Cleaning 55 gallon drum

[booth2010]

I recently purchased a 55 gallon food grade drum. The seller said it was used, so I know it needs to be cleaned. Right now I have 3 gallons on vinegar and 52 gallons water and am letting if soak for a few days. Someone on another site mentioned on someone post what if it was a base and not an acid originally, so I think in 2 days I will rinse it out and use 2 gallons on bleach and let it soak for a day to hit the base aspect. Then let Fresh water sit for 4 days to a week. Does this sound good to anyone? After the few days I will fill with RO water let it set again and do a TDS reading and maybe find someway to do a chemic test of the water to test food leeching.

 

[KorL]

Sounds good to me

 

[kv2wr1]

If you do run bleach, I would say to let it go bone dry for a few days afterwards or put in the ro/di water with a dechlorinator as well to get rid of any traces of bleach.

 

[KorD]

As a HAz-Mat specialist… I would advise you not to use a heavy acid nor base on the plastic drum.

Go with something more mild since the plastic could hold pockets of the acid or base within it's membranes. There is also a PH paper you can buy for testing it to make sure it is a neutral when you are finished. But also remember that a neutral is not always neutral, it could still be a caustic or ascetic neutral.

What kind of material was housed in it when you got it?

 

[booth2010]

I'm not sure I have to call and find out. I only had a smell of plastic when I got it but I know not all chemicals have smells so we will see. Probably shoulda just spent 30$ more and got a new one

 

[KorD]

If it didn't have a strong oder, then you should be fine with it as long as there is not sheen floating on the water surface. since it is a food grade drum, you should have no major problems with whatever it is mixing with the water.

What are you going to use the drum for?

 

[booth2010]

If it didn't have a strong oder, then you should be fine with it as long as there is not sheen floating on the water surface. since it is a food grade drum, you should have no major problems with whatever it is mixing with the water.

What are you going to use the drum for?

The places I purchased it from believes it was from Hawaiian Tropic. I didnt see anything on the surface but we will see. Also you mentioned not using anything strong, would 1 gal bleach and 54 gal water be too strong or you think that diluted will be okay? The drum is gonna be used as a RO water reservoir.

 

[KorD]

yes it is a little strong.. the right ratio for bleach to water is 1 gallon of water to a cap full of bleach.
If you are using it as a RO reservoir then you should be fine.. just wash the drum really well before use. I would also suggest on letting it stand outside in the sun a few day to evaporate any of the bleach smell off of it.

 

[booth2010]

Alrighty sounds good. I tomorrow night will be 48 hours of vinegar so I will probably drain it rinse and do the bleach. I'll just do 55 cap fulls or figure out equivalt measurement lol. Then let it soak for 24 hours then drain rinse and dry.