Pickle Bucket

[chops749]

So I just picked up a pickle bucket from Firehouse Subs to use for cleaning/sanitizing equipment. What should I use to get rid of the pickle smell? It is so strong my garage smells like dill pickles...

 

[JuanMoore]

What should I use to get rid of the pickle smell?

A new bucket?

Seriously though, you might reduce the smell with an oxiclean or bleach soak, but I don't know of any way to remove it completely.

 

[chops749]

Would it even be worth keeping? I'm not worried about the 2 bucks...it was a donation anyway, but I don't think pickles and hops go together...

 

[WillPall]

It would be worth keeping if you can get rid of most of the smell. Try out the oxiclean soak or maybe some baking soda and hot water and see if the smell goes away.

A somewhat smelly sanitizing bucket doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but if it smells so bad that your garage smells like a pickle factory then you may want to just spring for a new, clean bucket.

 

[djt17]

I have had one for about a year now, it still smells like pickles. I have tried soaking for days with bleach, Oxy Clean, & Star San. Nothing works, I now use it just for carrying my spent grains to the horse.

 

[Revvy]

Sorry but the one thing that can't be gotten out of buckets to use them for brewing is pickles....I don't think you'll find one success story in all these threads. The pickling brine penertrates way too deep into the plastic.

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/pickle-bucket-173350/

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/pickle-buckets-144485/?highlight=pickle

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/pickle-taste-bourbon-stout-132670/?highlight=pickle

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/pickle-bucket-grist-104109/?highlight=pickle

https://www.homebrewtalk.com/f11/pickle-bucket-85010/?highlight=pickle

As all the above threads have shown, even multiple soakings of oxyclean won't work....If it were that easy there wouldn't be so many threads.

As much as I am all for scrounging, recycling and repurposing, and finding free stuff for our hobby. I have to say pickle buckets really just need to be passed by.

 

[chops749]

Oh well...at least my $2.00 went to a good cause. Thanks for all of the responses. My equipment is in the mail and hopefully I can get my first batch going in a couple of weeks!

 

[Atl300zx]

u can get free frosting buckets from grocery store bakeries and those will work for santitation buckets.

 

[OpenContainer]

Sunlight and Ozone are the best deodorizers there are and they're free. Try setting them outside in the hot summer sun for a month or so. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Csuho]

I agree with everyone that the smell pretty much wont leave the bucket as we have multiple buckets at work and I have ran them thru the dishwasher a bunch of times filled and soaked in dawn you name it (stuff that a commercial kitchen would have) and nothing works the dishwasher just muted the smell for a little bit but it will come back. I might have to try a very strong bleach soak.

 

[Jayni]

I got the smell out of mine with ammonia, now I cant get the ammonia smell out I only use them for star san etc and soaking bottles now anyway so it doesn't matter much to me

 

[OneHotKarl]

I've got three buckets I store fresh grain in. I basically tried all the basic odor removal tricks (baking soda, oxyclean...etc) and that got rid of most of the smell. After that I just left them outside in the hot sun for a bit. They still had a smell in them but it's pretty much gone now after a year or so of using them for the grains (and no my beer doesnt taste like pickles).

 

[Spring_Chicken]

I like the grocery store bakery buckets. They are typically only 3.5 gallons, but they come with a gasketed lid and wash clean. Plus there is that whole free thing to like. I find that Starsan keeps well with the lid sealed. Just bend back every other lid segment so you can take it off my hand.

They also usually have 1 gallon gasketed lid buckets too. Great free storage for small grains and brewing supplies.

 

[DanTheBrewMan]

I tried a couple of bleach soaks with the ones that I got from a burger king. The bleach didn't do a whole lot so I rubbed the sides down with some rubbing alcohol and let them soak in it for a little while. It didn't completely remove the smell but it has definitely reduced it. I only use them for cleaner and star san anyways so its not a big deal.

 

[cincydave]

My pickle bucket no longer smells like pickles..... after using it as fishing/bait bucket for about 2 years. Seriously... just driving home with it made my car smell like pickles for days. It is one of the hardest smells to get rid of. You could use it as a seat. Try grocery stores or bakeries that have icing buckets. They work much better.