Cleaning 275 gal totes

[Haytapper]

Does anybody know a way that makes cleaning out 275 gal totes easy? We buy food grade totes that might have had cooking oil or something of that nature in them and it can be hard to just clean them out with a high pressure washer. Any suggestions?

[Russell Lampron]

I bought and installed these manhole covers that I got on Amazon. I lay the tote on it's side and reach in and scrub all of the surfaces with a Scotchbrite pad. I then rinse it out with a pressure washer.

18650

18651

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Russ, those are nice. Any idea what brand or more details on them? Not to get off track but Russ's idea is the best way to go. A bigger hole is needed to scrub them and clean them good.

[Haytapper]

Thanks! I hope this works well for me .

[wiam]

Russ, those are nice. Any idea what brand or more details on them? Not to get off track but Russ's idea is the best way to go. A bigger hole is needed to scrub them and clean them good.

Maple dealers or tank suppliers have these covers. I use the same ones. I climb right inside and scrub them.

[SeanD]

I cut a hole in the top the size of a 4 or 5-gallon bucket. Then the bucket jammed in makes a tight seal. I lightly hand sanded the opening because the burs are sharp enough to cut skin. I can reach in and get every spot with a long-handled nylon brush. It's about 18". Later, I happened across a brush that is the length of a broom and that makes it way easier to scrub the bottom and sides inside.

Eventually, I moved away from the buckets for lids and made my own washable covers out of corrugated, plastic sheets. They cut in half easily with durable scissors and I glued the sides together with liquid nails. The result is a durable, washable cover that hangs off the sides just enough to cover the whole top.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Tuftex-SeaCoaster-2-17-ft-x-8-ft-Corrugated-PVC-Roof-Panel/3010589

[Haynes Forest Products]

I have 12 totes and over the years I would go threw all sorts of contortions to try and keep them clean or clean them. I now don't get all riled up over trying to keep them clean but to clean them every spring easily. Yup they will get mold and algae but that's easy. Because I live far away from them and when I get to town its balls to the walls. I fill all the tanks with well water with about a cup of bleach and let sit for a few days. Time is your friend so get them soaking early and get to tapping. I then drain and power wash. I get a $200.00 Ryobi power washer 2000 PSI and I took the metal wand without the plastic handle on it and bent it over a round tank. Its real simple bend the wand so you can get the top and corners and with iot bent you can do the sides and bottom without having to hump the tank for 10 min.

If you can clean your plastic Tupper Ware plastic containers with dawn soap and put spaghetti sauce in it you can use it to clean olive oil out of your tank. I hate cutting the top off a tank that is so well made the way they are. The power washer will get anything out of the tank.

[Russell Lampron]

Russ, those are nice. Any idea what brand or more details on them? Not to get off track but Russ's idea is the best way to go. A bigger hole is needed to scrub them and clean them good.

Do a google search for "Norwesco tank lid" and it will bring up pictures and places to buy them. Make sure that you get the complete set up with the threaded ring that goes onto the tank. Some of them are only replacement covers. Mine are the 16" covers with vent.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

Awesome, thank Russ. I didn't realize maple suppliers had them either but i will look online. 3 of these will make life a lot easier.

[Haynes Forest Products]

When you scrub and scrape on the interior of the tank you will cause areas that will be harder to clean and will allow bacteria to hide.

[billyinvt]

I brought my totes to a self serve car wash last year. Worked quite nicely. Just make sure you rinse thoroughly.

[wiam]

I brought my totes to a self serve car wash last year. Worked quite nicely. Just make sure you rinse thoroughly.

Most car washes recycle water. So whatever came off cars will be in your sap. Gas. Oil.

[Russell Lampron]

When you scrub and scrape on the interior of the tank you will cause areas that will be harder to clean and will allow bacteria to hide.

Agreed, Most of the time I can get my tanks clean with just the pressure washer but can get inside now to clean the stuff that won't come off with the pressure washer.

[RileySugarbush]

Much like Haynes ( i can't believe I said that!) we don't worry about getting tanks perfectly clean after the season, just a rinse. Invariably they need cleaning again the following year anyway.

