Keg cleaning

[Bart Goddard]

I suppose this goes under, "Was I the only one
that didn't know this!?!??"

My normal way to clean up crusty kegs has been
a scoop of OxyClean and a half of boiling
water and then soak for a good while. Dump and
repeat. Then cycle through several gallons of
water. Then cycle through some StarSan.

I use a 1-gallon, plasic garden pump-type
sprayer (the hose of which is just the right
size to accept the corny ball-lock thingy)
to push air into the kegs. So cleaning takes
quite a bit of pumping on that handle, and,
well, I'm not single any more, and I don't have
the stamina in my right hand that I used to.
(It takes about 50 strokes to push through a
gallon and I run about 6 gallons through each
keg, one at a time.)

I was griping yesterday that I needed to clean
all of my kegs, and that it was going to use up
all my Saturday...when my wife stupidly said,
"Why don't you use your pressure washer on them?"

"Don't tell me what to do, Devil Woman!" I said
as I took my kegs to the driveway. It's only a
Ryobi 1700 psi, electric, but it sure did the job
on the crust. Now I just have to sanitize and
store.

[Dan Logcher]

Post by Bart Goddard
I suppose this goes under, "Was I the only one
that didn't know this!?!??"
My normal way to clean up crusty kegs has been
a scoop of OxyClean and a half of boiling
water and then soak for a good while. Dump and
repeat. Then cycle through several gallons of
water. Then cycle through some StarSan.

I use 1 TBSP of oxyclean with 1 gallon of hot water, not boiling..
And pure it into the next keg, etc etc.. Why dump and waste more
water and oxyclean? Its still good.

I also rinse with tap and dry.. No StarSan.

[Tom Biasi]

Post by Bart Goddard
I suppose this goes under, "Was I the only one
that didn't know this!?!??"
My normal way to clean up crusty kegs has been
a scoop of OxyClean and a half of boiling
water and then soak for a good while. Dump and
repeat. Then cycle through several gallons of
water. Then cycle through some StarSan.
I use a 1-gallon, plasic garden pump-type
sprayer (the hose of which is just the right
size to accept the corny ball-lock thingy)
to push air into the kegs. So cleaning takes
quite a bit of pumping on that handle, and,
well, I'm not single any more, and I don't have
the stamina in my right hand that I used to.
(It takes about 50 strokes to push through a
gallon and I run about 6 gallons through each
keg, one at a time.)
I was griping yesterday that I needed to clean
all of my kegs, and that it was going to use up
all my Saturday...when my wife stupidly said,
"Why don't you use your pressure washer on them?"
"Don't tell me what to do, Devil Woman!" I said
as I took my kegs to the driveway. It's only a
Ryobi 1700 psi, electric, but it sure did the job
on the crust. Now I just have to sanitize and
store.

I have been doing that with Sanke kegs for years. There is only a small
hole to work through and I use a wide dispersion nozzle. Cleans up the
junkyard kegs just fine.

[Bill O'Meally]

Post by Bart Goddard
I suppose this goes under, "Was I the only one
that didn't know this!?!??"

I'm small enough to be able to get my arm into the keg. I use a scoop
of Oxyclean, warm water and a scrub sponge. I also disassemble the keg,
and clean the fittings separately. I have a long dip tube brush to
scrub out the dip tube. Rinse, reassemble and store. I only sanitize
prior to use.

[Bob F]

Post by Bart Goddard
I suppose this goes under, "Was I the only one
that didn't know this!?!??"
My normal way to clean up crusty kegs has been
a scoop of OxyClean and a half of boiling
water and then soak for a good while. Dump and
repeat. Then cycle through several gallons of
water. Then cycle through some StarSan.
I use a 1-gallon, plasic garden pump-type
sprayer (the hose of which is just the right
size to accept the corny ball-lock thingy)
to push air into the kegs. So cleaning takes
quite a bit of pumping on that handle, and,
well, I'm not single any more, and I don't have
the stamina in my right hand that I used to.
(It takes about 50 strokes to push through a
gallon and I run about 6 gallons through each
keg, one at a time.)
I was griping yesterday that I needed to clean
all of my kegs, and that it was going to use up
all my Saturday...when my wife stupidly said,
"Why don't you use your pressure washer on them?"
"Don't tell me what to do, Devil Woman!" I said
as I took my kegs to the driveway. It's only a
Ryobi 1700 psi, electric, but it sure did the job
on the crust. Now I just have to sanitize and
store.

