Sodium percarbonate..

[Clint]

...it's also good for plug holes!

 

[DixeySJ]

My only thought was - if it is 30% Percarbonate, what is the other 70%, and do you therefore have to use 3x as much? that might make it less of a bargain. I use a pure Percarbonate from a HB supplier, and I only need 1 tsp / l - 2 litres. Brilliant stain remover and good for cleaning areas you can't reach with a brush.

Hi Guys,

I've started using this astonish cleaner which the manufacturer says is suitable / safe, today I got a 2 kg tub at B&M stores for £2.99 which I thought was a bit of a bargain !

 

[Satellitemark]

The sodium percarbonate sold in Wilko and other places for home brew use is usually 30 % so you won't need to use any extra.

Mark

 

[Marky B]

Hey Mark I use BrewSafe brand sodium percarbonate which cost a load more per kilo than the Astonish you've found - although i did think it was reasonably priced from memory compared to Star San. I use my Brewsafe sanitiser at a rate of 5g per litre, what dilution are you intending to use your Astonish at ?? - thinking of popping to our local B&M later !!

 

[Satellitemark]

Hey Mark I use BrewSafe brand sodium percarbonate which cost a load more per kilo than the Astonish you've found - although i did think it was reasonably priced from memory compared to Star San. I use my Brewsafe sanitiser at a rate of 5g per litre, what dilution are you intending to use your Astonish at ?? - thinking of popping to our local B&M later !!

As the astonish is 30% the same as the previously used home brew stuff I've been using the same dilution rate which is 25 gram to 5 litres of warm to hot water.

The Wilko stuff which says " more than 30%" (but not how much more) says 4 teaspoons (16grams) to 5 litres of water, but I'm happy sticking to 25g to 5l that I've always used and at the cost of the astonish I can afford to !

Mark

 

[Marky B]

great stuff, I'm off to home bargains - thanks for the heads up !

 

[Satellitemark]

These are the instructions that came with the sodium percarbonate in my start up kit.

"
Brew Safe Sanitiser Instructions
Brew Safe Cleaner Sanitiser has a variety of uses including for home brew equipment and bottles, and requires no rinsing after draining. 25g makes up to 5 litres of cleaning solution.

Instructions For Use, please read carefully.

Cleaning Fermenters and Equipment and Bottles:
Part fill your fermenting vessel with 5 litres of clean warm water and add 25g (equivalent to approximately 3 heaped teaspoons) of Brew Safe sanitising powder and stir until dissolved. Using a clean cloth in the solution wipe down the sides and lid of the fermenter. Equipment can be placed in the fermenter with the lid and swirled. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. Bottles can be cleaned in the vessel at the same time.

Remove equipment from the fermenter and pour away the solution – allow to drain, no rinse necessary. Ensure the steps are completed within 60 minutes.

Cleaning Bottles on their own:
Put 5 litres of clean warm water into a sink or other suitable vessel and add 25g Brew Safe Sanitising powder and stir until dissolved. Part fill each bottle 1/3 with the solution and shake so that the liquid contacts all surfaces. Leave to stand for 10 minutes. Empty bottles and allow to drain – no rinse required. Ensure filling of bottles and sealing is completed within 60 minutes from starting to clean them.

Contains Sodium Percarbonate"

I started with that and I've never used anything other than sodium percarbonate, although I use a bottle cleaner pump device with the sodium percarbonate solution in it and a drainage tree to clean my bottles rather than soaking them.

Mark

 

[KEG_KINGDOM]

Sodium Percarbonate is my go to cleaner for cleaning all my brew pots, fermenters, bottles etc just dilute 1 part to 25 parts water but make sure that you swirl it around so all surfaces of your equipent/vessel are is contact. It also sanitizes and you do not need to rinse but if you leave it for too long you get a powdery residue so i like to then sanitize with chemsan...

 

[CD]

Cheers Clint, I’ve actually just ordered up a 25Kg drum of Antiformin from Murphy and Sons and stuck in a couple of sacks of grain as well whilst I was at it. £26 plus £14 postage and will last me a life time on a home brew scale. Will report back with how I get on

I am sure you will be well pleased with Antiformin. Just treat the neat stuff like you would battery acid – rubber gloves essential, but once diluted ( I use 30cc per gallon) it is fine. You can put your hand in it as long as you rinse it straight away. My local mini brewery uses nothing else, and neither do I.

