Rubbermaid garbage pails for RODI

vinnyguitara · May 1, 2020

I have a couple of Rubbermaid garbage cans that have been used for various projects and have been sitting outside for a year with bark and leaves in them. I just emptied them and I was wondering if it would be ill advised to clean these out really well with maybe a bleach solution. Possibly soak them over night, rinse thoroughly, dry, and then use them to store RO/DI water? I know we always tend to err on the side of caution in this hobby but I don't want to waste two perfectly good heavy duty nsf grade cans just because they've been previously used. What's the consensus? They have never had any chemicals in them at all afaik.

Thanks in advance!

WVNed · May 1, 2020

If they are moldy and black I would bleach them. Otherwise, I would just hose them out.

slojim · May 1, 2020

bleach or peroxide or sodium percarbonate. but yeah, I would wash them out good and re-use them. I would probably use some dish soap (just a few drops) first since it is good at sticking to and removing stuff, while the beach or peroxide are just good at oxidizing it. But then you have to rinse well enough to remove it all - no foam. I left a little in one time and haven't made that mistake again. No losses, but I was up doing back to back water changes.
In truth, I think a clean rag and some elbow grease are more effective and important than the solution you use.

mike550 · May 1, 2020

I‘m always nervous about leaving things sit in containers for too long (esp with additives like bleach) as I’m worried they would absorb and then leach out. That said, I’d start with dishwashing soap and water with elbow grease. Clean it out and rinse thoroughly. Then I’d let it air dry in the sun. Next step spray surfaces thoroughly with water/bleach or water/vinegar. Rinse again. If I used bleach I’d add Seachem Prime to the final rinse.

Any odor or stains would make me think carefully about using it.