New Aquatainers--Do you need to wash them 1st?

[Every Road Leads Home]

Just picked up a four 7 gallon Aquatainers (Picture attached) to extend my fresh water supply until my well is up and running on my home remodel. Figure I can use them once I hit the road as well. Do you need to wash these before using?  If so how do you wash them?  A little bleach or a little dish soap or is there a better way?

Thank You

Matt

 

[highdesertranger]

wash every thing before use. for those I would do a bleach solution the a vinegar solution. then fill and taste if I noticed any type of foul taste I would do the vinegar again. always rinse completely between solutions. highdesertranger

 

[RVTravel]

The directions are right on the container, or they were on mine just like that one.

https://relianceproducts.com/support/faqs.html#faq3

 

[ccbreder]

Or this, https://www.csdw.org/csdw/pur-packet-technology.shtml

 

[Queen]

I prefer vinegar/water rinse first to get rid of any grunge left from the manufacturing process, and follow that with baking soda/water soak and rinse. Not a fan of bleach since I think the smell lingers in the plastic.

 

[johnny b]

"IMPORTANT: Do not use vinegar and baking soda at the same time."

ooh. i liked this part from the web instructions.....

a little food coloring and ya get 'lava'.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

I prefer vinegar/water rinse first to get rid of any grunge left from the manufacturing process, and follow that with baking soda/water soak and rinse.  Not a fan of bleach since I think the smell lingers in the plastic.

If you want to disinfect something, but don't want to use bleach, buy a bottle of hydrogen peroxide, pour it in, put the lid on, and slosh it all around.  You could probably do all of your containers with the same bottle before discarding it.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

The directions are right on the container, or they were on mine just like that one.

https://relianceproducts.com/support/faqs.html#faq3

I looked twice before posting it, then just checked again after reading this.  Unless it's the side in spanish, they didn't put how to clean it which kinda surprises me.  

Cleaned them all today.  Did an initial rinse first and was very surprised at how many little blue chips came out from the manufacturing process.  If I buy em again, I'll start by sticking the shop vac nozzle down there.

 

[One Awesome Inch]

I used 2 cups of vinegar on mine. After a few times of vinegar and rinsing with water, it tasted fine. Watch the spout on those. They tend to leak.

 

[ccbreder]

Vinegar, being acid, will kill some bacteria. Not all, and not virus. Hydrogen Peroxide, creating free oxygen, will do some also, but less than vinegar. Both will help if any foul odor is present. I think the oxygen could hurt the plastic. The amount of Clorox bleach required to properly sanitize the container will not leave a lingering odor or taste. Parts per million.

 

[gcal]

We picked up some cheap collapsing 2 gal jugs for fresh water when we are on the road. DH will not drink out of the rv tank even tho it is regularly santitized. Don't know why. It's just his thing. Anyway, we rinse them out with bleach solution and air dry them each time before we put them away. No problems, no bleach smell, and you would expect there may be with this cheap plastic.

 

[SternWake]

I have cleaned containers by pouring in boiling water and closing the lid and shaking the container, but leave the air vent a little loose and away from your body, the first shake will have steamy air rapidly release.

Not sure how well this sterilizes the containers, all I can say is I have no plastic taste and never got sick.

I've been using a reliance 7 gallon container for 15 years in my Van. I keep it upright, made a downspout with a check valve. My electric water pump cannot prime itself so I pressurize the tank with my air compressor to prime the pump after refilling the 7 gallons at a water filter vending machine.