Purchasing bigger tubs of PBW?

[jayrussell]

Just been given a stainless steel brewtech fermenter. I was told to use only PBW on it to clean it but seems expensive in small quantities and impossible to find larger tubs in stock. I managed to order 8lbs for £50 at beerhawk but got emailed straight away saying sorry out of stock! Ive tried ebay but all the larger tubs have to be imported.

Is wilkos cleaner/steriliser just as good for the job or should I stick with PBW? From the forums I've seen that VWP isn't as good as its not a no rinse solution. Any help much appreciated, cheers in advance!

 

[xozzx]

I bought 3.6kg from BrewUK a while ago, they have 7.2kg available for just shy of £100. I was going to get this one but is not a big saving over 3.6kg.

Its definitely worth buying bulk, works out half the price of the small tubs and saves running out or having to keep re-ordering

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi @jayrussell
Have you considered an Oxi-type cleaner? Astonish oxi cleaner from B&M is cheaper tham PBW and does the same job as long as you rinse well. https://www.bmstores.co.uk/products/astonish-oxy-active-plus-2kg-340423
Some members use pure sodium percarbonate, the active ingredient, which they buy in bulk from ebay. https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/3216720102...3%26rvr_ts%3D85fcceb01680a9e81c03025ffff5c53b

 

[Bigcol49]

Hi!
I've never used it neat, but I use a couple of heaped tablespoons of Oxi cleaner to 5 litres of hot water. For heavy crud I might use an extra spoonful. It's cheap enough to be generous.

 

[foxbat]

PBW works just fine at a rate of 10g per 4 litres of hot water. That way a tub will last you a lot longer than if you use at the rate printed on the side.

 

[xozzx]

Seems everywhere is sold out again of anything over 450g tubs PBW!!

Is there any issue with Oxi cleaner? Are they all bleach free? I dont want to damage my SS brewtech brewbuckets or Corny kegs.
Thanks

 

[-Bezza-]

Seems everywhere is sold out again of anything over 450g tubs PBW!!

Is there any issue with Oxi cleaner? Are they all bleach free? I dont want to damage my SS brewtech brewbuckets or Corny kegs.
Thanks

Oxi cleaner is sodium percarbonate which you should be able to find on eBay for little money. I paid £20 for 5kg of the stuff. Annoyingly, a lot of the descriptions mention "bleach" or call them "Oxi bleach" which is probably misleading. What you really want to be avoiding is chlorine, which sodium percarbonate doesn't contain.

I understand (although can't prove or cite my source) that PBW is largely made up of sodium percarbonate, sodium metasilicate and a surfactant.

 

[kelper]

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/five-star-pbw-cleaner-3-6kg-8lb/ in stock at present.

 

[xozzx]

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/five-star-pbw-cleaner-3-6kg-8lb/ in stock at present.

Thanks. Today they also had the 7.2kg tubs back so I ordered one along with a bottle of starsan for the free delivery and I saw that starsan may be discontinued in UK so thought best to stock up.

This should keep me going for a long time now

 

[Pete Mc]

Malt Miller also stocks sodium per carbonate, 1.5kg for about £10. Have not compared to Ebay price.

https://www.themaltmiller.co.uk/product/sodium-percarbonate-cleaner-500g/

 

[Simonh82]

If you use straight sodium percarbonate in hard water you get a white precipitate which gets encrusted onto stainless steel. PBW contains a chelating agent and other cleaners. It's great stuff.

 

[Mavroz]

If you use straight sodium percarbonate in hard water you get a white precipitate which gets encrusted onto stainless steel. PBW contains a chelating agent and other cleaners. It's great stuff.

I agree, i used to get a white coating on anything that was soaked or cleaned with percarbonate. I found that adding a small amount of Citric Acid to the Percarbonate solution stops any of the white residue being left behind or forming. Especially noticable on bottles in soak.

 

[JonBrew]

You could make your own pbw by combining tri sodium phosphate with oxiclean.

http://www.bertusbrewery.com/2012/11/super-charge-your-oxiclean.html

Ratio is 70/30 oxi/TSP.

I believe malt miller stock TSP.

 

[BREWERS DROOP]

I use Antiformin s 25ltr barrel £37 from Murphys.homebrew shops are charging a fortune for 500ml of the stuff.
https://murphyandson.co.uk/store/brewery-hygiene/126-antiformin-s-25-litreshz.html

 

[-Bezza-]

I use Antiformin s 25ltr barrel £37 from Murphys.homebrew shops are charging a fortune for 500ml of the stuff.
https://murphyandson.co.uk/store/brewery-hygiene/126-antiformin-s-25-litreshz.html

"Chlorinated"
"Can be used on stainless steel"

This is all far too confusing!

 

[BREWERS DROOP]

Breweries use it,and it’s very good indeed.
Re circulate it through the pump via a rotating spray ball.
You wouldn’t dream of using bleach as it pits the stainless.
Had no problems with it,use it on everything,then starsan everything after.

 

[-Bezza-]

Breweries use it,and it’s very good indeed.
Re circulate it through the pump via a rotating spray ball.
You wouldn’t dream of using bleach as it pits the stainless.
Had no problems with it,use it on everything,then starsan everything after.

But it's the chlorine in bleach that pits the stainless steel, which is why I'm confused. Not that it matters as I don't need it myself - I'll probably just stick with my Grainfather cleaner for anything SS, unless I can actually get at it with my hands in which case I'll just scrub it with soap and water.

 

[JonBrew]

"Chlorinated"
"Can be used on stainless steel"

This is all far too confusing!

Here is the spec sheet for Aniformin.

https://www.murphyandson.co.uk/Datasheets/ANTIFORMIN S.pdf

I'm guessing the issues with using chlorinated cleaners on stainless equipment comes from the concentration level and the contact time.

 

[BREWERS DROOP]

Here is the spec sheet for Aniformin.

https://www.murphyandson.co.uk/Datasheets/ANTIFORMIN S.pdf

I'm guessing the issues with using chlorinated cleaners on stainless equipment comes from the concentration level and the contact time.

If you use it above 2.5% it will damage the ss.
I use just 1%
It’s more of an acid than chlorine based,but I’m very please with it.

 

[Jake Michael]

Appreciate Bigcol49 hasn't been on since May but does anybody else know if I could use that Oxi cleaner from B&M to clean my cornie kegs and beer lines with and is it a good cleaner for kegs?

I wanted to get some PBW but it seems everywhere is out of stock...[/QUOTE]