Commercial Keg Cleaning: What Should You Know?

Everything you need to know about cleaning a commercial keg, including the step-by-step keg cleaning process followed by professional cleaners.

Kegs are commonly used in commercial breweries, restaurants and pubs to store liquids, particularly alcoholic drinks. Traditionally, kegs were made out of wood.

However, modern kegs are mostly steel-based. Clean Group’s Restaurant cleaning service helps maintain the attractiveness and hygiene of commercial kegs, which is crucial for breweries and pubs to continue serving fresh and tasty drinks to their customers.

Why is keg cleaning important?

The kegs you use to store alcohol and other liquids such as cider must be cleaned frequently to maintain effectiveness. Kegs are used not only to store drinks safely but are also a popular medium to ferment and preserve alcohol such that its taste is maintained or improved over time.

Routine keg cleaning is important for health and safety reasons. It helps maintain the keg’s effectiveness and ability to preserve or improve the taste. Additionally, cleaning prevents contamination and extends the life of the equipment.

Regular keg maintenance can save you money by eliminating the need for frequent replacements. It also ensures your restaurant or pub business complies with Australian health and safety standards.

Without regular cleaning, a layer of slime will form on the inside surface of a keg, affecting the taste and quality of the beverage stored in it. A clean keg allows you to keep serving fresh drinks to customers.

Thankfully, cleaning an industrial keg is easy. With the right skills and resources, you can even do it yourself.

When you hire a commercial cleaning company like Clean Group for your restaurant or pub cleaning, we also clean all your kegs using professional solutions and methods.

How to Clean A Commercial Keg

Whether you’ve hired professional cleaners for keg cleaning or doing it yourself, it helps to know the basic processing of cleaning a commercial keg. Here’s everything you need to know:

Keg Cleaning Terms You Should Know

The 3 most common types of commercial keg in Australia include:

1. Ball-lock
2. Pin lock
3. Sankey kegs

Most modern kegs can be disassembled to clean and then assembled back together, making cleaning effortless. Cleaning each keg component separately and thoroughly is the key to achieving overall effectiveness and efficient results.

Professional Keg Cleaning Tools and Supplies

Gathering the right equipment and commercial keg cleaning supplies is equally important.

Here are a few basic cleaning supplies you can easily find and start with:

1. Keg Cleaning Solutions:

Chlorine dioxide and peracetic acid are the two most commonly used solutions for keg cleaning. Each has a specific process to break down build-up and different dirt types.

Chlorine Dioxide is a fast-acting agent and is particularly effective in removing corrosion, bacteria, fungus, mould and biofilm.

Peracetic Acid is an environmentally friendly option that doesn’t impact water supplies or soil negatively. It is very effective against biofilm and scale and can eradicate most bacteria and pollutants.

2. Brushes

Choosing the right brush is important to ensure comprehensive keg cleaning. You need to find a tool that can effectively clean keg interiors and complex areas. We recommend using a small brush for cleaning tricky areas and a separate large brush to scrub the surface.

3. Sanitiser

Since you’re probably using the keg to store beverages, it is necessary to sanitise it before use to ensure there are no germs or bacteria.

Also, make sure that you use proper safety equipment, including gloves, goggles and masks when cleaning a commercial keg.

Step-by-step Process to Cleaning A Commercial Keg

Whether you’re hiring professional commercial cleaners for keg cleaning or doing it yourself, it is crucial to know the right process to achieve the desired results.

The Clean Group team is here to help you with this step-by-step guide to cleaning a commercial keg:

Step 1: Inspect the Keg

A professional cleaner would first thoroughly examine the keg to understand its condition and cleaning needs. Find answers to the following questions:

How long since the keg was last cleaned?

Are there mould or residues?

Are there scratches or dents on the keg’s surface?

Is there a biofilm forming on the inside surface?

Are the seals and pressure valves working properly?

Based on this analysis, create a tailored cleaning plan and find the right supplies.

Step 2: Disassemble the Keg

Most modern kegs can be disassembled. However, you must know how to disassemble and reassemble a keg properly. If not, you can always hire an expert.

Use the pressure release valve to release extra pressure from the keg. Remove the valve, spear and other detachable components including dip tubes.

Examine and clean each component separately.

Step 3: Pre-clean

After disassembling the keg components, soak them in warm water. Thoroughly rinse the keg to remove debris and loosen dirt. Fill the keg with warm water and let it sit for a few minutes. Drain the extra water.

Step 4: Keg Cleaning

Now, it’s time to clean the keg for real. Start by gathering the right supplies. Make sure the cleaning supplies are safe and effective based on the type of your keg. Follow these simple steps to thoroughly clean the keg:

• Mix the cleaner with water in the recommended ratio to prepare the solution.
• Thoroughly apply the solution on both the interior and exterior surfaces of the keg.
• Scrub the surfaces, especially corners and joints, using a small brush.
• Let the solution do its magic, loosening up dirt.
• Wash the leg thoroughly with clean water.
• Wipe using a dry microfiber cloth or let it dry naturally.

Make sure that there is no residue water or dirt in the keg. Rinse it properly and dry it completely before you use it again.

Commercial Cleaners at Clean Group follow this professional keg cleaning process for the best results. We use 100% eco-friendly and effective cleaning solutions. If you need commercial cleaning services in Sydney, feel free to contact us for a quote.

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