As a homebrewer, winemaker or meadmaker, you’ve been told since day one to clean AND sanitize your equipment. However, somewhere along the way someone may have failed to specify that these two things are not mutually exclusive. Both must be done every time you need to do something to your beer or wine.
Cleaning breaks down and removes dirt and gunk from your equipment while sanitizing kills bacteria and microbes . You start by cleaning your equipment with your handy Cap ‘N’ Cork Cleaner or PBW and then rinse the cleaner off. Then you sanitize with your Iodophor or Star San (Sulfites for winemakers) and let air-dry. That’s all there is to it. Not difficult but of the utmost importance.
Here are a few of our favorite cleaners and sanitizers:
Cap ‘N’ Cork Cleaner – an everyday cleaner similar to B-brite but more soluble.
PBW Cleaner – A much more intense and aggressive cleaner. For breaking down tough build ups.
Iodophor – An Iodine based sanitizer used by brewers.
Star San – An acid based sanitizer used by brewers.
Potassium Metabisulfite – Preferred sanitizer used by winemakers.