# Kefir- To wash or not to wash?



## Ozark Lady (Mar 21, 2010)

I have only had my kefir about 2 weeks.
It was doing great.
I always, strained fresh warm goatmilk right in with the grains, and they were growing like crazy.

One day, I just couldn't get to it, soon enough. So, I put the kefir in some cold goat milk, that was only about 24 hours old.

That kefir did nothing! The milk soured, dogs got to have it!

I strained the kefir out, was going to put it into some warm milk, and in a klutsy mood, I knocked the bowl off the counter.... 2/3 of the kefir grains were in the dog dish! Dog wasn't there, whew!

I picked them up, and immediately washed them under the tap (not chlorinated). Then I put them in a 1/2 pint jar with warm milk. The other 1/3 went into the usual quart jar.

The ones that were washed off, went nuts, back to work right away.
The ones in the jar, still weren't doing much, it didn't sour, but wasn't good.

I fed the (dogfood contaminated) kefir to the dogs, and put it into new milk again...still going like crazy!
The other kefir still, slow, still not culturing as usual.

I finally, just went ahead and washed the other kefir under the tap to, to see if that will get it going again too. I really hope that I don't have to dump it into the dogfood to get it working again :rofl.

Do you guys and gals wash your kefir with water, fast it, or just keep it in fresh milk?
Have you ever had it get annoyed that the milk was cold and not straight from the goat?

I have seen websites that say... wash your kefir with water and others say, it isn't necessary.
Okay, so do you wash yours or not?
The other kefir, I washed with warm milk


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

If mine falls in the sink or something like that I wash it in milk, cold or warm. I haven't had cold milk affect it at all. If you have some good grains I would just throw out the ones that aren't doing anything. They'll be multiplying beyond your needs soon enough I'm sure.


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## Island Creek Farm (Jun 16, 2010)

Uh oh...I've been refreshing my grains in cold milk and they are spreading like crazy...are they going to take over the farm if I put them in warm, fresh milk????

Anyone seen The Blob? LOL :rofl

my milk is sour, separates on a daily basis, smells like a cross between bread yeast and buttermilk...quite tasty, like a lemony buttermilk...was it supposed to do something else? Hasn't made me sick, so I figure it's close to right....or is it?


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

all sounds abt right Amanda.
I don't rinse my grains on a regular basis. After many many uses they will sometimes get a little gunky and then I just rinse in water and throw them back in my milk I was to make more kefir with. 

I do rinse in water very well and then make a couple batches with my pasturized milk before feeding it to the babies(goats)


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

I rinse mine well about every 4 or 5 days, I simply can't stand it when they get too strong tasteing. I drink about 1/2 cup in my smoothy each morning, and simply replace the milk with fresh milk I strain right over the container. Once it starts getting thick, I dump it for the septic, rinse them and start them over. I rinse in warm water and use room temp milk. Kefir loves cow milk! Vicki


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