Cleaning New Filter Tank

[Joust7.1]

I just received my new single cone filter tank and I am curious as to the best method of cleaning it for the first time. Can you use dish detergent to start if its rinsed out real well after cleaning. I was told early on to never use dish or other soaps due to them leaving odor and thus off flavor in the syrup. What should I be using?

Thanks in advance for any advice.

[johnallin]

Assuming it's stainless; nothing other than some boiling water and some baking soda. Slosh it around, let it sit, slosh it again and then drain through the spigot - if you have one - to clean it also.
After that, rinse the daylights out of it with plain hot water, and again after each time you filter with it. Don't trust being able to rinse out the soap film that may be left behind if you do anything else.

[Joust7.1]

Thank you for the response. So far, all I've used is hot water. It has a steam pan so I wanted to see how long it would take to heat up the contents to bottling temp. Why would you need to use baking soda? I've heard this before but since this is new, what would it be trying to neutralize. Is there any kind of acid residue in the welding process?

[johnallin]

Baking soda is recommended by Leader for cleaning up new evaporators and getting ready to boil on. I believe it's used because it leaves no after taste and rinses cleaner than a detergent. I'm not saying you need it, but why take a chance on your new tank being contaminated with anything that may affect flavor?