Cleaning Oil Residue from Barrel

[SeanD]

I just picked up some very nice barrels that had olive oil in them. Soap, hot water and a ton of sloshing and rinsing got them very clean including the smell, but there is a very thin residue left behind when I run my finger inside the bung.

I'll be cutting a hole in the side of a couple of them to make dump stations and I'll be able to reach in and scrub those out, but I'd prefer not to cut the others. What could I use to break down the oil without being able to reach in and scrub the inside?

Will vinegar work or will that make things worse?

Sean

[harrison6jd]

PBW (powdered brewery wash) is something i use to clean just about everything. ive cleaned things others threw away and made them like new. i have no experience with olive oil but there is alot of info on the net .

[SeanD]

Thanks. The description and reviews for that sound like what I need. Unfortunately, the local home brew supplier doesn't carry it. They have Star San. Ever used that?

[rayi]

Star San is not a cleaner. It's for getting beer and wine equipment as close to sterile as possible. The equipment has to be clean. Try Midwest brewery

[SeanD]

Great. Thanks.

Sean

[harrison6jd]

let us know what works for you when you get done. always interested in the good and the bad for future reference. thanks

[SeanD]

The PBW worked great. Thank you SO much for the info! The inside feels just as clean as the outside and the barrels smell like virgin plastic. The other barrels that I cut open to get inside of got a good scrubbing with a very mild mix of soap and there is no discernible difference between the two. They are both VERY clean. I feel very comfortable putting these barrels right to use.

I also used it to re-clean my front pan. There's always a layer of goo up at the edges where the defoamer and crud get cooked on. The vinegar doesn't even put a dent in this stuff. The PBW took it off in 15 minutes.

The only downside was the cost. The local brew shop had it after all, but man it's expensive. It was $21 for 2 lbs.

Once you mix it, you can reuse it up to three months, but I dumped it b/c it was pretty grungy. Maybe next time, I'll make a spray bottle to surface clean areas that don't need a soak.

The directions say to use it in water between 100 and 160 degrees. I started out with it hot, but eventually it cooled and I didn't see a big drop in its effectiveness. But after all I've just used it this one time.

Thanks again,
Sean

[harrison6jd]

i am glad it worked out for you. im sure others use it as well. it is great stuff. a little bit of $$ but i feel well worth it. ive used it to clean coffee extract out of barrels as well. once in a while, i do a tough load of my work clothes in the laundry. Happy tapping!

[zr2paul]

I bought some barrels that had olives in them and I need to clean them out. How much of the PBW did you use per barrel? I have to clean 4 barrels out. Thanks!

[SeanD]

I don't remember. It was a while back. I think the mixing directions are on the container. I may still have it around if you need that info. I probably only poured a gallon or so in, just enough to slosh around and get everything wet. I do remember when I was trying to clean the front area of my pan, I tilted the pan so that the line of scum was under the solution. Good luck.