Just picked up a bunch of surplus green plastic army canteens. But they smell and the water from them tastes terrible. Any ideas on how to "freshen" them up?
Jon R.
Jon R.
Removing smell & taste from canteens?
- Thread starter trail2
- Start date
I have never tried the following method with plastic canteens but it works very well removing the stale odour from a thermos flask, so it may work with your canteens.
I fill the thermos with hot water and drop in a couple of denture cleaning tablets. "Steradent" is the brand name in the UK, not sure what it will be in the US.
Come to think of it, I am not even sure if dentures are used in the US.
I fill the thermos with hot water and drop in a couple of denture cleaning tablets. "Steradent" is the brand name in the UK, not sure what it will be in the US.
Come to think of it, I am not even sure if dentures are used in the US.
SimonM
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
I use wet coffee grind. Put it the flask, shake it and rinse. Vinegar might be another solution, specially if there is some calcifies residue; fill the flask, rest it for 30 min and than do the coffee thing.
Bicarbonate of soda dissolved in hot water. Fill the flask and leave it for a couple of hours. Rinse out with hot water and leave open to dry.
That's only if the canteeen is musty smelling, if it's got something really horrible then use the baby bottle sterilising stuff.
cheers,
Toddy
That's only if the canteeen is musty smelling, if it's got something really horrible then use the baby bottle sterilising stuff.
cheers,
Toddy
For a full clean
Fill will hot water and leave for 30 minutes
Hand ful of gravel, cup of water and shake violently (dislodges crusty stuff)
Brewing steriliser (1sp per litre) fill with hot water leave two hours then rinse
Soluble vitamin C (neutralises steriliser) leave 30 minutes then rinse
Teaspoon of bicarb fill with warm water (removes scent and taste)
Rinse twice
Any lingering problems are best dealt with via a zip fire lighter and a bic
Red
Fill will hot water and leave for 30 minutes
Hand ful of gravel, cup of water and shake violently (dislodges crusty stuff)
Brewing steriliser (1sp per litre) fill with hot water leave two hours then rinse
Soluble vitamin C (neutralises steriliser) leave 30 minutes then rinse
Teaspoon of bicarb fill with warm water (removes scent and taste)
Rinse twice
Any lingering problems are best dealt with via a zip fire lighter and a bic
Red
After using my flasks and water bottles I stand them up side down for a few hours
roll up to two sheets of kitchen towells still joined up for a longer roll and stick down inside leaving a few inches sticking out of the top
the paper absorbs any moisture left inside, leave for a day turning the paper around and replace with dry one before storing
never had a flask smell or go green because they are stored dry between use
Baby bottle sterilizer or bleach will remove any green if left wet as mentioned previously
Mick
roll up to two sheets of kitchen towells still joined up for a longer roll and stick down inside leaving a few inches sticking out of the top
the paper absorbs any moisture left inside, leave for a day turning the paper around and replace with dry one before storing
never had a flask smell or go green because they are stored dry between use
Baby bottle sterilizer or bleach will remove any green if left wet as mentioned previously
Mick
I don't know if this would work on plastic bottles but....
When I was a nipper, back in the 60's, I can remember my Dad used to go out working for the day in the fields. For drink he took cold tea in an old whisky bottle. When it got stained inside my old Mum used to put a couple of stinging nettles in the bottle with a dash of hot water from the kettle, then cork it and shake the bottle vigorously for a couple of minutes. It cleaned the bottle up a treat.
Dave
When I was a nipper, back in the 60's, I can remember my Dad used to go out working for the day in the fields. For drink he took cold tea in an old whisky bottle. When it got stained inside my old Mum used to put a couple of stinging nettles in the bottle with a dash of hot water from the kettle, then cork it and shake the bottle vigorously for a couple of minutes. It cleaned the bottle up a treat.
Dave
That's just wasting good food! Why, when I were a lad we used to have to get out of the lake at three o'clock in the morning, clean the lake, eat a handful of hot gravel, go to work at the mill every day for tuppence a month...
just to save some time here.........
"..................And then they would kill us and dance about on our graves.................and you try telling the youth of today that......and they won't believe you"
And I remember having to chase the bears out of the cave before I could go to bed.
Thanks for the ideas. I have enough bottles to give most of them a try. Can't find the baby bottle tabs here. Heck they have never heard of Milton.:You_Rock_
Jon R.
Thanks for the ideas. I have enough bottles to give most of them a try. Can't find the baby bottle tabs here. Heck they have never heard of Milton.:You_Rock_
Jon R.
Do we get the dead parrot now?
I go with the Denture cleaning tablets they rock for these sort of tight spaces.
I go with the Denture cleaning tablets they rock for these sort of tight spaces.
Id also say Bicarb, im lazy and forget to clean my flask more often than id like, and Bicarb does a great job of freshening it up, also great for scrubbing the inside of my fridge when ive been away and its gone mouldy inside.
