Sodium Percarbonate, PBW or Oxyclean - HBW 214

What is the difference between cleaning with PBW, OxiClean and Sodium Percarbonate? Which is the best for cleaning your home brewing equipment?

[@MaximAvs]

Thank you Kevin, for the Public Service Announcement!! The more you know!! Cheers!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Thanks Sean. You were around for all those OxyClean debates. lol Cheers my friend!

[@MisterBaker5]

So many products now are just Sodium Percarbonate in different strengths and fill their bottle with packers (stuff that does nothing), yet SP is so simple to use just as it is. Wow it has got expensive there... still able to source it here for $30NZD for 5Kg. So much cheaper than PBW etc. Great info vid Kevin. HHBW

[@ClementsHomebrew]

A lot of places are really jacking up the price, which is ridiculous. At some of the prices I've seen, you might as well buy PBW. Oh well. Cheers Grant

[@oldfartbrewery]

What great information I have just purchased some of the Internet and recirculated it at 80c in the herms coil and was AMAZED at all the colour and beer residue that came out. Great video and cheers Jim

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Awesome! Glad to hear your results. Really makes a difference. I'm able to keep my Braumeister pretty much spotless. Cheers Jim!

[@lionelmitchell2979]

I guess I am kind of randomly asking but do anybody know of a good place to stream newly released tv shows online?

[@lorenzokarter4100]

@Lionel Mitchell flixportal :)

[@lionelmitchell2979]

@Lorenzo Karter Thank you, I went there and it seems like they got a lot of movies there :D I appreciate it !

[@lorenzokarter4100]

@Lionel Mitchell Happy to help :D

[@catherineminard8324]

Thank you for a simply worded educational video. I appreciate a video without excess wording like so many videos people put out. THANK YOU!!!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

You're welcome. Sorry for the SLOW reply back. Cheers!

[@wusaka]

Thx your information Kevin. The 25kg pack of Sodium Percarbonate cost 38 dollars in taiwan. The 23kg pack of pbw cost 469 dollars in homebrew supply shops in taiwan. i will go for Sodium Percarbonate soultion.

[@clementshomebrew4961]

Home brewing In Taiwan... I love hearing that! I glad the information was helpful. #brewforlife

[@eshapiro9585]

Thanks for a helpful video! It's always great to know how to get the active ingredients we want without the added toxic stuff we don't want.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Glad this helped Shapiro. And it's so much better than using Oxyclean. My nephew was using Oxy and kept getting while residue in his kegs. So you're right about not getting the extra stuff! Cheers!

[@StassBrewing]

Cheers Kevin - great video. I've been using sodium percarbonate for a while now and love it. Normally buy 1-2kg at a time for around $7-8AUD per kg. Could buy more at a time for less but then I'd have to store it somewhere. Also really useful for cleaning other household items for the Mrs like glass vases where grime has formed and their shape makes it difficult to get to, whack some Sodium Percarbonate in it with some hot water and it's clean in 20 mins! Happy wife and brewing activities get an extra point! ;-)

[@ClementsHomebrew]

... and we all can use a few extra points with the Mrs. =) Love hearing reports like this. Thanks for sharing! Cheers!

[@chrisdaniel1339]

If you want to know what is in a chemical product look up the Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) it will give all the component chemicals in a product and usually its percentage in the mixture. Great video

[@jgar538]

Nice work up Kevin. Just for added thought, I've been using OxiClean Max Efficiency for several years. It touts 20% more oxygen power over regular OxiClean powder per scoop, which means less other additives. It does not seem to have any perfumes and last time I purchased it, at my local Sam's Club or Costco (they both carry it), it was about $15 for a 10.1 pound box, but that may have been with an in-store coupon. Cheers and keep it clean boys and girls!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Very cool. I've pretty much stuck to the OxyClean Free, but hey if it work! Cheers!

[@deipweedecuchiekrucher7384]

From what I gathered on PBW from the MSDS and patent information is that it contains a proprietary combination of sodium metasilicate, trisodium phosphate, sodium percarbonate, and sodium carbonate

[@Fatone85]

Wow thank you. Most informative description of these.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

I'm glad it was helpful. I spent time researching this and decided to share. Cheers!

