Before you begin cleaning the chemicals from your plastic water barrels, you need to first inspect them for any signs of damage. It is not safe to store food or drinking water in a plastic barrel that has stored chemicals. The chemical residues from the barrels will leach into the food or drink that is inside. It is recommended that you keep only one type of chemical in each barrel. You can use drum liners to protect your foods and drinks from contamination.
Using chlorine bleach is a great way to disinfect your plastic barrels. You simply mix a tablespoon of chlorine bleach with a gallon of water. You can also use a bucket with a lid and one cup of bleach. Once the mixture is complete, you should thoroughly rinse the barrel and the lid to remove any remaining chemicals. For even better results, you should mix the chlorine bleach with a few gallons of water, a few times.
After cleaning the barrels, you should check the barrels for damage or corrosion. If the barrels are corroded, you should not use them for storage of chemicals. Lastly, you should use a substance that will get rid of all the chemical residues. The type of substance you use to clean the barrels will depend on the chemical used, so ask the manufacturer of the chemicals to recommend a cleaning solution that is safe to use. For plastic barrels, it is best to use water-based solvents as they have less chances of causing any chemical reactions.
Another way to clean plastic barrels is by filling them with one-quarter water and then adding a cup of bleach. This solution will help kill bacteria and algae that can be found in the barrel. You can then leave the barrel overnight or roll it around the yard to clean it thoroughly. You should always remember that the bleach solution can irritate your pet if you use it. And, don't forget to check the label on the container, since some chemicals can corrode plastic containers.
If you are concerned about the chemical smells in your plastic barrels, you can use baking soda. Applying baking soda to the inside of the barrel can help remove foul smells. You can also use a pressure washer to wash the inside of the barrel. Depending on the type of chemicals, you may need to scrub the chemicals with a rag. But in most cases, you don't need to scrub them as much as you should.
There are many methods to clean plastic barrels. You can use dish soap to clean your barrels. However, it is only effective if you have previously stored oil in the barrel. You should wash the barrel thoroughly afterward, and don't forget to drain out the solution. In case of oil or grease, you should add more bleach to the barrel. This will kill the bacteria. Then, you can dispose of the chemical.