I use my electric pressure washer for cruddy kegs, carboys, and buckets. Since I
have an air compressor, that works great for pressurizing kegs for draining.I
just set a rubber washer on the air fitting, and press the air nozzle against it
to inject air.

I finish after rinsing with a rinse of iodophor solution.

[JimW]

watch out you don’t hit the rubber foot and handles with the power washer
and separate them from the keg
"Bart Goddard" wrote in message news:***@74.209.136.94...


I suppose this goes under, "Was I the only one
that didn't know this!?!??"

My normal way to clean up crusty kegs has been
a scoop of OxyClean and a half of boiling
water and then soak for a good while. Dump and
repeat. Then cycle through several gallons of
water. Then cycle through some StarSan.

I use a 1-gallon, plasic garden pump-type
sprayer (the hose of which is just the right
size to accept the corny ball-lock thingy)
to push air into the kegs. So cleaning takes
quite a bit of pumping on that handle, and,
well, I'm not single any more, and I don't have
the stamina in my right hand that I used to.
(It takes about 50 strokes to push through a
gallon and I run about 6 gallons through each
keg, one at a time.)

I was griping yesterday that I needed to clean
all of my kegs, and that it was going to use up
all my Saturday...when my wife stupidly said,
"Why don't you use your pressure washer on them?"

"Don't tell me what to do, Devil Woman!" I said
as I took my kegs to the driveway. It's only a
Ryobi 1700 psi, electric, but it sure did the job
on the crust. Now I just have to sanitize and
store.

[Dan Logcher]

watch out you don’t hit the rubber foot and handles with the power washer and separate them from the
keg
I suppose this goes under, "Was I the only one
that didn't know this!?!??"
My normal way to clean up crusty kegs has been
a scoop of OxyClean and a half of boiling
water and then soak for a good while. Dump and
repeat. Then cycle through several gallons of
water. Then cycle through some StarSan.
I use a 1-gallon, plasic garden pump-type
sprayer (the hose of which is just the right
size to accept the corny ball-lock thingy)
to push air into the kegs. So cleaning takes
quite a bit of pumping on that handle, and,
well, I'm not single any more, and I don't have
the stamina in my right hand that I used to.
(It takes about 50 strokes to push through a
gallon and I run about 6 gallons through each
keg, one at a time.)
I was griping yesterday that I needed to clean
all of my kegs, and that it was going to use up
all my Saturday...when my wife stupidly said,
"Why don't you use your pressure washer on them?"
"Don't tell me what to do, Devil Woman!" I said
as I took my kegs to the driveway. It's only a
Ryobi 1700 psi, electric, but it sure did the job
on the crust. Now I just have to sanitize and
store.

I am having a tough time getting labels off kegs.. I can't peel
them off in sheets, and I can't get the paint stripper to lift
them off. I almost want to pull out a torch and burn it off.

[Bart Goddard]

Post by Dan Logcher
I am having a tough time getting labels off kegs.. I can't peel
them off in sheets, and I can't get the paint stripper to lift
them off. I almost want to pull out a torch and burn it off.

No experience, but some ideas. The dumbest one is to put
the wire brush attachment on the Dremel and inure oneself
to tedium

I wonder if Goo-Gone would do the job? It seems like
if paint stripper won't do it, then neither would
Goo-Gone.

Backing off a notch from the torch: Maybe a heat gun
(paint stripping tool)? Or wife's hair dryer, set on
"stun"?

Razor-blade scraper?

Declare the label an asset and tell the IRS they
can't have it?

That's all I got.

[Dan Logcher]

Post by Bart Goddard

Post by Dan Logcher
I am having a tough time getting labels off kegs.. I can't peel
them off in sheets, and I can't get the paint stripper to lift
them off. I almost want to pull out a torch and burn it off.

No experience, but some ideas. The dumbest one is to put
the wire brush attachment on the Dremel and inure oneself
to tedium
I wonder if Goo-Gone would do the job? It seems like
if paint stripper won't do it, then neither would
Goo-Gone.
Backing off a notch from the torch: Maybe a heat gun
(paint stripping tool)? Or wife's hair dryer, set on
"stun"?
Razor-blade scraper?
Declare the label an asset and tell the IRS they
can't have it?
That's all I got.

Heh! I have tried the razor-blade scraper and its very difficult.
Old label with solid glue or something. I've peeled many labels off
kegs, but this type is a killer.. Thing is I have two kegs with this
type. Sucks!

