buy a box of them and pour them into the carboy with some cleaner and do the same.

[gregorio]

What eveyone else said plus PBW cleaner. It removes organic stains very well.

[Rainman]

I'm a brewer getting ready to do my first wine but in my opinion beer krausen is a pain to clean out of carboys with the standard brush. I disliked using the brush so much I immediately made my own scrubber to make the task easy.

I took a length of 3/8" aluminum rod and slit it lengthwise on one end for about 4 inches. Centered a piece of microfiber cloth in this slot just wider than a carboy's diameter and wired the slit closed. Put this on a drill, add water and oxyclean to the carboy and have at it. The cloth slaps the sides of the carboy and takes the crud off. If I need more scrubbing power, I put cold water in the carboy and enough oxyclean that it doesn't desolve. The oxyclean works as an abrasive. I can scrub a carboy in about 15-30 seconds with this.

A length of vinyl tubing with a 3/8 inside diameter can be slipped over the rod to soften any impact of the rod on the mouth of the carboy. This happens when the scrubber ends up with both cloth flaps on the same side of the rod - ideally you want them on opposite sides.

- Ray

[rdusseau]

Thanks Ray, that sounds great. I'm a beer brewer turned winemaker too. Any chance you would have some pictures of your tool?

Rob

I'm a brewer getting ready to do my first wine but in my opinion beer krausen is a pain to clean out of carboys with the standard brush. I disliked using the brush so much I immediately made my own scrubber to make the task easy.

I took a length of 3/8" aluminum rod and slit it lengthwise on one end for about 4 inches. Centered a piece of microfiber cloth in this slot just wider than a carboy's diameter and wired the slit closed. Put this on a drill, add water and oxyclean to the carboy and have at it. The cloth slaps the sides of the carboy and takes the crud off. If I need more scrubbing power, I put cold water in the carboy and enough oxyclean that it doesn't desolve. The oxyclean works as an abrasive. I can scrub a carboy in about 15-30 seconds with this.

A length of vinyl tubing with a 3/8 inside diameter can be slipped over the rod to soften any impact of the rod on the mouth of the carboy. This happens when the scrubber ends up with both cloth flaps on the same side of the rod - ideally you want them on opposite sides.

- Ray

[Rainman]

Thanks Ray, that sounds great. I'm a beer brewer turned winemaker too. Any chance you would have some pictures of your tool?

Rob

Here ya go. I'll try to remember to get a picture of it in action next time I brew.

[dagobob]

BRILLIANT !!
I'm all over this !!
Thanks

[DuggerNS]

I simply put some cleaner in the carboy, stuff a clean dishcloth in and swirl the cloth around inside - it easily cleans whatever happens to be on the glass. Dump it out ( the cloth is easily retrieved), rinse and sanitize. Works great.
Cheers .. Doug

[bmckee56]

Here ya go. I'll try to remember to get a picture of it in action next time I brew.

Thanks.

Salute!

[Jrocco]

If you are talking about the wine stains in the carboys I use One-Step cleaner. It's a no suds cleaner that does not leave a soapy residue behind. No matter how dark or old the stain I simply pour about a tbls of the cleaner into the carboy, add about a gallon of water and the shake the carboy. You will be amazed at how easily the stains dissapper.

[btharp]

If I need more scrubbing power, I put cold water in the carboy and enough oxyclean that it doesn't desolve. The oxyclean works as an abrasive. I can scrub a carboy in about 15-30 seconds with this.
- Ray

Why COLD water?

[Will H]

Any chance of a re-load on those pictures?

Thanks.

Salute!

This is a simple and great setup. When I have stubborn spots, I use a Scotch Brite pad (the green scrubbing pads) attached to the rod. You can also purchase fairly long Scotch Brite pads at Home Depot and cut them to size. Make sure to cut and adjust so you can get through the mouth of the carboy. There are a couple of different abrasive grades.

Will