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How to Clean Keg Lines

Although your kegerator may be a valuable piece of appliance, still, at times it can become messy and so you have to keep clean keg lines to keep it from losing its shine. However, if you are new to carrying out the cleaning process on your item, you may just end up being challenged in some ways.

Cleaning your keg takes time, especially if beer spilled in it. Therefore, it is best for you know the ins and outs of what to do so that your little refrigerator will not go bad and lose its use quickly.

Why clean dirty lines in your keg

Unclean lines left in your keg refrigerator can become a real trouble spot, especially where hygiene and your health is concerned. The lines left untouched could collect yeasts, beer stones and sugary deposits if left unattended.

In addition, an unclean keg line will leave anything digestible like your beer changing its taste and developing a foamy substance, which can be bad for your health. For most persons who own a kegerator, they can carry out a normal clean up by using soap and water if they prefer.

However, there are other ways to get the job done as well, which we will cover in the texts of the article. Keeping your keg clean and tidy is a must if you want to promote good health.

Build your own apparatus

If you want to save on money, you can do so by building your own keg cleaning equipment. Some things you will need to build your own home based cleaner are a hand pump paint sprayer, a corny keg liquid post that is available to you and coupler to attach the outer thread to the inner thread.

With your DIY apparatus in place, you will be able to pour into it a quart or two of water into it and with sufficient fluid all you have to do is just squeeze the piston and your cleaning process begins.

Use a simple cleaning method

There are a number of mechanisms on the market today that can be used to clean keg lines, some cheap and others on the expensive side. However, to cut back on strain on your wallet, you can improvise and employ a simple yet effective method to get your keg lines clean.

• Prepare your materials
• Push carbon dioxide down into the line
• Repeat the process by using a few quarts of plain water this time

Not all cleaning solutions can remove beer stones. Therefore, to really get a great clean finish, you should consider using BLC Beer Line Cleaner product. This cleaner is a safe cleaning solution that works well with your equipment.

Use your hand pump cleaning gear

Instead of going through all the trouble of making your own homemade cleaner, you can purchase a cleaning gear at the store. Here is how you use a cleaning kit to get your keg staying in great shape:

1. Shut down the CO2 Regulator
2. Open the keg and take out the beer line from its coupler.
3. Attach the cleaning kit coupler to the beer line.
4. Carefully read the manufactures specification and then follow through by pouring the given amount into the cleaning bottle.
5. Add some water but do not overflow the container.
6. Insert and tighten the pump then start pumping to get the bottle to reach the required pressurized state.
7. Place an empty bucket underneath the faucet so that the cleaning solution can run out into it.
8. Resume pumping until all the liquid runs out into the bucket.
9. Properly rinse the bottle and then proceed to fill it with clean water.
10. Do a repeat of the cycle so that no unwanted chemicals remain in the line.

Use a re-circulating cleaning pump

A re-circulating cleaning pump can also be used as well. Here is how to do it:

• Start by connecting cleaning cups or adapters with keg couplers.
• Place the “in” hose in a full bucker of water.
• Attach the dispense system to the “out” hose and start the pump running. When the pump starts running, beer will be flushed out into another bucket. The process will continue until clear water starts running out from the line.
• Use clean water and rinse the second bucket and then pour in your chosen line cleaning mixture
• Put the “in” hose button into this second bucker where the cleaning mixture is and then make a closed loop.
• Turn the pump on again and allow the mixture to work for at least 15 minutes.
• Fill the first bucket with clean cold water and place the “in” hose back into it.
• Start pumping cold water from the first bicker into the second one so that the system can be thoroughly rinsed.
• Re-rinse the process by filling up the first bucket again with water and when required dump the water from the second bucket.

Finally, if you still see your keg showing bad beer lines, it is an indication that you need to replace your lines as soon as possible. In fact, it is best you replace the lines periodically to keep your keg working longer and promoting great health as well.

If you find it a bit difficult to buy new beer lines, make sure you clean the one you have at least every two weeks if you are running a commercial business. If you have a home kegerator, you can clean it every five weeks or when you switch keg uses.

To have clean keg lines at all times, you have to pay careful attention to your kegerator.  If your cooling apparatus picks up bacteria, it can pass it on to your beer and in time you can become sick from consuming an unhealthy product.

After all, you want your beers to taste great and to have a longer life span and the only way you can make that happen is for you to practice proper hygiene with your cooling companion.