Good explanation.  I've used the Alkali to soak my Therminator and a ton of stuff came out that didn't do with just flushing.  I do it periodically now.  Our water is very hard out here as well.  It does make strip a lot of the oils off your hands though and leaves them shiny and tight feeling... --Eric ________________________________ From: Joe Lushine <jtrane1(a)comcast.net> To: "JAB(a)thebarn.com" <JAB(a)thebarn.com> Sent: Friday, August 9, 2013 4:29 PM Subject: [JAB(a)thebarn.com message] Craft Meister cleaners. At our last meeting, Mike did a bit on cleaning, and had some samples of products for us to take home and try.  Among them were the Alkaline and Oxygen cleaners from Craft Meister.  I had not used either, and after some recent searching, could not find any information as to the differences, and why you might use one over the other.  I made an inquiry today to National Chemicals about it, and below is the email they sent me.  I hope it helps a little. Joe -------- Original Message -------- Subject: RE: Cleaner Differences Date: Fri, 9 Aug 2013 14:01:52 +0000 From: Murl Landman mailto:mlandman@nationalchemicals.com To: 'jtrane1(a)comcast.net' mailto:jtrane1@comcast.net Hi Joe, Thanks for your inquiry about the difference between Craft Meister Alkaline Wash and Oxygen Wash. Though, the formulary is quite different , under typical operating conditions, the products produce very similar results. In most cases it is a matter of personal preference by the brewer. However there are some distinct advantages to using one over the other in certain situations. I have listed a few below for your reference.   Extended Soaking – I prefer the Alkaline Wash. Once hydrated, the Oxygen Wash will gas off over time. Very Hard Water – I prefer the Alkaline Wash. We formulated the Oxygen Wash to sequester Calcium. However, under extreme conditions, excessive Calcium in the hard water and the Carbonate in the Oxygen Wash combine into an insoluble salt that requires an acid rinse step. Carbonized Soils – I prefer the Oxygen Wash. The active oxygen lifts carbonized soils faster and with less scrubbing.   I hope this answered your questions. If you have more, please don’t hesitate to let me know.   Cheers & Happy Brewing!   Murl Landman                                                                                                                                           Executive Vice President National Chemicals, Inc. | Winona, MN USA | ph 800-533-0027 | fax 877-858-4141 www.NationalChemicals.com/murllandman   _______________________________________________JAB mailing listJAB@mail.thebarn.comhttp://thebarn.com/mailman/listinfo/jab