New Containers - Bad Smells

[jahutchi]

Hi Guys,

I've recently purchased some large containers from ebay - good price and good quality.

I was hoping to use these for my homebrew set-up. The advert did warn that the containers had been used for transporting garlic based food products from around Europe. I figured that it would be no major issue. :shock:

So far I have:
Aired them for quite a while
Tried detergents and sterilising solutions
Tried Bicarbonate of Soda (paste plastered all over them)
Tried Soaking them for long periods
and they still smell of garlic - I'm worried that this will taint anything that is put inside them. Someone has suggested using Citric Acid, I'm yet to try that.
Does anyone here have any suggestions or should I just use them as water butts and go back to the drawing board.

 

[BarnsleyBrewer]

You won't get rid of the garlic unless you burn them.

 

[spitfire184]

- Fill with water.
- Wait 48 hours.
- Taste water.
- If still alive, post results!

 

[screamlead]

Try using vinegar and water solution or pure lemon juice -works on tuppaware so should work on plaggy containers.

 

[graysalchemy]

I have just found this for removing garlic smells from a freezer. clicky

Good Luck

:mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[Baz Chaz]

paint a cross on each one put a stake through them and put them back on EBay - Transylvania sorry



Mrs C suggests putting half a lemon in a dishcloth and then rub the cut side and bicarb round the container :idea:

 

[TheMumbler]

What do you intend to use them for? A friend of mine (posts here as bigstoo) used to use a couple of those for HLT and boiler. After a good clean, soak in water etc etc they still smelt garlicky. However the taste didn't come through in the beer. Maybe try a small brew using them and see how it turns out. If you are using them for FVs you could always try making a garlic beer

Personally I wouldn't use them for a boiler having seen the effects of sustained heat though. Stu never had any disasters before he retired the boiler but it did bow a bit and looked pretty alarming to me. It is a lot of hot sugary liquid to spill on yourself. Use as an HLT (up to mid 80s) doesn't seem to cause the same problems and I believe he still uses one as an HLT.