After all the trouble I had cleaning and sterilizing demi-johns I decided to dedicate a webpage about it. With all the mistakes I made so you won't have to make them. I think I came up with a pretty good way of cleaning demi-johns. The final method is listed somewhere at the bottom of the page, but I listed all my actions (including mistakes) in chronological order and hopefully you find it interesting enough to read the whole page so you know what not to do as well as how to clean demi-johns.
After being given a few more I now have 24 demi-johns in total in addition to the 5 fermentation barrels of 6 gallons each. As you can see, the demi-johns have been on a shelf somewhere with last year's brew still in it.
It seemed a good idea to give them all a good clean in a hot bath with some washing up liquid in it to get most of the residue out.
They came out pretty clean. Some of them still had a little bit of filth inside them, but most of them were clean to the eye.
A close-up of a demi-john before going in the bath and one after having a bath. Quite a difference.
After a good rinse the demi-johns were ready to be sterilized. Last year I used a sterilizing agent which I bought of e-bay. I wanted to do it a bit cheaper this year and decided to use bleach. On the bottle it said to use 60ml of bleach for a 1 gallon demi-john. I decided to use a little bit more to be sure that it was all sterilized okay. That was my first mistake (or maybe second if you count using bleach in the first place as a mistake). I left the demi-johns overnight with the bleach.
This is what the demi-johns looked like after the bleach treatment. If you look 3 pictures up, you will see that the demi-johns don't look as clean as they did when they just came out of the bath. Something clearly had gone wrong (apart from the fact that there now seemed to be one demi-john extra. I cleaned 12 in one go and only put a few on the table for the picture).
A closer look at the demi-johns at this stage. The bleach had solidified on the bottom, and there also seemed some sort of residue on the inside that wasn't noticable before. I tried to clean this of with hot water and soap and a strong bottle brush but this did not work at all. I decided to use the same sterilizing agent I used last year (VWP Cleaner/Sterilizer) to see if the solidified bleach could come off.
The demi-johns are now filled with warm water and VWP Cleaner/Sterilizer and left overnight.
It did not work. At this moment I thought I had ruined 12 good demi-johns because I had no idea to clean them now. I started searching the internet on how to clean a demi-john and found a few different answers. Most of them were similar to what I had done already. There was one about dropping a slug in it and wait for the slug to eat everything inside the demi-john. It was interesting, but I did not want to kill slugs by having them eat solidified bleach. Then I saw a page about using vinegar and rice. The rice will work as a scourer. Worth a try as the only other option it to get rid of them or use them in the garden!
It worked a treat. I filled all demi-johns with about an inch of vinegar and a handfull of rice and started shaking and rotating the demi-johns. The result was pretty impressive; everything inside the demi-johns came of easily. I would not have believed it if I did not see it with my own eyes.
A close-up after using the vinegar and rice. The demijohns are cleaner than ever and ready to be sterilized again with VWP cleaner/sterilizer.
I did not put the rest of the demi-johns in the bath. Instead, I used the kettle to boil water and a scouring pad to clean them from the outside. With a bottle brush I cleaned the inside as well as I could. With the hotter water than the bath water they came out cleaner.
I lost 1 demi-john to the boiling water. I should have poured a little bit of boiling water on the outside as well to avoid this. Another lesson learned.
All demi-johns now cleaned and sterilized.
And finally, this would be my recommendation for cleaning and sterilizing demi-johns:
Clean the soiled demi-johns with near boiling water, washing up liquid and a bottle brush from the inside, occasianally shaking vigourously and let it soak for a while. The bottle brush is optional. The bottle brush I used was a cheap one and totally useless. Maybe an expensive bottle brush does a better job but I wouldn't bother. Be careful not to break the demi johns. Pour some hot water on the outside as well to get a more even expension of the glass. Use a scouring pad and washing up liquid to clean the outside. Rinse thoroughly.
In case of well-soiled demi-johns there will still be some residue left in the demi-johns. Fill the demi-john with about 1 inch of vinegar and a handfull of rice and shake hard for a few minutes. Rinse thoroughly. If you had demi-johns with dried up cider from a few years ago or dried up mud then they should now be clean to the eye. All 24 of mine were at this point.
Sterilize demi-johns with VWP Cleaner/Sterilizer. I bought this on ebay in jars enough for 5 gallons. Costs about £4 per jar. A cheaper option could be bleach, but my results were a disaster. If you want to use bleach, don't use more than 60ml per gallon and don't leave it overnight. Rinse thouroughly, and put a solid bung on them. The demi-johns are now ready for use.
After you have used the demi johns, rinse them again thoroughly so that there are no remains of whatever you used them for left and put a bung on them. This step is just as important as the other steps as it saves you so much hassle when you are ready to use the demi johns again.
Please feel free to leave a comment about this page.
I just raided my mothers loft and found six demijohns which I promptly scuttled home with. I wanted to say thank you for the helpful tips. This is the only website we have managed to find that gives useful tips on cleaning them.
Can't wait to see how the wine turns out!