When the season arrives, we want them sparkling. After working through the tiny port I gave up, we cut the top off and replaced it with a sheet of polycarbonate plastic. Now we lift that off and can easily wipe down the sides and bottom. We use H202. This system works great for us.

[billyinvt]

Most car washes recycle water. So whatever came off cars will be in your sap. Gas. Oil.
Right. That was the rinse thoroughly part. Before sap goes in, we do a warm water bleach rinse and three of four fresh water rinses.

[wiam]

Right. That was the rinse thoroughly part. Before sap goes in, we do a warm water bleach rinse and three of four fresh water rinses.

I get it. It’s ok to spray gas in you sap tank as long as you use bleach after......

[mellondome]

Last i used a car wash, it didnt put the mud, oil, and tar back on my car. I dont think a carwash would last long if they recycled back to their hoses.

Now i do know that the good ones use a R/O to give you that nice spotless shine.

A car wash is probably a better choice than the hose from the well, which is located only 100ft away from the septic leach field.

[Haynes Forest Products]

I don't think anyone is advocating spraying the tank with gas. I cleaned a tank I use here in Denver that had Guava oil and it was nasty sticky. I squirted in a bottle of Dawn and went to the car wash and closed the valve and sprayed away until it was full of foam and drained as I sprayed. I can say that it was nice and clean.

[Cody]

I bought and installed these manhole covers that I got on Amazon. I lay the tote on it's side and reach in and scrub all of the surfaces with a Scotchbrite pad. I then rinse it out with a pressure washer.

18650

18651Anybody ever install one of them covers on them plastic tanks,that are made for hauling water in the back of a pickup?They have such little covers,one mounted in center would be nice.

[DaveB]

Most car washes recycle water. So whatever came off cars will be in your sap. Gas. Oil.

Not all places recycle but for those that do, it's filtered, sometimes through an RO:

http://www.carwash.com/carwash-water-recycling/

If a place advertises a "spot free rinse" then the water has to be pure, otherwise anything in it would leave a spot behind.

That being said, I don't know how the washer at a car wash is any different than a pressure washer. I have one that I use exclusively with water and it's probably one of the best investments I made for clean-up.

[Russell Lampron]

Anybody ever install one of them covers on them plastic tanks,that are made for hauling water in the back of a pickup?They have such little covers,one mounted in center would be nice.

I've only mounted them on my cage tanks. I don't see why they wouldn't work on a pick-up tank if there was a place large enough to cut it in.

[Haynes Forest Products]

Lets talk about hydraulics having a small hole/lid on a moving tank is designed to keep the lid from giving way under pressures. Plus because most tanks are one way and drain from the bottom once in its life span. Now you cut in a lid that is 4 times bigger than original and not as well made or designed for the pressures you can have problems. The tops are not all designed for a 16-24" man way so pick and chose wisely.

If the tank is a stationary one don't worry about it.

[mainebackswoodssyrup]

As long as you still have the supports in place I can't see why it would matter.

[Super Sapper]

I use the pail method in both cage tanks and a truck tank and it works pretty good.

[canaanmaple]

Picked those up on this recommendation. What did you use to cut the totes?


I bought and installed these manhole covers that I got on Amazon. I lay the tote on it's side and reach in and scrub all of the surfaces with a Scotchbrite pad. I then rinse it out with a pressure washer.

18650

18651

[wiam]

Picked those up on this recommendation. What did you use to cut the totes?

I use the same covers. I used a sawsall to cut mine.

[Arctic Fox]

When you wash your IBC totes do you pressure wash with cold water (<100 degrees F) or hot water ( >100 degrees F)?

[Haynes Forest Products]

What ever is available its the pressure that gets the big chunks and the sanitizer that keeps it fresh. I picked nup an 2200 PSI Ryobi washer from HD and it came with a whirly nozzle and they kick butt. I use the same nozzle to bore under sidewalks for irrigation pipes it will. It will cut a 10" hole like butter. Now when I clean the totes I took the removable wand and bent it at about a 20 degree angle and it works 100% better to get all sides and underside the top. Now when you bend the wand make sure you remove the wand from the trigger handle when you bend it over your knee. I read somewhere that you can break the thing right off the plastic valve handle or maybe I saw some guy do it from afar.:cool: