16 BULLETIN 973, U. S. DEPAETMENT'. OE AGEICULTUEE. ^^ 



WASHING BOTTLES. 



The milk bottles should be washed m ample time to be thoroughly 

 cool before they are filled with milk. If the bottles are not cool, 

 the temperature of the milk put into them is raised. This means a 

 waste of refrigeration, and an increased development of bacteria is 

 possible. At many plants bottles are washed in the morning and 

 filled in the afternoon. Great care should be taken to see that the 

 bottle washer is always in working order, for if the bottles are not 



roperly cleaned and sterilized the pasteurization of the milk may 



e of little value. 



Fig. 13. — Automatic bottle washer. An average of 1,002 bottles per man-liour was ■washed at 56 

 plants using machines of this type. 



In case a brush washer^ is used, the brushes should be changed 

 before they become worn, and the washing water should be changed 

 often during the day. Great care must be taken to see that the 

 rinsing and steaming device of the machine is in good working 

 order at all times. Each bottle should receive a strong jet of rinsing 

 water and then a jet of steam for at least 45 seconds. Jet openings 

 should be free from obstructions. After the bottles are washed 

 they should be kept in a cool, clean place until wanted for filling. 

 If the bottles are inverted in the cases, there is less chance for con- 

 tamination. It is a good plan to use special cases at the washer and 

 transfer the bottles, after they are washed and steamed, to clean, 

 dry cases. If the same cases that are used in the washer are used 

 alsQ to store the bottles, there will.be a constant drip from each case 

 into the case below, and these cases also soon become soggy. If 



6 For a description of types of bottle washers see U. S. Department of Agriculture Bulletin No. 890, 

 ' 'Milk- Plant E quipment . ' ' 