[@TheNid08]

Thank you for presenting all those explanations. I gather that I can use Sodium Percarbonate in place of Sodium Carbonate with Hydrogen Peroxide, for cleaning, in my case, laundering sheets and towels.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Yes, absolutely

[@DarrenLoranger]

Awesome video. I thought I'd share some old (possibly antiquated) information regarding this subject. This is the HBT recipe for homemade PBW that I have been using for a long time and with good results: 96oz. Oxy Clean Free, 4lbs. Red Devil TSP/90, 45oz. 7th Generation Dishwasher Detergent. Just mix it all together and it works well. I can't really tell the difference in cleaning power between this and PBW, but this does smell a lot like cat piss...but then so do Citra Hops and they're "All the rage!". Hope this helps. Cheers!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Mmmm.... love the smell of cat piss. Ha ha ha! Love that you got a recipe. I'm going to copy that to experiment with later. Thanks Darren.

[@Techniciansbrewery]

Well done breaking up the parts and explaining! Cheers!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Thanks. I hadn't seen anything like it, so I made this after doing the research for myself. Cheers!

[@MichaelWeaser]

I googled the MSDS sheet for PBW, and the ingredients in it are, sodium carbonate , sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate ( which is the same as Sodium percarbonate, just another name for it) and disodium metasilicate.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

That's Interesting. I know that disodium metasilicate makes the water more alkaline and is a binding agent. Sodium carbonate is not the same as sodium percarbonate. Sodium carbonate is a salt made from sodium and carbonic acid. Sodium percarbonate is an adduct formed from sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. I believe that sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate is the same as Sodium Percarbonate. Good info. Thanks!

[@cheekysaver]

I just spent a great deal of time researching to find sulfate free ways of sanitizing . Thank you so much for this vid. What would be really awesome is a vid saying brewing, sulfate free sanitizer. My sodium metabisulphite is trying to kill me. Breathing issues ect. I am 49 and thought maybe I was allergic to alcohol or something... nope... not at all... just the sterilizing solutions they all use. I had to start brewing my own before I figured that one out. I just added some oxy free on my amazon list. It is easier for me to get in Canada... at first glace. I might find a better deal later. It is all good... I will get it for free AND be able to breathe!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Allergies get tricky. My wife gets migraines from sulfates used in wine, etc. I can see how that would be tough. Glad you have a workable solution. Cheers!

[@steve45ca]

Great video. Ive been using Sodium Percarbonate (no name oxy clean) for a long time. Cheers!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Many of us have. I started using OxiClean in 2013 originally. Cheers Steve!

[@wallyfeck]

I've been using sodium precarbonate for a few months and I can't tell the difference between that and the pbw that I've used for years. It may take a little longer to work but that may be it. The cost is what turned my attention to it. Great video Kevin! Cheers!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Thanks again for the information. Do you have fairly hard water? If so, that may be why sodium percarbonate takes a bit longer. I read about some people with particularly hard water either had to use more sodium percarbonate and other switched back to other cleaners because of it. Cheers Wally!

[@wallyfeck]

ClementsHomebrew. It's a little hard. We don't really have a lot of buildup in the faucet heads but over time it does build up. Cheers Kevin!

[@ColoradoFlyFisherMan]

Just bought 10lbs, thanks for the video kevin. Cheers

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Cool! I've used it and am quite please. Cheers!

[@dkpynn]

Thanks for the info. Still got a decent amount of Oxyclean left but will check out the Sodium when I run out

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Cool Dennis. Hope this helps. Just be sure to shop around as I said. Get the coated version. Cheers!

[@jamesg863]

My times have changed. I wish I bought a lot back then. Its almost twice the price now.

[@clementshomebrew4961]

Crazy! Sad how expensive it all is, but Sodium Percarbonate is still cheaper. As of this reply... 4 lbs PBW sells for between $27 - $29, so about $7 / pound I can buy 16 lbs of Sodium Percabonate for $46.95 or roughly $2.94 / pound. So I still find Sodium Percarbonate to be a better value, but you're right. The prices are absolutely nuts! CHEERS!

[@EduLeiteMr]

Very good and easy to understand congratulations

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Thank you so much. I'm glad this helped.

[@adamjohn3839]

Very useful information clearly delivered. Thanks!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Thanks Adam. I was obviously reading a lot, but I wanted to keep everything accurate. Hope this helps. Cheers!

