Strainer bag care

[MokiAwa]

I just ordered my second Wakacon Kava Strainer Bag Pro from Amazon. in about a year. It was starting to get a little funky but was still straining perfectly fine with no holes or tears.

I'm curious how often folks here replace their strainer bags, and how they keep them fresh and sterilized. I don't have a dishwasher and am always worried about using regular dish soap because it seems to stick around in the fibers. Alcohol or vinegar maybe?

 

[The Kap'n]

I just ordered my second Wakacon Kava Strainer Bag Pro from Amazon. in about a year. It was starting to get a little funky but was still straining perfectly fine with no holes or tears.

I'm curious how often folks here replace their strainer bags, and how they keep them fresh and sterilized. I don't have a dishwasher and am always worried about using regular dish soap because it seems to stick around in the fibers. Alcohol or vinegar maybe?

Dish soap is actually probably the best thing to use if you're cleaning your strainer. Just let it sit in a container with soap for a while and it should break down those waxy kavalactones. Just be sure to rinse it out well afterwards. Alcohols will do a number on the dyes used to color the strainer.

Personally, I just rinse mine out with hot water and hang it over a dedicated towel on the handle on the oven. Never had an issue. It does get sorta caked after a while,, but I've never noticed any issues with it affecting my brew

Edit: Oh, and I replace them when they rip. So far I've been about 4 years on this one from Bula Kava House. They haven't had any in a while, but it's understandable when they made strainers that would last forever. No planned obsolescence on those.

 

[MokiAwa]

I probably didn't need to throw this one out. To be honest, I was bad. I got super krunk and didn't clean up after myself that night. Straight into the bin with it in the morning.

 

[The Kap'n]

I probably didn't need to throw this one out. To be honest, I was bad. I got super krunk and didn't clean up after myself that night. Straight into the bin with it in the morning.

I think every kava drinker has experienced this at least once, so you're in good company here.

 

[Mo'iety]

I boil my nylon strainer bags periodically in a coffee mug in the microwave, and also sometimes hand wash them with dish soap. Doing both, wash+rinse and then boil, really gets out a lot of the accumulated yellow gunk.

 

[Intrepidus_dux]

If mine get stinky I will wash with Doctor Bronner's castile soap and then soak them in a mild bleach solution with warm water. Then hang out to dry in the sun.

I probably replace mine more often than is really necessary out of caution. 3 times a year on average.

 

[sɥɐʞɐs]

I wash mine daily, when I take my evening shower. Yup, I wash mine in the shower, just before I prepare it. A little bit of soap and rubbing it between both hands (like starting a fire with a stick), plus several rinses and squeezes under the water to get the soap out. If it's particularly funky, I'd get it damp and microwave it for 2min (or 1:40)...or boil it in a pot on the stove.

 

[TheKavaSociety]

When you bag gets really clogged up and yellow, soak it in alcohol (ideally 70%+). It will be like new.

 

[MokiAwa]

I think every kava drinker has experienced this at least once, so you're in good company here.

This has happened more often than I care to admit. Got myself a new bag mostly out of guilt.

 

[Zaphod]

This has happened more often than I care to admit. Got myself a new bag mostly out of guilt.

Me too. I get pretty lazy as the grog goes down, and cleaning a bag out before zonking out at night is not high on my list of things to remember.

 

[Zaphod]

I just ordered my second Wakacon Kava Strainer Bag Pro from Amazon. in about a year. It was starting to get a little funky but was still straining perfectly fine with no holes or tears.

I'm curious how often folks here replace their strainer bags, and how they keep them fresh and sterilized. I don't have a dishwasher and am always worried about using regular dish soap because it seems to stick around in the fibers. Alcohol or vinegar maybe?

Typically, unless i forget, it is just a daily wash with dish soap. Probably once a month I boil it for a few minutes which helps loosen it back up. On occasion the bag was so gunked up and stiff that water had to really be forced through it. Not ideal for straining. Alcohol soak works pretty well as well as a little vinegar if you are so inclined. Those might work a bit better than boiling but not much.

 

[avahZ]

Cheap panty hose from the dollar store. If as a guy, you also get the bonus odd look from the cashier and other folks in line with you... These make for comedy gold if your so inclined...

 

[Groggy]

When you bag gets really clogged up and yellow, soak it in alcohol (ideally 70%+). It will be like new.

How long does it take? I followed your suggestion with an 80% alcohol solution. I am not sure if I need to cover it so that alcohol doesn't evaporate.

I am soaking a 2+ year old synthetic strainer.

 

[The Kap'n]

How long does it take? I followed your suggestion with an 80% alcohol solution. I am not sure if I need to cover it so that alcohol doesn't evaporate.

I am soaking a 2+ year old synthetic strainer.

Is it nylon or cloth material? I’ve found in the past that the nylons tend to rip after a thorough cleaning. It’s almost like the kava resins were holding it together. Definitely cover. Them fumes is strong.

 

[Groggy]

Is it nylon or cloth material? I’ve found in the past that the nylons tend to rip after a thorough cleaning. It’s almost like the kava resins were holding it together. Definitely cover. Them fumes is strong.

Yeah Nylon from kavafied.

 

[_byron]

I have had good experience throwing my strainer in the top rack of the dishwasher.

 

[TheKavaSociety]

Is it nylon or cloth material? I’ve found in the past that the nylons tend to rip after a thorough cleaning. It’s almost like the kava resins were holding it together. Definitely cover. Them fumes is strong.

I can see good results after just a few minutes. But I only use alcohol on seriously clogged up bags. Normally I just chuck them into my washing machine

 

[verticity]

My routine for maintaining my filter bags is to just hand wash them with dish soap or hand soap right after using them and then air dry. I have some nylon bags that have lasted several years that way. I have on occasion used the alcohol soak method with 70-90% isopropyl alcohol for an hour or so. It is pretty effective at degunking, but be sure to rinse very thoroughly with water afterwards, and also be aware that some sources suggest that isopropyl alcohol can dissolve nylon. See for example the "D-Severe effect" rating here:

Nylon Chemical Compatibility Chart

www.calpaclab.com

I didn't have any issue when I did it and it might depend on the exact type of nylon, but if you did it repeatedly it's possible it could damage a nylon bag. Ordinary drinking alcohol (ethyl) would be better for that purpose if you have some everclear or something: both less toxic and "excellent" compatibility rating with nylon..

 

[AlexisReal]

I find kava to be so clean in general. My strainer bags, I simply r8nse off well in soapy water usually, minimal effort.

When cleaned off of all visible kava, I rinse under c9ld tap, then a little filtered water, then on radiator to dry. I do the filtered water so Im 8ngest8ng slightly less chlorine if it isn't all evaped before I use the bag again. But prob remains in the material anyway.

Same with raw veg etc.

If I don't have a bowl of soapy water, I just rinse under the tap. Does an equally good job really. But I always turn the in er seams inside out, to the outside. All those ridges will make for harder cleaning.

Its so easy to keep the strainer bags clean and I don't feel there is any hygiene issue.

Discolouration over time is not an issue either in my mind.