Carboy Cleaning

One solution to cleaning the inside of glass carboys is to put some stainless steel link chain in there with a mild detergent and swirling the carboy to get the solution including the chain to whoosh around causing mild abrasion in the carboy. Sometimes this works where scrubbing with a carboy brush fails...

Jim

Try bleach. If they are etched nothing will work, but it's hard to imagine that is your issue.

A couple things I have done:

1. Put some coarse sand in the carboy, along with your detergent / cleaner and swirl it vigorously. But given the things you've tried already - that likely won't get it done.
2. It may be more of a stain - much like in a decanter - which might lift with a solution of rubbing alcohol and salt. Let is soak on the stained areas, with occassional swirling.

Good luck.

I know its far fetched but try alot of salt and ice cubes. You coffee drinkers know that salt and ice will take the coffee stains out. Another idea is a vinegar solution 50/50. Tom

Wayne, I would try full strength Clorox. Pour in half a jug of Clorox. Plug the mouth. Role the carboy around every few minutes for an hour or so. Good luck, Lum

You cannot beat bleach and water, just let it soak for a while.

You can beat it with concentrated sulfuric acid/permanganate, which will rapidly oxidize anything organic, but few will have access that that. Dump the grubby carboys and get some new ones - you'll know what has been in them.

Try muratic acid it is availible from swimming pool supply stores.

Any luck to report Wayne or are you going to try a tactical nuke and if that doesn't work, get new ones?

Jim

Well,

These stains just laughed at the carboy brush.

I am still at it. But it think i have the formula now . Lemme just say, that if i were not such a cheap bastard, i would have pitched these two carboys..

But several nights of soaking, some with just soap, and straight A cleanser, and others with some CLR.

But the best seems to be with the 10 ft length of chain. That amounts to about a big handful of chain. (Home Depot part number 587-060)

I am spending some quality time roling that arround with some warm water and CLR. I can actually see through it now.

The chain was the key... I think i can save them.

Excellent news! I am always loathe to throw things out which can be saved. Sometimes I wonder if its O.C.D. or a valuable use of my time, but I am always happy to see old kit back in action and working well :)

Jim

I'm kinda late on this thread, so I hope this hasn't been thrown out there, already. I hate to throw things away just out of principle. Anyway, I've always had very good luck with Oxyclean free. And I'm pretty lazy when it comes to cleaning things. Even after letting my carboys sit around and grow mold and who knows what else, and then dessicate in my garage, a good soak with oxyclean has always done the trick. I then sanitize with iodine and put plastic wrap on the tops when they are dry for storage. But, you may have already tried this. Be careful, with the chain. I've had a full 5 gallon carboy of beer break in my garage. The suck factor was high.

kev