Need suggestions cleaning out 55g drum

[sandman12]

I was finally able to get a "food grade" 55 g drum for my RO holding tank. It was previously used to store fruit juice concentrate and has a STRONG odor of fruit juice as you would imagine. I have ran 200 gallons of freshwater through it with the first 50g gallons having 3g of vinegar in it. It still wreaks and I am concerned about my ability to use it.

Does anyone have any suggestions for cleaning it well enough to use?

Thanks
James

 

[viper12775]

leave the bungs out and set it in the sun for a few days the rinse it out in vinegar water bath again or bleach ether way

 

[sandman12]

Bungs are out and I cut a 6 x 12" rectangle out of the top. I will try the vinegar again I guess. I thought bleach was just a whitener?

 

[rfalvey89]

hot bleach water
1:20 ratio

 

[risin]

I did bleach overnight, let it dry, rush vinegar, let it dry. I was just cleaning it some mildew, but it worked very well.

 

[ganjero]

I cleaned mine with vinegar and the small was still there. Used it like that without issues and the smell went away eventually. I wouldn't worry too much

 

[sandman12]

Ganjero - yours had fruit punch concentrate as well? Thanks everyone!

 

[Sonicboom]

I had one with olives, hot water and baking soda got the smell and waxy residue out almost immediately.

 

[ganjero]

Ganjero - yours had fruit punch concentrate as well? Thanks everyone!

I had 4 and got them from the Hershey Chocolate factory, they all had flavoring syrup and the smells was very strong. I used to lived in PA, been here only 6 months.

 

[sandman12]

Ok I made all the suggestions for cleaning this thing out and it still smells strong of the fruit juice concentrate. I don't think I am going to get the smell out. If when I fill it with RO water the TDS comes out to 0 should I assume the water is ok to use?

Thanks
James

 

[AJ69]

Baking soda will do the trick

 

[sandman12]

How much should I add?

 

[AJ69]

2-4 #'s for the 55 gal should be more than enough

 

[sandman12]

Just ran 4lbs of baking soda and 50g of hot water through it, no luck. I may have been better off buying a brand new one considering what I've spent trying to clean it out!

 

[nctinter]

Bleach will do the trick

 

[sandman12]

Already tried a gallon of outdoor bleach. No Bueno. At this point I think I am just going to use it. But how do I know if the ro water coming out is OK to use?

 

[kaxt]

Sandman- did you ever get the juice smell out of the drum? I just picked up two barrels that had prune juice concentrate in them to build a mixing station with. I was wondering if you ended up using your barrel or notnot.

Thanks

 

[tony727]

My barrel still has a faint syrup smell and I've been using it for over a year now without issues. I'm getting 0 TDS still.

 

[kaxt]

Thanks Tony- I feel better knowing others haven't had problems doing the same thing.