Pros and cons of using dishwasing soap to clean brewing equipment

Sunday, February 19, 2023

Keeping brewing equipment clean is an essential aspect of brewing high-quality beer or other beverages. 


We sure go on about it.


and on


and on.


Brewers often look for cost-effective ways to clean their equipment, without compromising on the cleanliness or the quality of their final product. Dishwasher soap is one such option that has gained popularity among brewers due to its effectiveness and convenience. 


In this discussion, we will explore the pros and cons of using dishwasher soap to clean brewing equipment and the importance of maintaining clean equipment to produce high-quality beverages.


Pros:


Effective cleaning: Dishwasher soap is designed to remove food residue, stains, and oils from dishes and other kitchen equipment. When used on brewing equipment, it can effectively remove any leftover grime, yeast or other residues that may be present. 

We recommend using hot water too - detergents love being used in hot water. 

More bubbles that way too eh?


Convenience: Using dishwasher liquid to clean brewing equipment is a convenient option, particularly for those who already have it on hand in their kitchen. It eliminates the need to purchase additional cleaning products specifically designed for brewing equipment.


You can save time when cleaning brewing equipment, particularly if the equipment is particularly dirty or complex. This is because dishwasher soap is designed to work quickly and effectively.


using liquid soap to clean beer gear

Cons:


Residue: One of the main concerns with using dishwasher soap to clean brewing equipment is that it can leave behind a residue. Even if the equipment is rinsed thoroughly, there is still a risk that small amounts of the soap residue will remain. This can impact the taste and quality of the beer or other brewed beverages.


Corrosion: Dishwasher soap can be harsh on certain materials, particularly aluminium or other soft metals, and may cause corrosion over time. This can damage the equipment and potentially impact the brewing process.


Rinsing: While rinsing is important for any cleaning process, it is particularly critical when using dishwasher soap on brewing equipment. Even a small amount of soap residue left behind can impact the flavor and quality of the brewed product.


Those are certainly some meaty pros and cons about using dishwashing liquid on your bear gear, but what about actual hard advice from brewers who have been there and done that already?

  1. Brewer John Palmer recommends using a dishwashing detergent like Dawn for cleaning brewing equipment but emphasizes the importance of rinsing thoroughly. He says, "Dishwashing detergents are formulated to be really effective at removing food debris and greasy stains, but they can leave behind a soapy residue. To avoid this, rinse really well with hot water."
  2. In a discussion thread on Reddit, several users recommend using dishwashing detergent for cleaning brewing equipment, but again stress the need to rinse thoroughly. One user says, "I use dish soap to clean everything, including my carboys, with no ill effects. Just make sure to rinse it really well with hot water afterward."
  3. The American Homebrewers Association recommends using a dedicated brewing equipment cleaner if possible, but notes that dishwashing soap can be used as a cheaper alternative. They caution that dishwashing soap can leave behind a residue if not rinsed thoroughly, and that it can be harsh on certain materials such as aluminum.
bear gear clean with liquid soap

Are you seeing a trend here? 

Use but rinse. 

Use but rinse. 

Use but rinse. 

Here are some other ideas to think about. 

  1. Dishwashing soap is effective for removing oils and proteins, but may not be strong enough for tough stains or residues.
  2. Do not use using dishwashing soap on certain materials, such as copper or brass, which can be damaged by the detergent. Be cautious against using dishwashing soap on equipment with porous surfaces that can trap soap residue.
  3. We strongly suggest you avoid any detergents that contain bleach or ammonia
  4. Dishwashing liquid is great for cleaning fermenters and bottles, but not for cleaning mash tuns or kettles. 
  5. Use plenty of hot water and a scrub brush or sponge to remove stubborn residues.
  6. If you suspect you have a build up of beerstone, you'll need tougher chemicals.

Overall, it seems that many brewers have had success using dishwashing soap for cleaning brewing equipment, but it is important to rinse thoroughly to avoid any soapy residue. 

Leave a Comment

0 comments:

Post a Comment

Powered by Blogger.

