60 replies to this topic

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I ordered some non-refurbed (and not cleaned) cornies from B3. HOLY CRAP FILTHY! I had no idea how dirty these things would be. One of them had a 3" layer of God knows what in the bottom of it and it had leaked in the box and covered the tops of the two kegs with goop. They were completely covered with grime on the outside. So last night after receiving them I gave them a preliminary rinse with the hose outside (just to get the big chunks off of everything) and then I stuck them upside down in a plastic bin with oxiclean with the intent of just cleaning the outside rubber part on the top of the keg. This morning I just flipped them over to do the same to the bottom outside of the kegs.This is the part that disturbs me - if I touch the rubber handles my hands turn freakin black. I wiped it with a paper towel and it turns pitch black. I'd really like to get these things in a condition such that I feel like they are clean enough to bring inside the house to get a more formal internal cleaning with hot water.Does anyone have any tips for this initial cleaning b/c I've never had to do it? Is there a household product I should be using the clean the outside rubber bits?

[Kremer]

I've had a couple that way, one had about a quart of NASTY used fryer grease in it After getting most of the nasty bits out of them I put them in the bathtub with some warm water and scrubbed away with a green scotchbrite and oxy/dishsoap and hot water. The Rubber eventually stopped shedding that oxidized layer and they cleaned up well. then I took BKF and got the rest of the gunk off and brought some shine back to the stainless. It's a crappy job.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I've had a couple that way, one had about a quart of NASTY used fryer grease in it After getting most of the nasty bits out of them I put them in the bathtub with some warm water and scrubbed away with a green scotchbrite and oxy/dishsoap and hot water. The Rubber eventually stopped shedding that oxidized layer and they cleaned up well. then I took BKF and got the rest of the gunk off and brought some shine back to the stainless. It's a crappy job.

fryer grease? sweet jesus! I have to say though that the stuff that came out of one of those kegs, in my dimly lit driveway could have been a living thing.

[HVB]

Mental note .. stay away from B3 non-refurb kegs. Not sure what to tell you about the handles. I know a guy that his still do that. Maybe after you get them clean throw a coat of clean paint on them?

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Mental note .. stay away from B3 non-refurb kegs. Not sure what to tell you about the handles. I know a guy that his still do that. Maybe after you get them clean throw a coat of clean paint on them?

i should note - one of them almost seemed like they had cleaned the inside with some caustic b/c it had that caustic smell and was pretty clean inside.

[zymot]

PBW by FiveStar Chemicals is the best. Other stuff and concoctions comes close, but they are not PBW. PBW, the stuff that strips teflon off a pan.I bought some down and dirty kegs. I gave the first pass cleaning using TSP. Use the straight TSP, not the chlorinated stuff. That got a bunch of the junk off. Then I did a second soaking with authentic PBW, it lifted off the stuff TSP left behind.There is a recipe for oxyclean plus (I think) TSP that makes something pretty close to PBW.Once they are clean, soak them in you favorite sanaztizer. Seal the up and let them sit with the sanatizer for a day or two.When I did my PBW and sanatizer soak, I made sure they got some time upside down in bucket so the most toppest part of the inside of the kegs and the posts got cleaned too. I bought a toilet brush at the doller store for scrubbing the insides.zymot.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

PBW by FiveStar Chemicals is the best. Other stuff and concoctions comes close, but they are not PBW. PBW, the stuff that strips teflon off a pan.I bought some down and dirty kegs. I gave the first pass cleaning using TSP. Use the straight TSP, not the chlorinated stuff. That got a bunch of the junk off. Then I did a second soaking with authentic PBW, it lifted off the stuff TSP left behind.There is a recipe for oxyclean plus (I think) TSP that makes something pretty close to PBW.Once they are clean, soak them in you favorite sanaztizer. Seal the up and let them sit with the sanatizer for a day or two.When I did my PBW and sanatizer soak, I made sure they got some time upside down in bucket so the most toppest part of the inside of the kegs and the posts got cleaned too. I bought a toilet brush at the doller store for scrubbing the insides.zymot.

can TSP be bought at the hardware store? how do I tell if I'm getting the non-chlorinated variety?