[@leo.girardi]

Great info. Unfortunately, 5 years after you posted this, OxiClean from Sam's Club is 1/3 the price of Sodium Percarbonate from Amazon.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Yes, prices have certainly changed. And Sodium Percarbonate is no longer a bargain. Many of my friends have gone back to PBW.

[@leo.girardi]

@@ClementsHomebrew Good to know.

[@Canadiansasquatchbrewery]

Great stuff Kevin! I've never been a fan of OxyClean because it leaves that film, so always used PBW. Might have to check out Sodium Percabonate when my PBW runs out now and see how well that works. Cheers!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Well... if you read peoples comments in this string, you'll see that a lot of people swear by it. I hadn't seen a video on the topic, so thought I'd put an intelligent one out there. =)

[@FuriousTortoise]

Yeah it's the detergent residue in oxiclean. I learned to use much less oxiclean that I thought I would need and rinsed well! I'm a huge fan of all these chemicals and bleaches in the video so I'd say keep up the good work!

[@PaulieDetmurds]

Good information Kevin! Well done too! Cheers Brother!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Thanks Paulie. After reading up on the topic, I thought it was worth sharing with the community. Cheers!

[@WreckedBrewery]

Great information! I prefer OxiClean over PBW for reasons of cost and for some reason PBW feels like it needs more rinsing to me. OxiClean doesn't feel like it leaves that weird film on things. Cheers!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

The issues with OxyClean and film only occur if the OxyClean is left in carboys, etc., overnight. It was never an issue for me personally. I used OxyClean Free for years. Cheers!

[@WreckedBrewery]

Oh ok that makes sense. I rarely did that. There were probably only a handful of really nasty carboys I needed to soak for a couple hours and had to rise thoroughly. I love OxiClean. So, you're switching away from OxiClean completely?

[@andreasw9441]

Thanks so much for this informative video. Just a few other things to consider when dexiding what to buy: plastic packaging and animal testing, which I think the makers of Oxiclean do. 😢

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Good perspective. Thanks for sharing.

[@JHooverBrewer]

Well done Kevin on a pretty in depth concept. I still have quite a bit of PBW leftover so it may be a while before I consider the switch. Cheers!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

I'd heard from Wally and other, so I decided to read up on it because I was almost out of PBW. Then I realized it would be a great idea for a video. Good information for BrewTubers. Cheers Josh

[@ShallRemainUnknown]

PBW is only 15-30% sodium percarbonate. OxiClean is only about 30% (range 23-38%) sodium percarbonate, so multiply OxiClean's price 3 to 3.5 times when comparing it to price of pure sodium percarbonate (the rest of OxiClean's ingredients can be largely considered filler). .

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Great information! Thank you

[@ShallRemainUnknown]

@@ClementsHomebrew My pleasure, and thanks for the vid!

[@charleschapman2428]

Thanks for the explanation, I don't see any coated Sodium P so I'm going to go with the Kosher and deal with the clumps .

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Cool. Glad the video helped. Cheers!

[@JSClements]

Nice presentation. Good information. J. Clements, Porltand, Oregon.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Glad that helped. We must be related some how. Probably back in the 1500's in England. ;) I'm in Hillsboro my self. Cheers!

[@JSClements]

I'm just at the outskirts of Hillsboro, OR :)

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Very cool. It would be fun to meet at ABV one day.

[@Mother4Jesus]

I use to use Oxiclean but switched to straight sodium Percarbonate because oxiclean has fillers. use much less of the Sodium Percarbonate than I would of Oxiclean. I feel like the money is worth it. IF you use oxiclean the percentage of H202 is much smaller.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Great insight Laura. Thanks for sharing.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

@@DBchi-town No difference in cleaning power between coated and uncoated. Coated just prevents the granules from getting stuck together in clumps.

[@AnyHouseCleaning]

Nice informative video. Well explained. Thank you

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Thanks so much. I've been very please with my results.

[@TurboHommy]

Thank you for the great info! What is a good mixture ratio to mix crystals of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide to create sodium percarbonate?

[@ClementsHomebrew]

You are very welcome

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Oh! 1 Tablespoon per gallon. Use hot water. around 185 F

[@nicolestewart]

Well done 👍 😊

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Thank you. Hopefully it was helpful. It's a shame that Sodium Percarbonate is so much more expensive these days. Cheers!

[@sabergermd]

Active ingredients are available in the MSDS which is available online. They are required by law.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

I've seen the MSDS, but I'm no chemist, so it didn't help me much. And it doesn't give specific quantities, but rather ranges. Cheers!

