Kegerator Essentials: Cleaning Kits

So, now you have a new kegerator, and you’ve thrown your first party. The post-party cleanup is certainly a breeze since you don’t have to pick up dozens of empty beer bottles and cans laying around your home. But what about your kegerator, do you need to clean that? The simple answer is yes, and it’s incredibly easy to do.

Why You Should Clean Your Kegerator

Every part of your kegerator, from the walls to the coupler, needs to be cleaned at a regular basis. Not only will this keep your beer tasting fresh, it will also help maintain the equipment and keep the beer flowing at an optimal rate.

The first thing you must do is get a kegerator cleaning kit. These kits provide everything you need to properly clean your kegerator, including a nylon faucet brush, a check ball lifter, a special beer line cleaning compound and a kegerator faucet wrench and gasket.

How to Clean Your Kegerator

Your kegerator cleaning kit will contain in depth instructions that cover every aspect of how to clean your kegerator. Before starting, it’s always wise to thoroughly read over the instructions.

It’ll explain how to turn the powdered compound into a liquid cleaning solution that is then sent through the coupler. It also details how to use the check ball lifter to raise your coupler ball without breaking the coupler or the beer line. It basically tells you everything you need to know, in order to sanitize and maintain your beer dispenser.

Here’s a video we made demonstrating every step of how to clean your kegerator:

The cleaning kit also includes a replacement faucet wrench and gasket set, since these two parts are pretty small and easy to lose. Use the faucet wrench and gasket to remove yeast buildup from the kegerator faucet. If this buildup is left for too long, it can start to mold.

A good rule of thumb, is to clean your kegerator every time you switch out the keg. Cleaning your kegerator isn’t necessary in order for it to work, however, for the best quality beer you’re going to want to clean it on a semi-regular basis. Otherwise, your beer will begin to taste flat and kind of odd. Having a clean beer line is the best way to pump perfect, great-tasting beer.

Although cleaning a kegerator may seem a bit complicated at first, the entire process takes less than 15 minutes and is incredibly easy to do. It’s wise to buy a cleaning kit when you initially buy your unit. Without the kit, your kegerator begins to mold and lose its ability to pour the perfect beer. Use the kegerator cleaning kit to clean the faucet, coupler and beer lines.

Also, cleaning the outside of your kegerator is easy. Use a damp rag to wipe any dirt or dust off the body, and maybe look into using a stainless steel cleaner to give it a nice shine. Assuming you have a stainless steel dispenser, of course.