Ta mate,
Jenny
hannah – wales
August 12, 2010 - 01:17
Subject: thanks
hey this is just what i need to know I have 9 filthy demijohns ready for a good clean.
p.s. if i make cider in them and leave it for 6 weeks will they explode?
Thanks hannah
Reply to hannah
Aero – England
August 17, 2010 - 18:26
Subject: Re: thanks
They will not explode if you use airlocks. Even with bungs they will not explode but the bungs might pop out. Happened to me many times. Airlocks is the way to go. Good luck!
Dave – South Wales
June 19, 2010 - 14:02
Subject: Thanks
I'm really new to this, only making a few crude batches of fruit juice and yeast to create a potent drink that tasted like ****.
Anyway, I want to give it a proper go with a Strawberry wine kit.
I had the same sort of etching on the inside of the demijon.
I didn't have any rice in the house, so I used some straight pasta. I snapped them into small pieces and aded to the vinegar.
Worked a treat!!
Now I've rinsed and left them sterilizing, ready for the go tomorrow.
Many thanks
Dave
Colin – Horsham West Sussex
March 22, 2010 - 13:23
Subject: Demi Johns and other items for sale
Hi I have 14 demi johns and 2 x fementing buckets plus other items for sale if you now of anyone interested
Reply to Colin
val – lancing
April 29, 2010 - 07:43
Subject: Re: Demi Johns and other items for sale
Dear Colin, any chance you still have demi johns for sale if so how much are you wanting for them, Val
Flt Lt T J Burton RAF VR(T) – Leicestershire, UK
March 06, 2010 - 19:06
Subject: Cleaning Demijohns
Hi Martain,
I use to make wine many years ago as a child when living at my parents, now a lot older I haven't had the bug until now to make my own wine.
However while clearing out old buidings on the old Ratcliffe ATA Airfield in Leicestershire, I have come across 7 demijohns and yes you've guesed it! Got the Bug back!
So I have now got them at home, cleaning them as best I can with washing up liquid and some Detal!
I am so please you have made this webpage as I will be trying tomorow with your exclusive cleaning method with vinigar and rice!
I will let you know how I get on and if all is sucsessfull I will send you a bottle of Ratcliffe RAF Wine when it is brewed.
Thanks again, hope to hear from you soon.
Best Regards
Toby
sally oakley – new york
January 04, 2010 - 21:35
Subject: grand-size demijohn broken at the bottom.
i was being very careful, being sure not to hit it up against anything. i tipped it over to get the brush around and the bottom broke off, almost cleanly. typically, the jar sits in a plastic holder with handles. we had to clean it due to a filmy covering at the lower part. anyone have this experience? did i do something wrong? or was it just its time? and now i have a perfect glass jar for a garden terrarium.
mike
October 05, 2009 - 21:11
Subject: cleaning demi-johns
Thanks very much for the tip...just saved us throwing out four demi-johns, that were given to us on freecylce.
They had been in someone's garden for years! Tried just washing but couldn't clean out the stains inside. The rice worked a treat! Look like new now and ready for Blackberry wine!
Cheers,
Mike
Martin Miles – Reading
August 19, 2009 - 09:01
Subject: Thanks - Demijohn cleaning
Dear Aero,
I am not sure if it was you or Clarkie who put up the website about demijohn cleaning but you just saved what I thought was a ruined demijohn.
Back in March my father died and I inherited his wine-making equipment which he was into in a fairly big way. Since we had done it together back in the 1970's when I was in my teens I thought I'd start up again. Anyway I have in quite a big way as well! I was actually looking on the internet for demijohns for sale so I came upon your site about cleaning. I had done EVERYTHING that was on your site already - except the vinegar and rice. I had something at the top of the demijohn which resembled etched glass. Tried everything and I though I would simply have to live with a damaged demijohn.
So about 15 minutes again I thought I'll give it to go. I knew it wouldn't work but I had nothing to lose. IT WAS A MIRACLE! I had only shook it for a minute and it started coming off and it was all gone after 5 minutes or so.
So your website was not done in vain - well done and thank you very much.
24-06-2010: The weather was nice and we decided to take a daytrip to the beach at Woolacombe.
21-06-2010: New pictures of the Sunday Cider shed added.
08-09-2009: Some photo's of our trip to The Netherlands added and more pictures of the Sunday Cider shed added.
31-08-2009: The long awaited pigroast at the Saturday cider shed finally happened..
31-08-2009: Although not as busy as last year, this year's barbecue at Aston sub Edge village club was still a success.
22-08-2009: Have you ever heard of The Lynches? It is the name of the woods we walk through on our way to Chipping Campden. These woods feature on a few pages on this website. Well, there is now somebody living in The Lynches, Ray Mears style (or is it John Rambo?).
24-07-2009: As promised, I have now taken a few pictures of the Saturday Cider Shed. More pictures will be added in due course.
09-07-2009: Finally. I've added a page about the cider shed on Sunday morning. Another page about
the Saturday cider shed will follow shortly (I have to take a few more pictures first).
