How would I clean my minnow bucket now that I've remembered what DIED

[JP Z]

Well, I found what the smell in my garage was.......yup I had a mess of minnows freeze in my bucket and I just found the bucket now. I would like to salvage the bucket I've heard a mixture of 1/10 bleach to water is a good solution to spray in the bucket then rinse with fresh water for a few minutes. Any other good ideas?

Thanks,

[bobbymalone]

is it one of those buckets with the styrofoam liner? If it is, the expanding water probably cracked the bottom of the liner and it's time to buy a new bucket.

if it is just a bucket, I would soak it with 10% bleach for about 10 minutes, then scrub it out with soapy water. Rinse until you think it's clean, then rinse it for a few more times.

[LightningBG]

Throw it in your neighbors pool or hot tub for a couple days.

[WTN4ICE]

Put the lid on and save it. If you know anyone getting married this summer it will make a great Grumpy Old Men prank.

[DTro]

Bleach is your friend

[deadeye]

I usually just rinse it out and then set it outside for a week or so to air out. I have yet to see anything that really gets rid of that stank other than nature.

[JP Z]

Yep, I was thinking bleach is my friend........and mother nature and her cool breeze.

Thanks guys......time to get the rubber gloves out as if you get it on you aren't getting it off.

[blakeb]

Yeah if you wanna let mother nature do the whole job, put it under your rain gutter chute, in a good rain storm.

[Northlander]

Dont use much bleach if any. Bleach will kill minnows in a heart beat. I suggest some baking soda and a real good rinse.

[JBMasterAngler]

I would just rinse it out with plain ol' water and then wipe it dry, then let it air out until you use it again. That's all I ever do.

[mrklean]

i use to just wash them out with water and air out the smell went away after a few days

[eyebjim]

I usually use the buy a new minnow bucket method of cleaning. It's the only way to get that new minnow bucket smell.

[croixflats]

Or do like I did throw the bucket in the laundry sink, thats if you have the washing machine drain into the sink, to thaw forget about it then come back a few days later to see its clean.

[Ed Carlson]

Well, I found what the smell in my garage was.......yup I had a mess of minnows freeze in my bucket and I just found the bucket now. I would like to salvage the bucket I've heard a mixture of 1/10 bleach to water is a good solution to spray in the bucket then rinse with fresh water for a few minutes. Any other good ideas?

Thanks,

Rinse with hot water and wipe it our with good dose of vinegar and let air, it will be ok after that.

[wplatehunter]

I did the same thing this winter. All I did was wash it out with water and let it air dry now its fine.

[WalleyeChaser]

I use boiling hot water. Put it in the bucket, add some baking soda slosh it around and let it sit till it cools dump it and then air it out.

[bturck]

Once you've cleaned it up real good open a box of baking soda and set it inside for a day or two. Its amazing how much this will absorb any lingering odors. You should be good as new....

[Sonicrunch]

time

[jigginjim]

I would second your idea, with 1 more thing added. make up a spray solution of baking soda and water. spray inside of bucket, place everthing in a plastic garabage bag let stand for a week. rinse and its ready.

[charliepete]

I usually use the buy a new minnow bucket method of cleaning. It's the only way to get that new minnow bucket smell.

yeah.....new minnow bucket smell. Too funny.

[Supercrew]

Well, I found what the smell in my garage was.......yup I had a mess of minnows freeze in my bucket and I just found the bucket now. I would like to salvage the bucket I've heard a mixture of 1/10 bleach to water is a good solution to spray in the bucket then rinse with fresh water for a few minutes. Any other good ideas?

Thanks,

Plant tomatoes in the bucket and get a new one, unless your emotionally attached to it.....

[BLACKJACK]

Are you afraid that its going to remind you of a previous girlfriend??!

[Kodiak]

get one of those frabil rectangle cooler types, i have had mine for 3 years they are awesome!

[Surface Tension]

Well I saw this post a log time ago.

Interesting for sure.

I have a cooler that has the same problem.

One would think that a bleach solution would do the trick.

Not all plastics are alike and no amount of bleach will work on some.

I have one particular cooler that will retain the stench no matter how much or much or long it has been bleached.

After that initially cleaning, sun light is what you want.

Nothing cleanses like the good ole sun. UV rays can kill just about anything.

[wahoo]

Alright--the correct answer. The sun will do it! I caught some stream trout in Utah and placed them in the "game pocket" of my vest. But, forgot to take one out and clean it. But the vest in my 5 gal bucket. returned home to Vegas--110 plus and more in my garage. No odor until I opened the bucket and the trout, 10 days later, was liquid.

tried bleach, etc.--no good--then about a month or so in the sun and both came out OK.

Wahoo