milk stone removal help/advice needed!

[cathleenc]

first, I am making cheese in the morn so need to do something asap.

I've been milking my goat for over 3 months now - and today for the first time broke out the dairy soap & milk stone remover I bought from Hoeggers. A couple of things lately have led me to the conclusion it was time to 'clean up' my milking tools.

I used the dairy soap to wash everything - fine. But when I read the instructions on the milk stone remover I panicked!

The label says it is against the law to discharge the milk stone remover into any water way or into any sewage system with out notifying the sewage management that you are using it.

We live on a farm - septic system. Our property is very wet - we have a pond 100 ft from the house. The pond and much of the property drains into protected waterways across the road from us - state owned wildlife protection lands. Whatever I put into the drain has the potential to travel into very sensitive (and legally protected) areas.

reading my cheese making book, it says that you can use a mix of vinegar and baking soda to remove milk stone. Sounds a heck of lot less toxic to me - but how much, in what proportion, for how long? Anyone know? Have any other great, more natural and less toxic ways of removing milkstone?

thanks so much,
Cathy

[steff bugielski]

I do not know about the milkstone remover but I use bleach. I sanitize all my equipment prior to use. Milking or cheese making. About 1 oz to 1 gallon of clorox, it is the only bleach the USDA accepts. Soak for 2 mins. All good.

[nehimama]

As milkstone is a calcium buildup, I'd think the vinegar solution would work. Good luck! Good thing you read the label on the other first!

NeHi

[Rockytopsis]

Several years ago I read that if you rinse the milk out of the pail, jars, funnel or anything that you use for milk in cold water before you wash them in hot water it will help reduce milk stone build up. I have been doing so ever since and it seems to be working for me.

[Alice In TX/MO]

The milk washes are simply more concentrated forms of acid or alkaline based cleaners. In our home products, vinegar is acid, bleach is alkaline.

The warnings on the commercial strength products are due to the concentrations.

You can simply follow the dilution instructions and not worry.