No elbow grease required

[beardybrewer]

I use iodophor and elbow grease to clean my fermenter inbetween batches. Often I do a batch back-to-back so the fermenter is in constant use. This means I have to scrub the krausen/scum off with a green scouring pad to get the fermenter ready for immediate use.

I am replacing my fermenter as I'm afraid that all the scrubbing will have introduced a lot of hard to sanitize scratches I'd like to avoid next time.

What products would you recommend for cleaning off the nasty scum in a fermenter which might help minimize the scrubbing and scratching I've done in the past? I know iodophor isn't enough to thoroughly clean on its own. Keeping in mind I often don't have time to soak overnight what would you recommend?

[Aleman]

Warm/hot Washing soda, cleans yeast scum really easily.

If you are prepared to take a lot more care then hot concentrated Caustic Soda takes it right off . . . but be careless and it takes flesh off bones . . . No I'm not kidding . . . . Why, Oh Why, did that brewer tell Fox to get out of the Mash tun when he was spraying caustic around? . . . . it would have made for much better telly

[edit1now]

If 2 tblsp washing soda in 2l of hot tap water won't shift it, it won't come off in your beer
The microfibre cloths are brilliant. Sometimes I use a nylon washing-up brush but I think nylon is harder than polythene or polypropylene and scratches a bit. The white melamine scourers (meant for non-stick pans) will shift anything but make fine scratches ditto. Only use green abrasive scourers when you need to remove the embossed name of the previous owner as they will remove serious amounts of plastic, leaving deep scratches.

[beardybrewer]

Good information guys. Thanks

Kinda a dumb question, but where do I buy washing soda?

[SiHoltye]

I find hot water from the tap run onto the tide mark and kitchen towel does the trick if I clean my plastic fermentor straight after emptying. Haven't had any tide mark specific difficulties but then I do clean up immediately after use.

[edit1now]

Tesco's in Headford Road, near the roundabout?

[RabMaxwell]

Beer-line cleaner hot water mix works great.

[Gurgeh]

Tesco's in Headford Road, near the roundabout?

Yeah, Bodkin roundabout i think...

[edit1now]

You've probably been there. I just Googled for supermarkets Galway

[beardybrewer]

Thanks again, I found Soda Crystals for 95p at Dunnes (not Tesco)

I tried it out on our oil / vinegar dispenser which had a layer of fat residue which I had been unable to clean. Worked like a charm! I looked it up and it says it can even take stains out of the carpet. Why hadn't I heard of this miracle stuff before??

Well, ordered a betterbottle system so I won't be tempted to reach in there and scrub. Hope it works!

[Invalid Stout]

It's a generic product with no advertising or marketing budget. That's why you haven't heard of it.

Years ago people used to use it together with soap flakes for the laundry. I suppose there must have been a reason why everyone switched to all-in-one washing powder, but it's so long ago that most people have only ever used modern laundry powder/liquid/tabs/gel etc.