stinky smelly odorous plastic buckets

[Tall Grass]

i've bought a bunch of 23 litre plastic fermenting buckets from the local wine shop. For $2 what's not to like but often they just stink from the wine they made in them. I've rubbed down a few with sanitizing solution to no avail... would it be safe to soak these in B-Brite over night? (whether or not that gets rid of the stink is another question.)

I suppose it doesn't really matter. It's doubtful the smell imparts itself into any new wine but I'd like to get rid of it.

 

[Tom]

Sure its ok. If you have "oxy" cleaners that would also work.
Why did they get rid of them?

 

[Madriver Wines]

I find oxy cleaners work best at removing that yeasty smell. I need a big fermenter. Maybe 32 gal. is up next. Going to make 15 gal of pear. Congrats on the good find.

 

[smurfe]

Oxy Clean or Sun Brand oxygen based cleaners will work just fine. B-Brite will work great to. I would fill them to the brim and let them sit over night. I do this on the counter by the sink. I do this so when done I just open the spout and drain into the sink.

 

[Nubz]

hot water and bleach seem to work really well for me

only you have to make sure its the proper amount of bleach to water or you will be forever rinsing the bleach smell out of it

1/2 a cup of bleach in my 5 gallon fermenter filled to the top with hot water seems to work good and rinses out easily can't even smell the bleach when im done and i also did a taste test and filled it with water and let it set a few hours and the bleach taste and smell wasnt there


im just curious why not many use this method
bleach kills anything there is in there

is it the chance to make a mistake and have your wine tasting like it or some other reason
or is it just simplicity to use an oxy clean or whatever it is type of thing

 

[Wade E]

I like the bleach idea also especially not knowing what was in there and how old the bucket is. Little scratches eventually happen and thats where bacteria can get in and hide so a good bleach soaking is a good idea.

 

[Madriver Wines]

I am like Wade and use it to sterilize. The old bottles I found were soaked over night in bleach water after cleaning them one time. I went back and soaked in oxy cleaner also. I wanted really clean!! Most ,I think, are afraid of the smell ending up in the wine. I am. Maybe not Nubz though I think he likes it ha ha
(sorry buddy I owed ya)

 

[Nubz]

funny funny madriver lol

i havent had any problems with the smell or tatse not going away
but like i said im very careful to only use enough to do the job and rinse it good when im done

 

[BettyJ]

I have been staying away from bleach - I read somewhere that chlorine will really mess your wine. I just use a mild detergent and then soak / rinse with K Meta.

So bleach is ok to use?

 

[Wade E]

It can but thats why you have to rinse out very well. Star San is probably the best bet or Iodophor.

 

[petes]

I switched to bleach years ago when I got tired of paying over the odds for whatever my HBS recommended at the time. Only use cold water as well.
Never had any odour or taste problems, nor any 'product' failures with my beers or wines. Works for me!

 

[myakkagldwngr]

I like a light bleach solution myself. It has cleaned up the buckets I use as primaries and as long as it isn't too strong, the smell doesn't linger.

 

[Tall Grass]

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I have one troubling plastic bucket that will not leave its odor behind after using bleach and b-brite. Tomorrow I will bring finality to the issue with lighter fluid and a burning object.

 

[Madriver Wines]

May he rest in peace.

 

[Woodbee]

After using my primary I wash it out good and then sit it in the Sun and wind for a couple of days and it removes any scents that have been picked up. AlaNatural.