[Bart Goddard]

Post by Dan Logcher
Heh! I have tried the razor-blade scraper and its very difficult.
Old label with solid glue or something. I've peeled many labels off
kegs, but this type is a killer.. Thing is I have two kegs with this
type. Sucks!

Isn't it odd how, the instant we hear of this problem,
every male who still has his man-card wants to try to
get your labels off? I've got a whole garage full of
things that are dying to attack your keg.

Anyway, another idea: Caustic soda or Drano? I don't
know what that might do to the metal.

B.

[Dan Logcher]

Post by Bart Goddard

Post by Dan Logcher
Heh! I have tried the razor-blade scraper and its very difficult.
Old label with solid glue or something. I've peeled many labels

off

Post by Dan Logcher
kegs, but this type is a killer.. Thing is I have two kegs with

this

Post by Dan Logcher
type. Sucks!

Isn't it odd how, the instant we hear of this problem,
every male who still has his man-card wants to try to
get your labels off? I've got a whole garage full of
things that are dying to attack your keg.
Anyway, another idea: Caustic soda or Drano? I don't
know what that might do to the metal.

I've tried Barkeepers Friend and that did nothing.. I need a
lathe for kegs.

[Scott Alfter]

Post by Bart Goddard

Post by Dan Logcher
I am having a tough time getting labels off kegs.. I can't peel
them off in sheets, and I can't get the paint stripper to lift
them off. I almost want to pull out a torch and burn it off.

No experience, but some ideas. The dumbest one is to put
the wire brush attachment on the Dremel and inure oneself
to tedium

Having tried using a wire brush to remove bumper stickers from a
refrigerator (it got repainted afterward), I can heartily recommend against
this approach. :-P

Post by Bart Goddard
Backing off a notch from the torch: Maybe a heat gun
(paint stripping tool)? Or wife's hair dryer, set on
"stun"?
Razor-blade scraper?

IIRC (it's been the better part of 10 years since I bought my kegs), I ended
up using a combination of these two: heat the label to loosen the adhesive,
then get a razor blade underneath to lift up a corner. Once you have
something you can grab, you can then pull it the rest of the way off.

_/_
/ v \ Scott Alfter (remove the obvious to send mail)
(IIGS( https://alfter.us/ Top-posting!
\_^_/ >What's the most annoying thing on Usenet?

[Bob F]

Post by Dan Logcher
I am having a tough time getting labels off kegs.. I can't peel
them off in sheets, and I can't get the paint stripper to lift
them off. I almost want to pull out a torch and burn it off.

A hot air gun will often soften the adhesive, so the labels can be SLOWLY peeled
off.

[Mike]

Post by JimW
watch out you don’t hit the rubber foot and handles with the power
washer and separate them from the keg
I suppose this goes under, "Was I the only one
that didn't know this!?!??"
My normal way to clean up crusty kegs has been
a scoop of OxyClean and a half of boiling
water and then soak for a good while. Dump and
repeat. Then cycle through several gallons of
water. Then cycle through some StarSan.

Thanks for this. I hadn't even thought of using Oxyclean.

Mike

[Bart Goddard]

Post by Mike
Thanks for this. I hadn't even thought of using Oxyclean.

It gets most stuff. If one only had an arm like
Olive Oyl, one could just reach down there with
a green scratchy pad and finish things off. When
my daughter was 13, this worked. Now that she's
30...well, her arm would fit, but she's not as
enthusiastic about helping Daddy out. You'd
think all that tuition would have bought SOME
loyalty.

[Mickey]

To: Bart Goddard
Re: Re: Keg cleaning
By: Bart Goddard to rec.crafts.brewing on Mon Feb 16 2015 04:44 am

Post by Bart Goddard
It gets most stuff. If one only had an arm like
Olive Oyl, one could just reach down there with
a green scratchy pad and finish things off. When
my daughter was 13, this worked. Now that she's
30...well, her arm would fit, but she's not as
enthusiastic about helping Daddy out. You'd
think all that tuition would have bought SOME
loyalty.

Thats funny Bart, I made my house completely child-proof, and they STILL keep
getting in (back). :-)

Mickey
SynchroNET 3.15
Oxford Mills Remote @ telnet://manningfire.dyndns.org:23
Living the Past - Living the Dream - Keeping the Blues Alive



--- Synchronet 3.15b-Win32 NewsLink 1.92
Oxford Mills Remote BBS - telnet://manningfire.dyndns.org