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I hope this hasn't been covered in to much detail before. I searched for clean +still +how and it returned ...to many common words.

I was wondering what the best method to clean a still was. I read the parent site and cleaned the boiler with a lye solution, then rinsed, then used my carboy brush to scrub it, then boiled water and rinsed again. It has a nice clean "metal" smell to it. For the column, I've run it first with water, then I've run 3 washes through it, rinsing with water after each. I recently switched out the packing to the copper gauze, so I installed the packing and poured ~2 gal. of very hot (140°F ish) vinegar water solution (2cups/gallon) through the column and rinsed. I then made a 2 gal. wash H2O with 4 cups vinegar) and ran the wash. A mild acetic acid condensate came out and continued to run until about ½ gal. was collected. Once the column cooled a bit I poured cool water through it to rinse. My column still has an odd smell I can't place which isn't the "smell" of copper, which I can recognize. Have I done something wrong during mfg. or is this a normal still smell? Also, would there be a better way to wash it. I don't have the tub cleaner mentioned in the parent site, but I do have some spic and span which I believe is a similar product.

I just flush the bitch out with water right after running, while she's still hot. I dont like the idea of putting any chemicals into her, they can leave residue behind.

I flush with water as well. recently I found that the turbulators / mesh inside my condenser were getting really scummy, so I took them out and soaked in a citric acid solution.

back in the bought still days, which was all together not long enough ago, the instructions said to soak everything in citric solution.

hey kiwi, what does that acid do to the copper? does it make it shinny, or does it keep its petina? I have the same problem with mine, might have to try that.

I just flush with fresh water and haven't 'cleaned' my kettle for years and years, and I'm still normal.

blanik

Blanik, you're not normal, you're a legend

Gee, thanks Kiwi.

blanik

i brush off the dough seal with hot slops then rince in clean water, thats it

Copper is so reactive...it will change colour when you put on a fingerprint, when the dog pisses on it, when you put acid or base. I let it alone and rinse with hot water. It goes pink an black but if it stays after a wipe then the copper knows best.

An big worm is a legend

I was thinking I might not have been able to get all the soldering flux out of the nooks and crannies in the still and was wondering if there was a good method to remove all traces of the flux. I'm still assuming that the wet box smell in my distillate is a direct result of the turbo wash and not that I still have some flux or other nasties in the column. I guess the next run will tell me more since its a nice smelling sugar wash using EC1118.