Cleaning Copper

[infinibev8]

So I've read the "how to clean..." on the new distiller's reading lounge about cleaning a still....however, I'm wondering how much to dilute the vinegar? I'm going to follow the post by soaking and then running the still through with vinegar but just curious what dilution everyone has used in the past.

Anybody use vinegar to clean green oxidation from the copper with good results? Or perhaps used something else to clean up the green discoloration in copper with good results?

Any other cleaning methods you can suggest hat are efficient would be helpful. Thank you!

[Bushman]

We usually recommend a two step processes for cleaning your still the first time.

1. A vinegar run diluting the vinegar 50/50 with water
2. A low wine run. This is usually a run using some type of cheap alcohol. This we call a sacrificial run.

On my newest still I just saved up my feints to use.

[YukonJack]

I have read on here that some members have used citric acid to soak their copper in. Personally, I just cleaned my new column using muriatic acid. I did a 50/50 of the acid and water and soaked the pieces overnight. You then need to soak it in a baking soda solution to nuetralize the acid. After that you will need to take steel wool and brush it till its shining. Some use wire brushes as well.

[infinibev8]

Is this an effective way to remove the green corrosion? Little worried about the green corrosion...

[Samohon]

As Bushman pointed out 50/50 vinegar and water along with a sacrificial wash (that can be used for cleaning later), is the way to go for internal still cleaning.

For everything else (after soldering, ect), I use diluted patio cleaner, (hydrochloric acid)...

[Braz]

I have read on here that some members have used citric acid to soak their copper in. Personally, I just cleaned my new column using muriatic acid. I did a 50/50 of the acid and water and soaked the pieces overnight.

Muriatic acid and Hydrochloric acid are the same thing. A 50/50 mix with water sounds way strong to me. I use around 6 to 8 parts water to one part acid. Add the acid to the water, NOT THE OTHER WAY AROUND. And, use it in a well ventilated area. The fumes can kill you in strong concentrations.

[infinibev8]

So, I've taken apart my still and soaked the separate copper pieces in a diluted muriatic acid solution (1gal to 15gal water) for a few hours. Obviously the goal is to clean the still. However, the outside of the still looks like hell (gets all corroded looking) and we've got to scrub it like crazy to get it bright again. I certainly don't want to keep shining the outside every time we clean the still so what am I doing wrong here?!

Also, if I can't get around this soaking issue where the outside looks like hell then I was debating running the still with a diluted muriatic acid wash. Has anyone done this and is it safe? We have good ventilation so it should prevent any issues with the hydrogen resulting from the acid reaction on the metal. Just never done it before but I think it would clean the inside without the corroding of the outside issue.

Thanks ahead of time for any tips/info.

[myles]

You don't clean the still that often.

After soldering yes, but certainly not after use. If it is a packed column or a plated column you can back flush with water from the top into the boiler. For a pot still every now and then just put some clean water in the boiler and run steam through it.

As for the outside, once it is nice and shiny you cap spray it with a clear heatproof lacquer if you like, or wear cotton gloves and don't put fingerprints on it.

[Aussiedownunder01]

Hair lacquer works well on the outside

[infinibev8]

I'm worried about cleaning up the still enough as I change from one class of spirits to the other. Just ran quite a bit of Vodka and I do a water rinse like you suggested. However, looking to run for Brandy now and thinking it'd be a better idea to clean it more thoroughly when changing spirits like this?...perhaps a water rinse is enough with the occasional muriatic soak with necessary re-shining a few times a year.

Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

[Prairiepiss]

Just rinse it with hot water after each run. That's all you need to do. That's it. There is a point that it can be too clean. The natural patena means the copper is doing its job. When you clean it off it has to get it back before it works best again. Kinda like a cast iron Skillet. It needs to be seasoned before it works good. And if you scrub it off. It don't work so good any more.

Just rinse with hot water and let it dry. Done.

Edit to add unless you have a wash puke. Then more cleaning may be needed. But not much more.

[redfrog]

newb question coming in 3, 2, 1 here we go:
do you still do vinegar and sacrificial alc. run before each batch or just rincing after the batch then use right away with a bit of rince next time around (depends on how long its been sitting i guess)? I heard vinegar runs take away the patina as would a scrub or a bath in acidic solutions... so not a good thing to do right before a run?
I have run countless of those, think my bok is getting clean "enough" and running evry 1 or 2 weeks i feel there isnt anything bad left in there or anything growing that a good rince and the fores collection cant wash out.
Still doin them but hopin you tell me i dont really have to evrytime, just once in a while, as it would speed up the process big time, and havent found anything conclusive so far

thanks

redfrog

[Dnderhead]

when its clean its clean other than some rinsing with water nothing is needed or should be needed.
if you flood the column then clean the gook out,,rinse and dry and its good to go..
keeping the inside dry between runs is the best thing you can do,if you dont it can corrode then you
will have a mess to clean.

[redfrog]

thanks alot
def saved me a couple hours last time around and countless for the futur!

[Durace11]

Vinegar cleaning should be done once and not again unless you let it sit around for several months/years without use. Or it gets excessively dirty due to outdoor storage or some unforseen problem. Water rinsing should be all you need unless you puke in it, still puke, not you puke!

[infinibev8]

What is this "still puke" you guys are referring to?

Thanks again for all the help on cleaning frequency, etc. I'll clean it up one last time really well and put a protective coating on the outside so it stays shiny forever!

Thanks!

[redfrog]

What is this "still puke" you guys are referring to?

Thanks again for all the help on cleaning frequency, etc. I'll clean it up one last time really well and put a protective coating on the outside so it stays shiny forever!

Thanks!

this is when your mash boils over and ends up coming up your column, leaving gunk all over the inside of your still

[Dnderhead]

"What is this "still puke" you guys are referring to?"
to add,this is why you see large necks,bulges etc on stripping stills.
foam or other can expand and turn back to liquid .sort of like when a pot
boils over,when the foam escapes the pot it reverts back. a "cap" also does this to a extent .

[infinibev8]

Ahhh...never heard it called that before, but makes sense. Thanks again everyone.