# Preparing used 55 gallon barrels for water storage



## WWhermit (Mar 1, 2012)

On craigslist.com, a local food preperation company sells their used 55 gallon containers for about 15-20 bucks a piece. All of them are food grade, and have been used for things like strawberry jam, tomato sauce, etc.

I have a friend at work that bought 9 of them. To clean them, he filled them 1/2 way with a bleach and water solution, let them soak for 5 days, and rolled them so that the other half gets the same treatment. He says he can still smell just a wee bit of strawberry, but that's it.

I'd rather have my water smell like water. Is there a cleansing solution that you folks use to better neutralize residual oders? Perhaps with apple cider vinegar or baking soda? These are great deals on barrels, but I want to clean and sanitize them properly before use.

Thanks in advance.

WWhermit


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## ContinualHarvest (Feb 19, 2012)

There are some folks I know that buy those types of containers to make home-brewed beer and wine in. (Great primary fermentation vessels for large batches) You'll want to soak it in a 10% bleach solution after a good cleaning. Some baking soda will help with the smells. Don't scratch the plastic! Rinse very very well before use.


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## Antacus (Mar 25, 2012)

I have been recycling 5gallon buckets ans have tried a LOT of different things to get rid of pickle smell. The best I have done is a bleech/ water mix for a few days. Dump that into next bucket and put first bucket in sun for a few days. After a few more days dump bucket two into bucket three and put bucket two in sun beside bucket one. Keep going for as many containers as you have. After a lot of buckets I have to change the water mix.

I can not smell pickels after a week in sun, wife says she can smell a faint pickle oder. If it knocks pickle oder down that much it should be good for other smells


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