Cleaning & Sanitizing

Cleaning and Sanitizing is an absolutely essential part of any home brewing. Proper cleaning and sanitizing of equipment can make the difference between a good batch of fermented wine, beer, or wash and a bad one. Luckily there are a number of products, supplies, and resources to help you do this and keep your equipment clean and your drinks enjoyable!

Cleaning means removing all the grit, stains, and other physical debris that you can see on a piece of equipment. Cleaning products like chlorine based Diversol can be dissolved in water (50 grams Diversol to 4L water) and applied to products to loosen grit and remove stains. Bottle and Carboy brushes and washers are also important tools to have that can make cleaning easier and more thorough.

Sanitizing means removing as much bacteria as possible from your equipment. Products like Sodium Metabisulphite, Citric Acid (for stainless steel), Aseptox, and Star San can be used for sanitizing. No Rinse sanitizers like Aseptox and Star San are both the easiest to use as they kill bacteria quickly on contact, are odourless, and have a foaming action that helps sanitize cracks and scratches in material. Sodium Metabisulphite is a low-cost alternative that must be rinsed off after use. Citric Acid is a natural sanitizer that is great for maintaining the finish of stainless steel and oak barrels. 

To learn more about cleaning and sanitizing your equipment, and a detailed comparison of products see our blog!