[MakeMeHoppy]

PBW by FiveStar Chemicals is the best. Other stuff and concoctions comes close, but they are not PBW. PBW, the stuff that strips teflon off a pan.I bought some down and dirty kegs. I gave the first pass cleaning using TSP. Use the straight TSP, not the chlorinated stuff. That got a bunch of the junk off. Then I did a second soaking with authentic PBW, it lifted off the stuff TSP left behind.There is a recipe for oxyclean plus (I think) TSP that makes something pretty close to PBW.Once they are clean, soak them in you favorite sanaztizer. Seal the up and let them sit with the sanatizer for a day or two.When I did my PBW and sanatizer soak, I made sure they got some time upside down in bucket so the most toppest part of the inside of the kegs and the posts got cleaned too. I bought a toilet brush at the doller store for scrubbing the insides.zymot.

I agree with this. If you don't have PBW handy give oxyclean a shot.

[3rd party JKor]

Maybe you could try some Westley's Bleche-White. It's an auto detailing product used for cleaning the 'oxidized' rubber off your tires before you dress them. It works great on tires, it might work on the kegs as well.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Maybe you could try some Westley's Bleche-White. It's an auto detailing product used for cleaning the 'oxidized' rubber off your tires before you dress them. It works great on tires, it might work on the kegs as well.

[Howie]

There is a recipe for oxyclean plus (I think) TSP that makes something pretty close to PBW.

PBW is roughly 30% sodium metasilicate. My local Ace Hardware sells pure sodium metasilicate as one of their TSP substitutes. Using 2/3 oxyclean with 1/3 sodium metasilicate will give you something in the realm of PBW.PBW is really a great product, and I do buy it sometimes. But it's incredibly expensive.

[Kremer]

PBW is roughly 30% sodium metasilicate. My local Ace Hardware sells pure sodium metasilicate as one of their TSP substitutes. Using 2/3 oxyclean with 1/3 sodium metasilicate will give you something in the realm of PBW.PBW is really a great product, and I do buy it sometimes. But it's incredibly expensive.

I use about that ratio and it works much better than oxy alone. I have been getting the red devil tsp/90 from ACE also. On my last trip there I noticed it was no longer in the white tubs I was getting previously, it is now in a plastic pouch with a zip top.

[Howie]

it is now in a plastic pouch with a zip top.

Yeah, that's what I got. The four pound pouch is the only way I've seen it. I've been using it with Sun Oxygen Cleaner.This mix doesn't have surfactants like PBW, but still works fine.

[3rd party JKor]

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

I just have to admit I get a little nervous with some of these chemicals around containers I'll be putting beer in that I'll later be consuming :angry:edit: maybe acetone would do the job on the rubber?

[tag]

Others have suggested "Back to Black" tire cleaner too.

[siouxbrewer]

I had a grimy keg top that would leave a sticky residue on your hands when you picked it up. I hit it with a few sprays of alcohol and the grime wiped right off.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

So I tried some acetone on the rubber parts and this seemed to clean them up a little (or at least enough so they aren't covering my hands with black stuff when dry). I then gave them a rinse in hot water. Now I have them filled to the tippy top with oxiclean. If this doesn't do the job I guess I'll be heading to the hardware store this weekend to see if I can find something stronger. the keg that leaked had a cracked lid o-ring.Do you guys replace the poppets? Allegedly B3 doesn't replace those on their refurbed kegs so I don't see why I should have to but after seeing how filthy the kegs are it kind of freaks me out...

[ChefLamont]

Do you guys replace the poppets? Allegedly B3 doesn't replace those on their refurbed kegs so I don't see why I should have to but after seeing how filthy the kegs are it kind of freaks me out...

Normally, no, but I can see your hesitation with the hastiness of the kegs. When I break down kegs for cleaning, I always soak the small stuff (posts, poppets, lid, lid ring, and gas dip tube) in a separate container of whatever cleaner the keg is getting. Since they never seem as dirty as the keg itself, I feel pretty good about how clean they get.

[ThroatwobblerMangrove]

Normally, no, but I can see your hesitation with the hastiness of the kegs. When I break down kegs for cleaning, I always soak the small stuff (posts, poppets, lid, lid ring, and gas dip tube) in a separate container of whatever cleaner the keg is getting. Since they never seem as dirty as the keg itself, I feel pretty good about how clean they get.

This is certainly how I feel once the keg is in rotation (and I soak the small stuff separately as well). I'm really close to ordering some poppets but I dunno...