Rubbermaid Brute Container

[Kurt73]

Might be a dumb question but I bought a brute container to put rodi water in. Since it is new what would be a good way to clean it without contaminating it with city water?

Also can a heater be used in the brute can during colder months or will it melt the container? Reason I'm asking I'm storing it in the garage.

Thank you

 

[twentyleagues]

is it a stock tank? or a garbage can? either way a caged heater will be best. i just use dawn dish soap rinse well and if you want bleach it but thats not needed. Whats wrong with city water? I wouldnt fill my tank with it but it'll be fine for rinsing the container out. If you are that worried rinse it out with ro.

 

[The_Paradox]

City water is not going to hurt anything. The couple mils of water left behind will be diluted out. As for heater, a properly functioning one would be fine, however heaters are the once piece of equipment I just assume is going to fail any given day. Best bet is install a cheap controller in front of it, and keep it suspended in the water column.

 

[vetteguy53081]

Might be a dumb question but I bought a brute container to put rodi water in. Since it is new what would be a good way to clean it without contaminating it with city water?

Also can a heater be used in the brute can during colder months or will it melt the container? Reason I'm asking I'm storing it in the garage.

Thank you

I rinse and start using. You can run a light bleach addition to water and cold water rinse. I bring this up as I did have one after filling with water smelled like cat urine and bleach ended that odor

 

[Kurt73]

is it a stock tank? or a garbage can? either way a caged heater will be best. i just use dawn dish soap rinse well and if you want bleach it but thats not needed. Whats wrong with city water? I wouldnt fill my tank with it but it'll be fine for rinsing the container out. If you are that worried rinse it out with ro.

It's a rubber garbage can. I was concerned that it may leave undesirable traces of metals, etc in my rodi water.

I guess I can rinse and then dry it out good. Just trying to avoid cross contamination if it's possible. Over cautious I guess.

 

[twentyleagues]

It's a rubber garbage can. I was concerned that it may leave undesirable traces of metals, etc in my rodi water.

I guess I can rinse and then dry it out good. Just trying to avoid cross contamination if it's possible. Over cautious I guess.

You dont need to worry about cross contaminating with the water. They use petroleum products in the manufacturing process of the garbage cans. Thats why I say use some dawn dish soap and rinse well after scrubbing it. I only use heaters with guards on them in my cans.

 

[Kurt73]

Ok thank you everyone

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

it is worth washing or rinsing the cans first due to mold release agents, bird poop as it sits at Home Depot, etc. I don’t think metals are the concern.

 

[EricR]

I just blasted mine out with a hose in the backyard but eventually started to notice the "cat pee" smell mentioned in post #4 (which seems fairly common) so later scrubbed it out with vinegar/water and that seemed to help. (Bleach probably would've been better but didn't have any pure bleach at the time).

 

[Kurt73]

a tablespoon of bleach to a mob bucket be ok to wash out the garbage can?

 

[The_Paradox]

I regularly use 1:4 household bleach to water to sterilize aquarium equipment. Chlorine boils at negative temperatures. Just rinse it and let it dry and you’ll be fine.

 

[RJenks]

I just noticed an odor in my RO/DI brute trash can. Nothing noticeable in the salt mixing or AWC reservoir brute cans. Just did a quick clean with citric acid. If this doesn't clear it up, on to the bleach. Does anyone have any info on what causes this odor. Does it cause a problem in the tank.

 

[twentyleagues]

I just noticed an odor in my RO/DI brute trash can. Nothing noticeable in the salt mixing or AWC reservoir brute cans. Just did a quick clean with citric acid. If this doesn't clear it up, on to the bleach. Does anyone have any info on what causes this odor. Does it cause a problem in the tank.

Not sure if the odor in mine is the same as yours but I get a slight musty smell in my rodi brute can. The water has no smell. I just add a couple cups of bleach every couple months to a full can of water allow it to sit for a few hours drain wipe dry and allow it to off gas overnight and refill. Really doesnt do much as the smell is back in a week or so but puts my mind at easy that im not growing some sort of mold, mildew, or bacteria.