Cleaning Copper Mesh

[nativemt]

Hello All,
I've found a quick way to clean copper mesh and bring it back to high brightness.

1. Remove from column, straighten it out, and roll around your hand like you'd do with toilet paper.
2. Put it in a container least twice the size of the copper and fill 1/4 - 1/3 full with white vinegar.
3. Add one scoop of Oxyclean.
4. Mix together until copper is fully submerged in the white foam.
5. Agitate the copper in the mix about every five minutes. The foam will begin turning blue.
6. The foam will turn to liquid and the liquid will turn green after the third or forth agitation.
7. Remove from mix, wash with tap water and it will be ready for another use.

[HolyBear]

That could come in handy, thanks for the info. I take mine out sometimes and spray the hell outta it with water, but I always wonder if its really clean... thanks...

[mash rookie]

Or you could pour some vinegar in your column, let sit 5 minutes and rinse. Or you could run your still more often and put it away after it has been sterilized with alcohol without rinsing.

It does not need to be shinny.

[nativemt]

This cleaning method came from me trying to reproduce the "foaming gun cleaner in a can". Once I found out how well it worked for cleaning old oxidized bullets, I tried the mesh and found it worked equally as well.

[RumRaider]

Throw some in the boiler during a run. It not only breaks the boil; it comes out shiny as a new penny.

[King Of Hearts]

I used oxyclean in my keg and the next run I noticed white specs in the distillate.

[astronomical]

I recently tried Star San and it worked great... After an hour soak it tore through even the dirtiest scrubbies...

Any reason I shouldnt be using star san?

[King Of Hearts]

I think you should be ok as long as you follow protocal, check their website for it.

[astronomical]

I think you should be ok as long as you follow protocal, check their website for it.

I should have added that I neutralized it by rinsing then setting it in a baking soda bath for a few minutes then rinsing again before drying... My bad.... Give it a try though.. It worked way better than white vinegar..

[Richard7]

Throw some in the boiler during a run. It not only breaks the boil; it comes out shiny as a new penny.

Gona try that one next run!

[astronomical]

Throw some in the boiler during a run. It not only breaks the boil; it comes out shiny as a new penny.

Gona try that one next run!

Would you drink oxyclean??? This sounds like a horrible idea.... DO NOT put oxyclean into your still charge..

I could be wrong, but, this sounds extraordinarily stupid to me...

also... "When properly dissolved, the pH of OxiClean can be as high as 11. Some items, such as carpeting, have warranty limitations or recommended pH cleaning of no more than 10."... Wont this damage copper?

[King Of Hearts]

Throw some in the boiler during a run. It not only breaks the boil; it comes out shiny as a new penny.

Gona try that one next run!

Would you drink oxyclean??? This sounds like a horrible idea.... DO NOT put oxyclean into your still charge..

I could be wrong, but, this sounds extraordinarily stupid to me...

also... "When properly dissolved, the pH of OxiClean can be as high as 11. Some items, such as carpeting, have warranty limitations or recommended pH cleaning of no more than 10."... Wont this damage copper?

He means the copper scrubby, not oxyclean.

[astronomical]

That makes sense... Wasn't obvious and I'd hate for someone to distill oxyclean...


"Throw THEM in the boiler during a run." would have been a much better way to word that..

[RumRaider]

That makes sense... Wasn't obvious and I'd hate for someone to distill oxyclean...


"Throw THEM in the boiler during a run." would have been a much better way to word that..

I think you meant "i'm sorry, i misunderstood the post. It was presumptuous of me to call someone stupid when I was the one who was mistaken".

[Prairiepiss]

My question is.

If your scrubbys need to be cleaned. Wouldn't your copper still need to ne cleaned to? So why wouldn't you just do a vinegar run in your still?

[RumRaider]

My question is.

If your scrubbys need to be cleaned. Wouldn't your copper still need to ne cleaned to? So why wouldn't you just do a vinegar run in your still?

I use rolls of copper mesh in a stainless steel still. I have a few more rolls than i need in the column so, i can rotate one into the boiler for each run and keep them all clean. Plus, copper mesh is quiet as opposed to marbles or whatever else people use to break the boil. I was really just trying for a quiet run and the clean copper was an accidental bonus.

[Prairiepiss]

I don't know I've never felt the need to clean it.

[RumRaider]

Clean is good.

[heartcut]

Since I quit distilling on grain and trying feed grade molasses, my copper mesh stays patina clean and the once a year heads run makes it temporarily bright.

[Prairiepiss]

Clean is good.

I would have to disagree with this statement. Due to the fact you didn't mention how clean your talking?

Rinsed off with the patiena still on it yes.
Bright and shiny no.

If you clean it to the shiny state. It will then have to build up the patiena again to the best job it can. This is one reason the subsequent runs after a vinegar run get progressively better.

[RumRaider]

So the sulphides collected on the copper mesh attract more sulphides better than straight copper mesh?
I dont scrub it, just boil it in the wash during runs. Each piece probably goes into the wash every fourth boil.

[heartcut]

The copper combines with the sulphur compounds to make salts which mostly fall back into the boiler. The copper very slowly gets eaten up. I imagine copper mesh will slow this process on the walls of a copper still, but with the sulphites at ppm levels or lower and the other sulphur compounds rarer that that, the copper will last a long time.

[tony2k35]

This is a good method for cleaning the copper mesh. But I thought that I needed to put the top on the jar is was using and it exploded . What a mess, but the copper mesh was clean and shiney.

[Toxxyc]

Sorry for the old topic guys, but it's helpful. I was wondering how I would clean the copper mesh (was also thinking StarSan, as I have a lot of it), so now I know.

However, now the question - how often do you have to wash it? Certainly not every run, I would imagine?

[Deplorable]

I dont "wash" it. It doesn't need anything more than a soak in hot backset occasionally.
When or if it needs it, just drop in in the hot boiler after the run and let it soak as the still cools. Then rinse and air dry.

[Toxxyc]

I dont "wash" it. It doesn't need anything more than a soak in hot backset occasionally.
When or if it needs it, just drop in in the hot boiler after the run and let it soak as the still cools. Then rinse and air dry.

Yeah I was actually thinking of just dipping it in some old StarSan (before I dump it). What I want to know is "how often". Every 3rd run, every 10th run, etc. I have to add I have a copper column and lyne arm with a copper coil as well. I want to add the mesh purely for a bit of additional reflux.

[Rrmuf]

I dont "wash" it. It doesn't need anything more than a soak in hot backset occasionally.
When or if it needs it, just drop in in the hot boiler after the run and let it soak as the still cools. Then rinse and air dry.

Heck! I wish I had seen this thread before. Worth a shot next run!

[rubberduck71]

If no hot backset avail, try 5-5-1 solution:

500 mL distilled water
50 mL hydrogen peroxide
5 g acid powder (citric, tartar, blended, etc...)

[Rrmuf]

If no hot backset avail, try 5-5-1 solution:

500 mL distilled water
50 mL hydrogen peroxide
5 g acid powder (citric, tartar, blended, etc...)

Yup. That’s what I do now; would be nice to avoid it though. I’m trying the backseats idea next!!!!!

[Rrmuf]

I dont "wash" it. It doesn't need anything more than a soak in hot backset occasionally.
When or if it needs it, just drop in in the hot boiler after the run and let it soak as the still cools. Then rinse and air dry.

Wow! Does this ever work well!!! I now have a use for backset! No prep, and no mess!

I guess you guys out west aren't all crazy after all!