Old fuel can?

**sewer rat** · 25-02-2009, 08:29 PM

Originally posted by irisgirl View Post

Hey all,
I found an big old plastic fuel can at the bottom of my garden that I think used to hold diesel. It would be perfect for transporting water to my lottie but of course, I'm worried about contamination. The inside has little smell at all and I wondered if there was a way to sterilize it for water use?

Thanks.

If it held deisel, rinse it out with hot water a coupe of times then lots of rinses with cold water. Nothing fancy required just lots of water.

**irisgirl** · 25-02-2009, 08:31 PM

Excellent...thanks alot!

**NOG** · 25-02-2009, 08:41 PM

How do you know its Diesel?
Is it worth taking the risk, do you want to contaminate your plot?
How much is a new tank �15

**Peter** · 25-02-2009, 08:41 PM

Same as Rat's advice, but add some washing up liqued to the first lot of hot water, put the lid on and shake, lots of shaking. Then rinse until no more bubbles.

Diesel is just fat as far as detergents are concerned.

**BrideXIII** · 25-02-2009, 08:52 PM

i would second peters advice, remember that, hot water dissolves oil, cold dissolves soap, soap dissolves oil, so, hot water first with detergent, then multiple rinses with cold water, free is still free

**Snadger** · 26-02-2009, 07:29 AM

Just to reiterate what has already been said. Just remember diesel is an oil and like any oil it will float on water i.e. if you fill it with water and let it run over the top after scrubbing the inside any residue should just float away...........

**geoff** · 26-02-2009, 08:04 PM

I used to work in a factory where we re - used oil drums, though it was vegetable oil not diesel. Cleaning was more or less the same as previous comments
1 Wash with hot soapy water, a couple of times if necessary
2 Rinse a couple of times with plain hot water
3 Rinse a couple of times with plain cold water
Shake the container each time, and don't forget to do the cap

**matthew2riches** · 26-02-2009, 08:34 PM

I get these from a friend and all I do is add 1 bottle of vegetable oil to the drum filled half full with water and shake it about.

The diesel clings to to vegetable oil which you can pour away down the toilet.

**snohare** · 27-02-2009, 01:03 AM

The diesel clings to to vegetable oil which you can pour away down the toilet.

Don't let the local water board hear that, or whoever is responsible for sewerage and groundwater !...I cringed when I read that, in my neck of the wood SEPA comes down like a ton of bricks at the slightest hint of groundwater contamination. Scarey to watch if you are guilty !

Although personally I would do no better I suppose, pour it on already polluted ground, maybe over something I would burn on a bonfire.

**irisgirl** · 26-03-2009, 05:43 PM

Thanks again everyone.

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