Brewers are an ingenious lot.
This is a list of some of the products uses for cleaning and sanitising.
Cleaners
1. Oxyclean (an industrial version)
2. PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash) - Caked on deposits, similar to oxiclean usage.
3. Bleach Soak (~1c/5gal) When visibly clean, but I want a good single cleaning/sanitizing step
4. Hot water no detergent
5. If it's stainless, BKF.
6. Dish soap.
7. TSP (tri-sodium phosphate solution)
8. dishwasher detergent.Calgonite brand
10. Anti-bacterial dish soap
11.Antiformin S (it's like bleach but with more caustic). It's rapid! A 20% bleach solution makes an excellent cleaner too.
12. BLC for the hoses/connectors/faucets.
13. an unbranded powdered beer line cleaner (not BLC) I get from the LHBS for cleaning my keg lines
14. Straight-A (percarbonate cleaner)
Sanitisers
1. Idophor (a medical version -- Betadine 10% aqueous)
I pay £3 for 500ml and need 1.25ml per litre to make a no rinse solution
Description: If you keep your equipment clean between brews, Iodophor is a great sanitizer. (Your equipment will not be clean if you simply rinse after use. You must use a cleaner, such as TSP.) Iodophor is excellent for stainless steel- which Diversol will corrode- and all other beermaking equipment. Mixed properly and used in a spray bottle, Iodophor is almost magical in its convenience: there's no waiting and no rinsing. Cleaning Iodophor does not clean. Use a cleanser such as TSP before sanitizing with Iodophor. Sanitizing Mix 1 ml per litre of cold water. You must use a syringe for accurate measurement. Use a spray bottle to coat equipment with solution. Shake off excess or allow equipment to drain. Do not rinse. Use the equipment. It's that easy! Cautions When in solution, Iodophor rapidly breaks down. Every time you use it, you must make a fresh solution. Not effective unless mixed accurately. Use a syringe. Will not clean dirty or stained equipment. Hazardous for those with iodine allergies. Concentrated solution stains skin and fabric.
2) Bleach (15mL/gal) + HOT water rinse (Sodium Hypochlorite)
Description: Unscented household bleach can be used as a sanitizer and cleaner. For sanitizing, it is just as effective as Diversol. For cleaning, however, either Diversol or TSP would be preferable. Cleaning Mix 2.5 ml per litre of cold water (1 tbsp. per gal.) and follow the cleaning instructions for Diversol . When rinsing, remove all traces of chlorine smell. Sanitizing Using a solution of 5 ml per litre of cold water (1 tbsp. per gal.) follow the cleaning instructions for Diversol Cautions See above. Don't use scented bleach. Those 'spring fresh' and 'lemony' perfumes will sink into equipment permanently. All subsequent batches will smell and taste like perfume.
3) Autoclave (glassware only) (18psi @ 250˚F for 20min)
4. Starsan- no rinse and I love the foam
5. Diversol (Sani-Brew) Description: As well as being a sanitizer, Diversol has the added benefit of being an extremely effective cleaner. Available under a variety of trade names, you'll recognize Diversol because it is a chlorinated pink powder. Cleaning Dissolve 3.5 g per litre of cold water (5 tsp. per gal). Soak stained equipment up to 48 hours. Rinse thoroughly with hot water. Sanitizing Fill primary fermenter with Diversol solution (3.5 g per litre of cold water [5 tsp. per gal.]). Fully immerse all equipment: hoses, spoons, bungs, hydrometers, thermometers, airlocks, and primary lid. Soak equipment for at least 20 min. Remove lid, rinse carefully (but thoroughly) with hot water and turn it upside-down on the counter. Rinse equipment, placing items inside sanitized lid. To sanitize a carboy: With bung in carboy, slosh 9 litres (2 gal.) Diversol solution all around inside. Repeat twice, with 5 minutes between repetitions. Rinse after 20 min. Cautions Corrodes stainless steel. Can bleach clothing. Do not mix with acids, amines, or ammonia. Such a mixture produces dangerous gases.
6. One Step since it came with my kit. I have not noticed any discernible effects of the two. I use star-san because it can be re-used and I can buy it in larger quantities.
7. 70% Isopropyl Alcohol for little parts
8. Potassium Metabisulphate (Campden tablets) Potassium metabisulfite is sometimes used in the brewing industry to inhibit the growth of wild yeasts, bacteria, and fungi. This is called 'stabilizing'. It is used both by homebrewers and commercial brewers alike. It is not used as much for brewing beer, because the wort is almost always boiled, which kills most microorganisms anyway.