I just caught up after being away last week - whew, lots of excellent reading!
In issue #1165 "Harrison, Regina, Ms" <[log in to unmask]> wrote about her
concern regarding bleach as a sterilizing agent for her homebrew.  We did use
it, but if your equipment is plastic, it isn't good for it (or you if you
don't rinse it out properly), and it just doesn't clean - it's not meant to.
 
We found something that is non-toxic (mostly - in large doses nothing is good
for you is it?) at our new brew spot the "Home Vintner" - I don't know if you
have one of these places near you, but I haven't seen this stuff anywhere
else.  It goes by many names, Stericlean SDC, SDC, The Pink Stuff, Sparkle
Brite, but the true chemical is called Darvisol.  Breweries, hospitals, vet
clinics, (our shelter in Calgary used it too).  It is both a sterilizer and a
cleaning agent!  It's a pink powder, and I'd be happy to fax you instructions
should none be available when you locate the stuff.  And it's DIRT CHEAP!
Unfortunately, it's not recycleable as any of the metabisulfite stuffs, but it
is much better.
 
A word of CAUTION though:  it is an alkaline product, avoid prolonged skin
contact (I wear gloves anyway)  NEVER, never, never, never (enough already?)
let it come in contact with an acidic product - Bleach, vinegar etc.  It
creates an awful toxic ammonia cloud!  (I know someone poured it down a drain
that was previously used to dispose of a bleach solution at the shelter, and
it is incredibly toxic as a gas!)
 
Enough about homebrew!  More about my critters!  A lot of people have asked if
ferrets are inclined to alcohol - the answer is all of mine were/are.  I had
one that particularly liked coolers - he passed out once for two hours before
I fugured that one out, another LOVED rusty nails - just about ate my dad's
hand for it, another liked palinka - pear brandy from Hungary, and they all
love beer.  Carbonated drinks on the other hand are really liked - just make
sure it goes flat - do *I* get dirty looks if I forget!  I just dip my finger
in and let the fizz out and they lick it off.  It's a lot better than having
them tip over the glass for a taste!
 
+++++++
Monica in Calgary, AB Canada
The Terrible Two and the Kitty Krew
[Posted in FML issue 1171]