Milton fluid

[EramusBlack]

I've searched around the forums here and I couldn't find a satisfactory answer to this query. I'm looking for a no rinse serilising solution; I know Star San exists, but it only available via mail order, so I was looking for an alternative.

Is it safe to use milton fluid for sterilising equipment? I can see many people do use it but there is no discussion of the concentration that anyone uses, or if needs to be rinsed after application. Do I need to rinse it? Reading the instructions for baby's bottles it seems that there is no requirement to rinse , just leave it a while and it's safe to use to feed a baby with. Is this a suitable product within brewing or should I just use Star San instead?

The instructions also mention that you can sterilise fruit with it, but you need to leave it for 15 minutes and then rinse. I'm not sure whay you would want to sterilise fruit, but there you go.

[maxashton]

Milton Fluid is just bleach.

It's expensive because of the name, and because people have to trust it with their babies.

I would go ahead and order star san. If you really don't like mail ordering, I would advise you go to your chemist and use the generally explored method for Videne Antiseptic (Aqueous solution / surgical scrub).

Sterilizing fruit is common if you're not buying your fruit from commercial entities, or are in an environment where you can't guarantee the fruit has been handled hygenically. I've lived overseas a lot.

M

[greenxpaddy]

Exactly the question I have been waiting to ask.

I got some baby sterilising fluid and I thought it must be ok because it has the same active ingredient in it that milton has. Sodium hypochlorite.

Hang on a minute I thought - isn;t that the very same ingredient in toilet bleach? It is.

I remember reading that never use bleach you'll never be able to wash it off. I think what they are referring to is the fact that toilet products are thickened with an agent to cling to the loo so they don't rinse straight away! Baby sterilisers are designed to be washed away after all they don;t want babies drinking bleach now do they. So I have concluded that the baby sterilisers are fine. I am using it diluted to the instructions in a garden hand sprayer - saves using too much and then rinse it off with water. I'll let you know of any mal effects.

But I wouldn't use Milton It's dead pricey - I picked up a big bottle of unbranded liquid sanitiser from the pound shop for £1.

[Kev888]

From the milton website here

Milton Fluid is made of an aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite and 16.5% sodium chloride. The Milton Fluid that is available to buy is a strength of 2% sodium hypochlorite.

So it looks like bleach (and salt) to me too. I've heard of people using weak bleach as no-rinse but it doesn't appeal to me, to be honest. Most people rinse very well after bleach if for no other reason than to prevent it causing after tastes in the beer.

But the home brew shop in Aldershot sell starsan in their shop in various sizes. I have trouble receiving mail order parcels but I happen to go past once or twice a year and stock up (a little lasts for ages) - its not that far from you so maybe the same could work for you too.

Cheers
Kev