 

[JohnB]

Hi all, on the question of cleaner/sanitisers I use dairy chlorite which I get from our local farm health suppliers. It's 10% sodium hypochlorite solution, it's about £15.00 for 25 litres, and while it is pretty good, in commercial breweries this solution is a) stronger at about 30% NaOCl and b) contains a sequestrant. Antiformin is sodium hypochlorite solution usually with this sequestrant (which helps maintain action in hard water areas). If you are happy with handling chemicals, then you can go onto fleabay and find pure sodium hydroxide in 1Kg bags for about £2.00, this will make up a 30% solution with 3Kg (3 litres) of water. So if you only want a small amount then this is an option. HOWEVER - I stress this stuff is caustic and will dissolve skin in seconds so take all the normal precautions. Rubber gloves, apron (preferably rubber) and face protection. But by heck, it works!

 

[JohnB]

I should add this is NOT a no-rinse option. you do need to rinse everything with something like StarSan thoroughly before use.

 

[531Man]

My only thought was - if it is 30% Percarbonate, what is the other 70%, and do you therefore have to use 3x as much? that might make it less of a bargain. I use a pure Percarbonate from a HB supplier, and I only need 1 tsp / l - 2 litres. Brilliant stain remover and good for cleaning areas you can't reach with a brush.

Hi, As a chemist I think I can help here.

"Sodium percarbonate is an addition compound of hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate. Based on the molecular formula, the pure substance sodium percarbonate contains 32.5 % hydrogen peroxide and 67.5 % sodium carbonate (based on weight)."

So the 30% refers to the normal Hydrogen Peroxide constituent in this adduct chemical and means it it is equivalent to 30% available Oxygen (like Hydrogen Peroxide does on its own).
What it is telling you is how strong a bleach it is.
And that is quite strong - so use gloves!
Stay safe!

 

[user 18729]

The Antiformin is good stuff! Just need to be really careful decanting it when it’s neat

 

[Satellitemark]

Hi, As a chemist I think I can help here.

"Sodium percarbonate is an addition compound of hydrogen peroxide and sodium carbonate. Based on the molecular formula, the pure substance sodium percarbonate contains 32.5 % hydrogen peroxide and 67.5 % sodium carbonate (based on weight)."

So the 30% refers to the normal Hydrogen Peroxide constituent in this adduct chemical and means it it is equivalent to 30% available Oxygen (like Hydrogen Peroxide does on its own).
What it is telling you is how strong a bleach it is.
And that is quite strong - so use gloves!
Stay safe!

Thanks, that is helpful and clears that up.

Mark

 

[CD]

I should add this is NOT a no-rinse option. you do need to rinse everything with something like StarSan thoroughly before use.

What's wrong with water, its cheaper. And its the same stuff you made your beer with after all.

 

[Clint]

Just picked up a tub from BM... totally odourless...a bargain!

 

[starseeker]

What's wrong with water, its cheaper. And its the same stuff you made your beer with after all.

water on its own will not sanitise your equipment ,add starsan/chemsan etc to it and then it will :)

 

[Satellitemark]

water on its own will not sanitise your equipment ,add starsan/chemsan etc to it and then it will :)

Or use sodium percarbonate which can be almost as cheap as water !

Mark

 

[531Man]

Or use sodium percarbonate which can be almost as cheap as water !

Mark

Certainly cheaper than if you buy the likes of Coca Cola's failed (in UK) attempt at "mineral water" called "Dasani" which they manufactured from the Sidcup mains tap supply!
Shades of Del boy's "Peckham Spring" come to mind. That's why it failed.

 

[kelper]

Hi Guys,

I've started using this astonish cleaner which the manufacturer says is suitable / safe, today I got a 2 kg tub at B&M stores for £2.99 which I thought was a bit of a bargain !

MarkView attachment 32253

Thanks. I don't have a BM near me but will try Lidl or a non and pop store. You have found an astonishing bargain rhere