[@marioramos8569]

Thank you for the video, I am almost out of PBW & was researching if Oxyclean would be suitable as a replacement. After watching your video I decided to try out the Sodium Percarbonate and took your recommendation and ordered 8lbs from Pro Supply Outlet. What water to product ratio would you recommend for cleaning. Thank you again for sharing your knowledge! Cheers

[@ClementsHomebrew]

I use 1 tablespoon per gallon of water at 185 F. It's important to use hot water. It is also important to use a sanitizer after cleaning, otherwise any of these cleaners can leave some residue. Cheers!

[@vivimedina5925]

ClementsHomebrew Found your video helpful while researching Sodium Percarbonate after seeing it used by Korean KZbinrs and seeing how well it cleans and whitens. Regarding sanitizing, can alcohol 91% be used as a sanitizer? What do you recommend? Thank you 😀

[@ClementsHomebrew]

@@vivimedina5925 I suppose you could use alcohol as a sanitizer. I've used alcohol to sanitize caps. But the cost would be high compared to regular sanitizer.

[@lau21kalii]

Great video thank you so much

[@ClementsHomebrew]

You're welcome Laura.

[@jeanninemorelli-cary927]

Thank you :)

[@ClementsHomebrew]

You are most welcome. Sadly prices for Sodium Percabonate are rising.

[@jollyandwaylo]

I don't understand the statement that you don't know what is in PBW but you know it is safe for the environment. How is that possible?

[@ClementsHomebrew]

First, I understand the chemistry of the primary ingredients. Very safe environmentally. Second, the product has been around for a long time, promoted by both the manufacturers and breweries as safe. If any of the additives eere not, it would someone would have blown the whistle by now.

[@noormuhammadmaghmoompoetry7705]

Good information

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Glad it was helpful.

[@garyballared2077]

ty

[@ClementsHomebrew]

You are welcome. I may be shopping for some more myself soon

[@roberttomsiii3728]

Buying 10.1 lbs oxiclean right now, $13.18 at Sam's club

[@ClementsHomebrew]

At Sam's Club. I would never had thought of looking there. Great price. Cheers!

[@noormuhammadmaghmoompoetry7705]

Sir Can you tell me about a chemical which work best in detergent for high foaming and cleaning in cold water I will be very thankful to you for this

[@ClementsHomebrew]

This actually works in cold water.

[@pearlhall3787]

I couldn't find it from Pro Supply. On Amazon, it is now $17.81 for 5 lbs. At least that is what I found, so prices have changed I guess.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Well, it has been a 18 months. I prefer it coated. I found uncoated for $15.99 / lbs and $25.99 / 10 lbs. on Amazon. I don't brew enough to warrant it, but I did find a 55 lbs bag for $95 at ingredi.com Cheers!

[@pearlhall3787]

@@ClementsHomebrew I am using it to clean my deck

[@pearlhall3787]

Thanks for replying

[@chefe2152]

I have challenge getting sodium percarbonateb ,1 kg is 35$ here in Canada. But I can get cheap sodium carbonate.Could I just add sodium carbonate and some hydrogen peroxide together?

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Great questions. I did my research, but I"m not a chemist. You'll need to consult with someone that knows more. The price has gone up for many reasons. Particularly since Covid.

[@JUAN120484]

For cleaning mold is best option or recommended

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Well, I'm no expert on mold. If you're talking mold in a refrigerator, put straight distilled vinegar in a spray bottle and hit the gaskets really well. Clean the frig and hit it again with the spray bottle of distilled vinegar. I actually had a small refrigerator die recently. A few of the bottles had mold develop. I used the vinegar to clean them, before moving to another refrigerator. Cheers!

[@christinewarren8866]

Sorry if this is stupid question; what is the difference between sodium percarbonate and sodium bicarbonate? I'm UK viewer so what I know as bi may be what you call per. Can anyone answer this question please?

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Sodium Bicarbonate is essentially baking soda. Sodium Percarbonate is "soda ash" or "washing soda". They are very different, even in the UK. Cheers!

[@mjborgwardt4085]

Actually, Sodium Carbonate is "soda ash"/"washing soda." Sodium percarbonate is an adduct of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide.

