Getting smell out of drums?????!!!!

Any hardware used for mashing, fermenting or aging.

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ledyard
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Getting smell out of drums?????!!!!

Post by ledyard »

:evil:

I grabbed a food grade 30 gal drum today. Perfection for 15-20 gal wash/mash. Problem..... it had some sort of pumpkin extract in it. Its a standard blue plastic barrel.

Rinsed it out
Washed with hot water and dawn
scrubbed with vinegar

Results...... Pumpkin smell !!!!! Dammit!!!! I was going to wipe it down with 70% IPA real good but ran out of energy for tonight.

Any other suggestions?? Bleach? 12 gauge? I'm pissed. Supposed to have a sugar wash (my first first wash/mash ever) going in it tomorrow night. I did get two 55 gal food grade that had tomato paste in it but pretty much clean. But really would rather break in the small one because I also will be getting a 30 gallon sweet feed whiskey mash going behind the sugar wash.

Or, if nothing works let it work off? It is food grade and it was pumpkin after all. Not like it was dog sh*t. I assume a fermenting wash in it would help take the crap out of it. But I'd really rather clean it first. I'm making enough to have 5-6 gal to sacrifice and still have about 15-16 gal to actually run (birdwatchers). So I would prefer it not have a pumpkin overtone to it.
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Re: Getting smell out of drums?????!!!!

Post by googe »

I use napi San for cleaning fermenters, works great, un sented.
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toast860
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Re: Getting smell out of drums?????!!!!

Post by toast860 »

I think you will have to just do a sacrificial ferment in it to get the smell out. or just feel your 55 to what you want. you can try some bleach, then clean it with some stinky red wine?
if you cant build a paper airplane, then leave the rocket alone.
its like wiping before you poop, dont make sense.
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Jolly John
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Re: Getting smell out of drums?????!!!!

Post by Jolly John »

Or make some "pumpkin brandy"! :lol:
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Jolly John
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Re: Getting smell out of drums?????!!!!

Post by Jolly John »

More seriously, can you get it steam cleaned, maybe at the local grarage?
No one is completely useless.....they can always serve as a bad example.
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FreeMountainHermit
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Re: Getting smell out of drums?????!!!!

Post by FreeMountainHermit »

ledyard, I'm thinkin that the residual odor from the original contents is just skin deep and that your wash & spirits will turn out just fine.

I did a little search and some recommended a citrus based cleaner but there were no conclusive results on the final outcome.



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likkerluvver
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Re: Getting smell out of drums?????!!!!

Post by likkerluvver »

I had great success getting the smell of olives out of several barrels by throwing them in my pool and super-chlorinating it. A few days later I fished them out and could detect ZERO smell. A thorough rinsing and you're good to go.

I'd try adding maybe 1/2 cup non-scented bleach to each and filling with water. Leave for 2 days. Rinse thoroughly with water, refill and leave for a few more days.

Not in time for tomorrow's wash but it'll do the job.


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ledyard
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Re: Getting smell out of drums?????!!!!

Post by ledyard »

Jolly John wrote:Or make some "pumpkin brandy"! :lol:

:sick: :sick: :sick: blahhh , I hate pumpkin flavor lol


I just hit it with a 70% IPA wipe down and it seems to have killed 90% of it. Going back out in a bit to see how it is. If that didn't work I do have this sanitizing fluid for brewing vessels, fermenters ect that was in all brewing stuff my wife had given to her. But I think the alcohol knocked enough of it out to satisfy me.
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