Mouldy taint = fowsty

[Blundstoned Love]

I've put this in food, because I couldn't think where it belonged.

The other day I was out fishing. When I took a drink of tea from my stainless steel flask it tasted fowsty.

Fowsty is an old Berkshire word meaning something like mouldy, or mildewy.

I slung the tea away as it was horrible. Clearly the flask had been put away still wet.

Since then I've cleaned the flask with Sterident (my usual choice for a gentle bleach) and also with Milton tablets.

The flask itself is now spotless, but the silicon o-ring from the lid still smells fowsty.

Any suggestions as to how I can get rid (without damaging)? Bleach? - seems a bit fierce. Baking powder? - I've used this to take the smell out of fabric that I couldn't wash before now.

Help!

 

[Trencakey]

Spelt fousty down here

 

[sandbender]

Milton Sterilising Fluid. You can probably pick up a bottle in Boots, in the baby section.

 

[ozzy1977]

its fusty over here

 

[Toddy]

Foosty up here, and yeah, Milton fluid, or I'm told that sterident tablets work very well indeed too

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Blundstoned Love]

Seems like it's not a Berkshire word then. LOL.

Anyway, the silicon ring has been soaked in Milton tabs & Sterident along with the flask - and its still got a girt big fowsty nose on 'im you!

 

[Samon]

Go with unscented bleach, can't argue that it'll work. 1 cap of bleach per 2 litres of purified water can make it safe to drink (I thnk that's the ratio) so it is food safe in minute amounts.

and everyone knows what fousty means.

 

[Macaroon]

If you've got anywhere near you where they use a big expensive coffee machine, beg a little of the powder they use to put through it for cleaning; it's the same style of cleaner as Milton, Bicarb and Sterident but it's definitely more effective and I've never found out what the difference is. The last stuff I was given is "Becher" coffee machine cleaner, made in Germany, and contains.....

< 5% oxygen-based bleaching agent
5-15% polycarboxylates
sodium carbonate

1 teaspoon in a flask of warm/hot water, leavr 10 minutes and rinse..............Always been perfect for me

 

[Blundstoned Love]

and everyone knows what fousty means

Not in my experience mate - usually met with furrowed brows.

If you've got anywhere near you where they use a big expensive coffee machine, beg a little of the powder they use

Thanks, that sounds like a good lead.

 

[Toddy]

Sounds like good stuff

How the hang can coffee left in a filter go mouldy ? the blasted stuff's been boiled/steamed for heaven's sake, but it does

You could try the salty water soak too in the meantime and see if that shifts it.

M

 

[Teepee]

Bicarbonate of Soda does mine with boiling water. Really minging flasks get a soak in biological soap powder with very hot water, then rinsed with bicarb to remove the taste.

Persil tea is slightly worse than fusty tea.

 

[mrcharly]

Don't soak aluminium flasks/pans in salty water . . . .

Also avoid anything containing sodium hydroxide (drain cleaner)

 

[Toddy]

&#8230;&#8230;.I thought it was just the silicon O-ring that was foosty ?

M

 

[zornt]

I have had luck with soaking things in white vinegar then a dunk in baking soda( bicarbonate soda I guess) this gets rid of the stink.
You could try soaking them in a mix of both then take a small stiff brush ( old tooth brush??) and scrub. then a good rinse and air dry. The vinegar and soda mix will sweeten plastic and metal bottles too, and get rid of the funk.
BTY I usually run half a pot of white vinegar through my coffee pot every couple of months,it cleans out the calcium residue and gets rid of the gunk..

 

[Goatboy]

On the few occasions I use a flask I only ever put in boiling water (unless it's soup in the food flask). Tea and coffee are terrible for leaving a taint on flasks. Also with boiling water you can use it for tea, coffee, noodles, stockcube drinks - whatever takes your fancy at the time. But as said if you can soak the stopper in milton it should help.

 

[Robson Valley]

Thanks for the useful cleaning tips. I've got a favorite cup.
Looks like coffee, smells like chicken soup and tastes like orange juice.

The translation for here is "hummy". As in: "Hmmmmmmm, I wonder what that was?"
Later today, a good bicarb soak & scrub.

 

[lannyman8]

lemon juice works too.... and smells nice...

 

[santaman2000]

I have had luck with soaking things in white vinegar then a dunk in baking soda( bicarbonate soda I guess) this gets rid of the stink.
You could try soaking them in a mix of both then take a small stiff brush ( old tooth brush??) and scrub. then a good rinse and air dry. The vinegar and soda mix will sweeten plastic and metal bottles too, and get rid of the funk.....

Vinegar and soda will cancel each other (if mixed) The vinegar is an acid (that's why it's used to "descale" coffee machines where they have hard water) and the soda's a base (that's why we use it to stop corrosion in aircraft battery compartments)

They should work well though if you use them one at a time and not mixed.

 

[Blundstoned Love]

Lots of great input as always (love this site) - thanks everyone.

Got some bicarb - should I just rub it in or make a solution and soak.

And how long d'you reckon I should leave it for?

 

[Toddy]

If it's just the silicon O ring, then make up a solution tonight and pop it in it. It'll not do it any harm to leave it 'til morning.

Couple of teaspoonsful in half a mug of water is more than strong enough to do the job.

M