"Funky" smelling storage barrels

[SugarShay]

Well, this is embarrassing, but somehow we left a mess in our storage barrels last year. Everything else got cleaned up, but someone missed a memo and the two 20 gallon plastic food grade barrels were left with some sap in them. To say they were nasty would be an understatement.

We have scrubbed, washed with vinegar, rinsed, bleached, scrubbed, rinsed countless times and then scrubbed with a baking soda paste, let it sit and scrubbed and rinsed again and again. There is still the funky smell.

Any ideas or are they just too far gone? :(

[Kbrooks80]

If they have an open top, Fill them with good garden dirt. Leave it for 2 weeks. Then wash them out. All the oder will be gone. I do this with dill pickle buckets. Works every time.

[Cjadamec]

Activated charcoal in a filter bag in the barrel full of water should do the same thing as garden dirt without all the dirt.

[Zucker Lager]

Hey Sugar Shay I've had good luck with a powdered cleaner called PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash) you can find it online easily. We have been using it on things that are "funky" and it seems to work if you soak it using a strong solution of it. Jay