Cleaning a party keg tap

[FatmasterZ]

So I've got a nice metal party keg tap that I picked up at an auction a year or so ago... and I'm desiring to use it. I've never needed to clean one of these things, and I took the plunger out to check the innards... it seems to have some kind of white grease on it. Obviously I need to wash this bad boy out. Is this something as simple as vegetable shortening, or some special lubricant? Any other suggestions as to how to make this thing fully functional?

Thanks in advance.

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Zach
zach@zoproduction.com
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[topgun3208]

white grease is usually lithium grease, commonly used on autos. you might want to clean the old stuff out and replace it with some fresh grease, helps keep the rubber innards pliable

[Vincent Gonzales]

Dude, just pull the handle like you just tapped the keg and run hot water from your kitchen tap thru the pump side to the plastic tap side and visca versa.

cheers!

[mmwmike]

You should clean a party pump after every use - not just to make it work easier, but leaving any beer in the line will lead to bacteria growth. Always make sure a party pump is clean before using on a fresh keg.

You can simply rinse in hot water. Open the fuacet and run hot water from the bottom of the keg coupler and allow it to drain out the faucet.

For a thorough cleaning try one of our pressurized kits: http://www.micromatic.com/product.php?pid=M5-801147
Use a cleaner developed for the beer industry: http://www.micromatic.com/product.php?pid=CFP-1
And then re-lube the party pump with probe lubricant: http://www.micromatic.com/product.php?pid=FT101L


Mike Godwin, Micro Matic USA, Inc. Northridge, CA