Tags

absorption caps abv acetaldehyde acid adjuncts advice about beer brewing aeration aeration kit aging air lock alcohol alcohol poisoning ale ale beer kits alkaline alkaline brewery wash all grain american amylase apera apples attenuation autolysis automatic temperature compensation bacteria baker's yeast baking yeast ball lock ball valve bar keepers friend barley batch prime beer brewing beer capper beer dispenser beer filtration kit system beer gushers beer kit beer kit review beer kits beer lines beer salt beer taps beerstone best brewing equipment biotin bittering BKF black rock bleach blichmann blow off tubing bluelab bohemian pilsner boil in a bag boil over boneface bottle cap bottle caps bottle conditioning bottling bottling beer bottling spigot bourbon brettanomyces brew and review brew day brewing beer guide brewing salts brewing spoon brewing sugar brewing thermostat brewzilla british thermal unit brix brix scale BTU budvar buffer buffer solution burton snatch buyer's guide calcium chloride calcium sulphate calibration calibration probe calibration solution campden tablets capping carbon dioxide carbonation carbonation drops carboy cascade caustic soda cherry wine chinook chlorine christmas chronicle cider clarity cleaning your equipment clear beer clone recipe cloudy beer cold crashing coldbreak conditioning tablets conductivity conical fermenter contamination coopers copper tun corn sugar cornelius corny keg craft beer creamy beer crown cryo hops cubes danstar nottingham demijohn dextrose distilation DIY DME dopplebock draught dry hopping dry malt extract edelmetall brü burner eisbock ekuanot electrode enhancer enzyme equipment ester ethanol experiments in beer making faucet fermcap-s fermentables fermentation fermenter fermentis fermentor final gravity finings five star flat beer floccing foam inhibitor force carbonation french fresh wort pack fridge fruit fusel alchohol garage project gas burners gelatin gift and present ideas gin ginger beer glucose golden ale golden syrup goldings gose grain grain mill green bullet grist guinness gypsum hach hacks hallertauer heat mat heat pad heat wrap home brew honey hop schedule hops hops spider how not to brew beer how to brew that first beer how to brew with a beer kit how to grow hops how to make a hop tea how to wash yeast hydrated layer hydrogen sulfide hydrometer IBU ideas idophor infection inkbird instruments isoamyl acetate jelly beans jockey box john palmer juniper keezer keg cooler keg regulators kegco kegerator kegging kegs kettle kombucha krausen lactic acid lager lagering lauter lion brown liquid malt extract litmus LME lupulin lupulin powder lupuLN2 making beer malic acid malt malt mill maltodextrin mangrove jack's maple syrup mash mash paddle mash tun mccashins mead methanol micro brewing milling milwaukee MW102 mistakes mixing instructions moa mouth feel muntons must nano brewing New Zealand Brewer's Series no rinse nut brown ale oak oak wood chips off flavors original gravity oxygen pacific gem palaeo water pale ale panhead parsnip PBW pear pectine pectolase perlick ph levels ph meter ph pen pH strips ph tester pico brewing pilsner pitching yeast plastic drum poppet valve pot powdered brewing wash ppm precipitated chalk pressure relief valve priming prison hooch probe problem solving propane and propane accessories pruno pump system purity law radler re-using yeast recipe record keeping reddit refractometer reinheitsgebot removing beer labels from bottles review rice hulls riwaka rotten eggs saaz saccharomyces cerevisiae salt sanitization secondary regulator sediment seltzer session beer silicon simple tricks for brewing siphon site glass skunked beer small batch brewing soda soda ash soda stream sodium carbonate sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate sodium hydroxide sodium metasilicate sodium percarbonate sour beer sparge spigot spirals spirits spoon spraymalt star san starch STC-1000 steinlager steralisation sterilisation sterilization sterliization still stoke storage solution stout sucrose sugar supercharger tannins temperature temperature controller therminator thermometer tips for beginners tri-sodium phopsphate tricks and tips trub tubing tui turkey vodka infused gin vorlauf water water testing wet cardboard taste wet hopping weta whirlfloc tablets white claw williamswarn wine winter brewing wood wort wort chiller yeast yeast energizer yeast nutrient yeast rafts yeast starter yeast traps zinc

Copyright How to Home Brew Beer.

Back to Top