[@vernontafte1718]

How much to use per gallon of water thank you Vernon

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Hi Vernon. I use 1 Tablesppon per gallon myself. Seems to be the most recommended amount. It is also suggested you use 185 F water temp to start. Honestly, I just tone down the hot water from the tap a little. Cheers!

[@vernontafte1718]

Thank you very much I do a lot of cleaning.

[@amittamore8554]

How many percentage use in liquid detergent?

[@ClementsHomebrew]

I don't use it with liquid detergent, so I don't know. I would think very little. For cleaning pots, I use a 1 table spoon per gallon of water.

[@vernontafte1718]

I bought some from pro supply they sent me kosher sodium percarbonate and tell me that it is coded I’m not sure what to believe anymore now hello out there

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Well... I couldn't tell you what they shipped. But if it is coated, that's a good thing. It will store better. Cheers!

[@vernontafte1718]

ClementsHomebrew They shipped me Kosher sodium percarbonate and they told me it was coded and was not non-coated and I said OK

[@craigshoemaker2492]

5 years later that same 10lb bag is 55$

[@ClementsHomebrew]

I know. It's ridiculous. It makes sense to go back to PBW. Use 2 table spoons per 5 gallons with a soak.

[@austinmelbourne5085]

I heard pbw is just sodium percarbonate and tsp90

[@ClementsHomebrew]

I'm not sure that's accurrate. I've heard several rumors. They add ingredients to enhance the cleaning power. A few recipes have been post on the Internet actually, though no one knows how accurate they are.

[@Francois_Dupont]

@@ClementsHomebrew TSP (Tri Sodium Phosphate) can act as a fertilizer, i think you guys use it to clean you glassware in order to brew. i woudnt use TSP and any residue could help mold grow.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Francois Dupont We use sodium percarbonate, not Tri Sodium Phosphate. Once cleaned, all the equipment is sanitized. It's used by professionals around the world. So no concerns. Cheers!

[@moondog7694]

Can OxiClean disable covid-19?

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Ha ha! I wouldn't count on it, but your stomach acid can. Drink lot of warm liquids. Clear your passages that way, pushing the virus to your stomach, instead of your lungs. ;) CHeers!

[@moondog7694]

@@ClementsHomebrew I don't want to have to vomit on every load of my dirty laundry before I throw it into my front-loader washing machine.

[@ClementsHomebrew]

@@moondog7694 lol

[@musicguy20]

Yes. By disabling you it’ll also disable Covid-19 🙃

[@ClementsHomebrew]

@@musicguy20 lol

[@Pope2501]

Incorrect. Sodium carbonate is Na₂CO₃ Sodium bicarbonate is NaHCO3 Hydrogen peroxide is H₂O₂ Neither sodium carbonate nor sodium bicarbonate contain hydrogen peroxide.

[@oldman_eleven]

who else trying to clean a bong? whaaatuppp!!!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Never used it to clean a bong myself. But according to my sources, you would need to soak it overnight. ;)

[@oldman_eleven]

@@ClementsHomebrew lol didn't expect a reply but yea this gunk is finally coming out. It's been a week!

[@ClementsHomebrew]

@@oldman_eleven Ha ha! I"m sometimes slow, but I always reply. ;) I've seen a number of mistakes (from my perspective) on cleaning. The first is letting things soak too long. I've seen issues with this. Use hot water with PBW, Sodium Percarbonate, Oxyclean, etc. My recommendation is 185 F. An hour should be sufficient. I also recommend using a temperature protective flove and cleaning with a soft sponge (so not to scratch surfaces). Follow up with a rinse and sanitize immediately. Starsan does a great job removing the film. To test this theory, try cleaning with Sodium Percarbonate (or PBW). Dip your hand in the solution then rub your fingers. You will feel a slick feeling on your fingers. Then spray (or dip) you hands in Sanitizer. You will immediately feel that slick feeling go away. So following immediately with sanitizer is critical to avoid the film issue you've experienced. Hope this helps! Cheers!

[@oldman_eleven]

@@ClementsHomebrew thanks so much brother! I grabbed sanitiser too so I'll be sure to re soak at higher temperature and sanitise! Thanks a lot

[@sguiosky]

Spent at least 6 minutes in a 9 minute video storytelling instead of which one works best. Either get to the point or relabel video

[@ClementsHomebrew]

Appreciate you thoughts. I made this video because I know a lot of people that wanted to know the difference so they could make up their own minds. Cheer! :)