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Thread: cleaning with Star San

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2015
    Location
    Weston, CT
    Posts
    474

    Default cleaning with Star San

    Has anybody ever used Star San to clean storage tanks? And does it work well?
    If you think it's easy to make good money in maple syrup .... then your obviously good at stealing somebody's Maple Syrup.

    Favorite Tree: Sugar Maple
    Most Hated Animal: Sap Sucker
    Most Loved Animal: Devon Rex Cat
    Favorite Kingpin: Bruce Bascom
    40 Sugar Maple Taps ... 23 in CT and 17 in NY .... 29 on gravity tubing and 11 on 5G buckets ... 2019 Totals 508 gallons of sap, 7 boils, 11.4 gallons of syrup.
    1 Girlfriend that gives away all my syrup to her friends.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
    Location
    Clinton, NY
    Posts
    277

    Default

    It isn't so much a cleaner as it is a sanitizer. For cleaning - meh... for sanitizing - definitely.
    But if you have it, you probably use it, and probably already know all that.
    "A free people ought not only be armed and disciplined, but they should have sufficient arms and ammunition to maintain a status of independence from any who might attempt to abuse them, which would include their own government." - George Washington

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Catskill Mts, Ulster County NY
    Posts
    605

    Default

    I've only used it to sanitize.
    Gary / Zena Crossroads / 42˚ 00' 24" N / Hobby in Early '70s, Addiction since 2014

    175+ taps on 3/16 (60 of which are on two Lunchbox Vac/Releasers)
    12x34 timber framed sap house w/attached 10x34 shed roof for storage
    2 x 6 Smoky Lake hybrid pan on Corsair arch with AUF/steam hood/preheater/concentric exhaust
    7.0 KW Sun Power PV System, Smokey Lake Filter Press/Steam Bottler, Modified NGMP RO - 2 4x40 posts 200 gph

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hopkinton, MA
    Posts
    1,788

    Default

    I use it to sanitize and it's excellent. After tanks and barrels are cleaned, I use a pump sprayer to wet the inside surfaces. I let it air dry and it's good to go. I used to dump a bunch in and slosh it around to coat everything, but doing that in an IBC was a PITA and it also generated a ton of foam that was harder to get out. The pump sprayer is perfect and easy.

    I do this at the end of the season and I see a huge difference in the tanks when I get ready for the following season. There's no avoiding the dust, pollen, cobwebs, mayflies, etc. that gather in there from April to January, but there's nothing growing in there or staining anything that needs to be scrubbed out. I also notice the tanks are visibly cleaner - longer into the season.
    Woodville Maples
    www.woodvillemaples.com
    www.facebook.com/woodvillemaples
    Around 300 taps on tubing, 25+ on buckets if I put them out
    Mix of natural and mechanical vac, S3 Controller from Mountain Maple
    2x6 W.F. Mason with Phaneuf pans
    Deer Run 250 RO
    Ford F350
    6+ hives of bees (if they make it through the winters)
    Keeping the day job until I can start living the dream.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    St. Johns, Michigan
    Posts
    101

    Default

    I spray my dairy tank out and then use a pump up sprayer to spray inside, no rinse just walk away.
    2022 - 157 taps, 40 gallons of syrup
    2021 - 171 taps buckets and tubing, 41 gallons of syrup
    2020 - 225 taps bags and tubing, 45 gallons of syrup
    2019 - 180 taps buckets and bags, 50 gallons of syrup
    Lapierre 2x8 Vision with reverse flow, hood & preheater
    Leader Micro2 RO
    Lapierre 10" short bank press

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2019
    Location
    Middlesex, Vermont
    Posts
    320

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by SeanD View Post
    I use it to sanitize and it's excellent. After tanks and barrels are cleaned, I use a pump sprayer to wet the inside surfaces. I let it air dry and it's good to go. I used to dump a bunch in and slosh it around to coat everything, but doing that in an IBC was a PITA and it also generated a ton of foam that was harder to get out. The pump sprayer is perfect and easy.

    I do this at the end of the season and I see a huge difference in the tanks when I get ready for the following season. There's no avoiding the dust, pollen, cobwebs, mayflies, etc. that gather in there from April to January, but there's nothing growing in there or staining anything that needs to be scrubbed out. I also notice the tanks are visibly cleaner - longer into the season.
    SeanD,
    So you use this product on your IBC totes like you describe as well?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Mead Maple "It's for the kids..."
    Paul Cerminara
    2019 - First season ever
    -Goal: 3 gallons
    -Season Total: 7.5 gallons - pulled taps after running out of firewood and time
    2020
    Built 2'x8' Oil Fired with Thor drop flue pans
    -Goal: 20 gallons
    -Season Total: 55 gallons

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    St. Johns, Michigan
    Posts
    101

    Default

    I do along with buckets and pumps.
    2022 - 157 taps, 40 gallons of syrup
    2021 - 171 taps buckets and tubing, 41 gallons of syrup
    2020 - 225 taps bags and tubing, 45 gallons of syrup
    2019 - 180 taps buckets and bags, 50 gallons of syrup
    Lapierre 2x8 Vision with reverse flow, hood & preheater
    Leader Micro2 RO
    Lapierre 10" short bank press

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hopkinton, MA
    Posts
    1,788

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Mead Maple View Post
    SeanD,
    So you use this product on your IBC totes like you describe as well?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    Yes, I use it on the totes and barrels.
    Woodville Maples
    www.woodvillemaples.com
    www.facebook.com/woodvillemaples
    Around 300 taps on tubing, 25+ on buckets if I put them out
    Mix of natural and mechanical vac, S3 Controller from Mountain Maple
    2x6 W.F. Mason with Phaneuf pans
    Deer Run 250 RO
    Ford F350
    6+ hives of bees (if they make it through the winters)
    Keeping the day job until I can start living the dream.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Catskill Mts, Ulster County NY
    Posts
    605

    Default

    How about using it for a mid-season cleaning? My remote tank is not looking so good, but it's near impossible to clean on-site.
    Gary / Zena Crossroads / 42˚ 00' 24" N / Hobby in Early '70s, Addiction since 2014

    175+ taps on 3/16 (60 of which are on two Lunchbox Vac/Releasers)
    12x34 timber framed sap house w/attached 10x34 shed roof for storage
    2 x 6 Smoky Lake hybrid pan on Corsair arch with AUF/steam hood/preheater/concentric exhaust
    7.0 KW Sun Power PV System, Smokey Lake Filter Press/Steam Bottler, Modified NGMP RO - 2 4x40 posts 200 gph

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Hopkinton, MA
    Posts
    1,788

    Default

    Remember, it is not used for cleaning. Star San is a sanitizer. For cleaning, personally, I would use hot water and pressure - maybe a smidge of soap if it's really bad, but I've gotten away from soap for a couple of years now. Hot water and pressure do a lot.
    Woodville Maples
    www.woodvillemaples.com
    www.facebook.com/woodvillemaples
    Around 300 taps on tubing, 25+ on buckets if I put them out
    Mix of natural and mechanical vac, S3 Controller from Mountain Maple
    2x6 W.F. Mason with Phaneuf pans
    Deer Run 250 RO
    Ford F350
    6+ hives of bees (if they make it through the winters)
    Keeping the day job until I can start living the dream.

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