StillSmart

Have found a good cost effective way of
cleaning T500 boiler and copperware.
After use empty as usual and wipe clean.
Add 1 tablespoon of Citric Acid per 5 ltrs,
I used 15 ltrs water.keep coins & ceramics
in the boiler and turn on.
In about 15 mins will start to steam, place
copperdome and condenser on boiler no need
to clip down keep boiler on for another 10-15
mins. Turn off let it cool,empty rinse boiler
with clean water and dry all.
I think Myles said you dont want shinny
copper but this gets rid of some stains and
cleans your ceramics and coins at same time.
Citric acid is very cheap on Ebay and goes
a long way.

Thanks Gaza. Gonna give that a go. Don't like the copper dome looking too grimy on the inside.

Know what you mean buddie, but copper
when its new has a very strong smell.
I think Myles is right, gentle clean
keep things in order, the patiner or
what ever it is, is oxidization, I
think its meant to be

Agreed. Glad I read Myles advice before I used it for the first time cos otherwise I'd have been scrubbing it back to bare metal

Sorry lads, I have not chipped in on this before but I still think you might be a bit keen.

The thing has just come out of steam! Alcoholic steam at that! It is not a 'dirty'. It is not 'infected'. It is 'discoloured' that is very different.

I will let Miles have the final say, but I think you are have to ask yourself why are you cleaning this? There is no chance of infection, so I think all you need is to 'wash' the boiler and just wipe the copper dry with a clean, dry cloth.

I have some 'heads' in a pump spray that you can use for this For all sorts of cleaning. And let's be fair, hospitals have it stuck to the wall in gel form !!

I do not clean that the condensers (inside) of my air still at all. Ever. They sometimes get a full strip for a service ( on when they look manky or on that very odd occasion when I boiled one by accident) And mine are making cerial wash neutral!! so no problem there IMO.

This isn't a rant. (.... Which probably means it is) but I do seem to get a bee in my bonnet about OCD cleanliness.

I agree 99% with Mash here....all I do is rinse the boiler and column.

Here's 2 more thumbs up for being a dirty bar steward

I loved it when me copper dome was shiny and gorgeous.

One strip and it was right dirty!

You guys know best but think I might do a small citric clean as recommended by Gaza

You and gaza ought to find a country house that needs a clean.

(10 points for anyone who gets that)

I will claim those 10 points although I have not watched the programme.
I sometimes connect a pipe and reverse run hot water through my voluminious condenser.
I sometimes fill the column with water and tip out.
Purely because they sometimes become a little smelly.
I don't give a flying fig for the exterior of my copperware. It gets polished at creation, and is then fending for itself.
Why would I not choose to try and remove funky odours from my copperware?
Steam cleaning is perhaps the best way to do it,and should you choose to add a little Citric acid, that seems fine by me.
Don't confuse an exterior "patina" with what happens on the inside of a condenser.
A reason Copper is used for a still and condenser is for its surface properties,- rather like a gravel drive it stops muck reaching the front door.
Cleaning the muck from the gravel allows it to carry on doing its job.
Not the best analagy, I know, best I can do right now.

Robert.

I think its a beer thing, been hammered
in, clean and watch that temp.
Cant really do any harm, maybe just O.T.T.

If your an homebrewer that decides to try your hand at stilling, it's a natural progression to carry on with whatever cleaning policy you had when brewing.

Now I'm stilling more than brewing...as I've said I wash & rinse that's about it.

If it works for you thats the way.
Old adage if it aint broke dont fix
it.
Last night had a beautiful glass of
Russian Imperial Stout with a B.T rum
really nice and proud of this
achievement. A lot of which is down
to the sound advise of you guys on
the forum.
Thanks