Home Brew Cleaning & Sanitising Supplies

To keep home brew equipment safe, you clean it first and then sanitise it. Clean with an alkaline cleaner such as ChemClean or a cleaner/steriliser such as VWP to remove dirt and deposits, then rinse. Just before use, sanitise with ChemSan, a no-rinse sanitiser that needs only 2ml per litre and 2 minutes' contact. That kills the wild yeast and bacteria that cause off-flavours and infected batches.

Buying guide & FAQs

Cleaner, steriliser or sanitiser: which do you need?

  • Heavy cleaning: ChemClean Sodium Percarbonate Cleaner is a PBW alternative. It lifts protein soils, stains and krausen rings from fermenters, kegs and tanks. Use 50g per 5L for scrubbing, or soak with 50g per 20L at up to 60°C. Rinse well afterwards.
  • Clean and sterilise in one step: VWP Cleaner/Steriliser and Young’s Cleaner/Steriliser are long-standing UK favourites. Dissolve the powder, leave it in contact for about 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. Young's comes in a 10g single-use sachet as well as 100g and 250g tubs.
  • Sanitise before every use: ChemSan No-Rinse Sanitiser is the UK-made equivalent of Star San. Dilute at 2ml per litre, give it 2 minutes' contact, let it drain and get brewing. There's no need to rinse.
  • Grainfather owners: Grainfather High Performance Cleaner is made to circulate through the system and counterflow chiller. It is safe on copper and stainless steel.

Tools that make it easier

A nylon bottle brush and a cranked brush reach into bottle shoulders and demijohns. A rotating bottle drainer holds 45 or 77 bottles while they drip dry after sanitising.

Serving beer on draught?

Clean your taps and beer lines regularly with a dedicated line cleaner. Pipeline Purple is in our beer line cleaner range.

Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between cleaning and sanitising?

Cleaning removes visible dirt, yeast and residue. Sanitising kills the microbes that are left behind. Always clean first, because a sanitiser can't work properly on a dirty surface. See our guide to sanitising home brewing equipment.

Do I need to rinse ChemSan?

No. ChemSan is a no-rinse sanitiser. Dilute it at 2ml per litre, allow 2 minutes' contact and let it drain. A little foam left behind won't harm your beer or wine.

Do I need to rinse VWP?

Yes. VWP is a cleaner/steriliser. Leave it in contact for about 10 minutes, then rinse your equipment thoroughly with clean water before use.

Is ChemSan the same as Star San?

ChemSan is the UK-made equivalent of Star San. It is the same type of phosphoric acid-based, self-foaming, no-rinse sanitiser, and you use it in the same way.

What should I use to clean a stained or crusty fermenter?

Soak it in ChemClean Sodium Percarbonate Cleaner, our PBW alternative, in warm water, then rinse. Sanitise with ChemSan just before you next use it.

Home Brew Cleaning & Sanitising Supplies