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How can I clean the inside of plastic hose which I use for liquids like milk, juice and other. How can I remove the residue after usage. In some cases if the hose was not immediately cleaned then the residue has dried and become more difficult to clean.
The hose type is similar to the one on the picture:
Assuming a rather thin diameter like the hoses used for milk on espresso machines or camelbak drinking systems:
I'd go for a pipe cleaner - they come in different thicknesses and are quite flexible..
They will probably be too short for the total length, so get some thread - more than twice the hose length in total, cut in half.
Bend the pipe cleaner back and twist on both ends, forming a loop and making sure the wire end can't scratch the inside of the hose. Tie one length of thread to each loop on the ends. Use the threads to pull the pipe cleaner (soaked with detergent) back and forth through the hose. Rinse well.
A very small but heavy weight (e.g. small fishing lead) clamped to the end of one string can make threading the thread through the hose a lot easier: just let it "fall" through.
For thicker hoses, use the same principle, but use either a piece of a bottle brush or a piece of knotted fabric (with matching diameter) as the scrubbing part.
I clean my hydration backpack by removing the mouth piece and rinsing it with hot water, letting it cool, then throwing it in the freezer. Once everything is frozen solid, I'll rinse it again in cool water.
I only use my pack for water, so one cycle usually does the trick, but if there was anything else in the hose, more hot water to free it up/penetrate followed by a freezer cycle should break up most contaminants.
For shorter lengths you could use a gun bore cleaning kit- probably suitable down to about 3/8" OD and about 1' if you come in from both sides. There may be even smaller caliber ones for pellet guns, but 0.22 (5.5mm) is very common.
I have a tube like this on my cappuccino maker, and I just pull it off and run water through it after every use. A bit of a hassle but there does not seem to be any residue when it's cleaned like that.
You can also sterilize silicone tubing by running it through the dishwasher - it may not remove the residue but any bacteria should be neutralized. PVC tubing might be damaged by the drying heat, however.
Take a wire from a coat hanger and straighten it out with a plier, it's about 3 feet, if you need longer link 2 wires together. At one end clip a makeup pad or a pipe cleaner, secure it with the plier. Squirt some dishwashing detergent in the hose and run the wire thru the hose with twirling motion and back forth a couple times. Rinse the hose and you're done. Save the wire for next time... :-)
Use a very soft cloth (cotton). Attach a ball bearing to the cloth and run it through the hose. It will clean it.
