Clean inside drinking H2O container - any tips?

[JamesH]

Hi All

I have plastic jerry can for drinking water that has not been used in a long while. Any tips for washing it apart from the obvious?

I'm guessing a good slosh around with a weak solution of detergent? I want to use it for drinking water though.

TIA

[PhilipA]

Milton is the go.
Regards Philip A

[waynep]

I'd be thinking fill it with a weak solution of household bleach, let it sit for a while, and then a good flush out. Or as said that baby bottle sterilising stuff if you have it. Look in with a torch, if there's black or green slime in there, I'd be getting a replacement.

[dullbird]

get hold of a disinfectant if you can that is passed for food perp/dairy

[JDNSW]

As suggested - disinfect/clean with a bleach such as Milton. Rinse thoroughly and finally rinse with clean water to which is added a small amount of vanilla essence. (if you use to much just rinse again).

John

[JamesH]

Sorry I'm a bachelor; could you define weak solution of bleach? it's a 22 ltr jerry. Would 1 nip of White King and say quarter fill the can and slosh around do the trick?

Note to self, rinse nip glass afterwards....

[isuzurover]

Sorry I'm a bachelor; could you define weak solution of bleach? it's a 22 ltr jerry. Would 1 nip of White King and say quarter fill the can and slosh around do the trick?

Note to self, rinse nip glass afterwards....

You've never made homebrew??? To clean the (25L) fermenter, they reccommend 1 cup of unscented bleach in 25L of water.

Prior to that you should rinse to soften any deposits.

[abaddonxi]

Sodium metabisulfite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium_metabisulfite)

If you home brew you might use some metabisulfite.

Cheers
Simon

[Ben]

I'd use hydrogen peroxide, much nicer for the environment.

[Jedimastermat]

we clean and sanitise with a simple detergent first, good rinse then sanitise with about 300ppm Chlorine solution.

But dont forget the simple the good ole Nan option of a bit of bicarb in water then a rinse with vinegar and wash out with water.

not keen on peroxide being let loose in the community, lots of free O2 available and they let hairdressers loose with it. look what they can do to a good head of hair with it:cool:

[George130]

OK
How long is to long for storing water in a 20 litre jerry can?

[LandyAndy]

Homebrew Steriliser is the go.
Pink Steri is good.Just make sure you rinse well after.Any homebrew shop will help out.
Andrew

[CraigE]

As already said Milton tablets, cheap and easy to get from any chemist. Used widely for baby bottles and is basically idiot proof. Can also be used to treat suspect water for drinking although does have a bit of a taste. I use it often for sterilising gear. I always carry some in my first aid kit and camping gear.

[CraigE]

OK
How long is to long for storing water in a 20 litre jerry can?
I would not be to keen on drinking anything older than a month without treating it. Good for washing though.

[Stepho_62]

G'day James

If its got a bit o gunge built up in it, (algae n stuff) get some Chemdex tablets, they break the gunge down, closely followed by any of the sodium hyperchlorite alternatives that have been suggested by our learned members. :D

[westcoasterjim]

Bi-carb soda....works..! Jim. :cool:.

[lokka]

Bleach then the vanila essance is tha go i do the kids school drink bottles every 2 weeks or so to keep em clean and free of gunge :D:D