# Deodorizing Pickle Buckets



## nursebee (Sep 29, 2003)

pt rubbing alcohol
c sudsing ammonia
2T liquid detergent
H20 to equal one gallon

Supposed to take care of many smells

How bout talking to a homebrewer bout chemicals?
How bout oxyclean?
How bout Febreeze?


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## honeyshack (Jan 6, 2008)

in my experience as a cook nothing works on pickle buckets. We would always put something strong in those buckets like tomato sauce. Beef stock. If you put alfredo sauce in them it had a weird taste
After many many uses they might eventually be okay, not worth the risk for honey


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## honeyman46408 (Feb 14, 2003)

Grant
I know people that put their honey in them and say it dosent bother the honey (NOT ME) I have some in my shop now that has had honey in them and they still stink.

I have seen the same thing as you about getting the smell out but cant remember where.


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## odfrank (May 13, 2002)

*fogedabotit*

Put your efforts into finding bakery or corn syrup buckets.


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## Chef Isaac (Jul 26, 2004)

nothing will work... nothing at all.


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## BEES4U (Oct 10, 2007)

I have used sweet pickle buckets for storing bee feed and they still smell like my Mom's good pickels 2-5 years later!
You might consider using used empty honey pails.
For customer satisfaction and repeat sales use food grade honey pails with your label. Pass the cost of doing business on to the consumer.
Ernie
Lucas Apiaries


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## Grant (Jun 12, 2004)

Thanks everyone for your pessimistic outlook on pickle buckets!

Maybe this is why there is an unlimited supply. I'll stick with the bakery buckets and pay the $1

But I'm still convinced someone had a method that works. Maybe when I'm resting I'll try nursebee's alcohol and ammonia. I'm afraid of using some kind of chemical that will trade one perfumy smell (like FeBreeze) for the pickle smell.

Grant
Jackson, MO


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## WVbeekeeper (Jun 4, 2007)

I have some pickle buckets too, also a free unlimited supply as they become available. I've been filling them with a strong mixture of bleach and water and then letting them sit with the bleach and water in them for a few days. I can still barely smell the pickles so I'm at a loss too. Maybe more bleach and water for a few more days? I believe I'll give it a try and let you know. I let the lids soak in bleach and water too. I just use them to keep sugar or syrup in and am not planning to use for honey.


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## Dale Hodges (Jul 13, 2007)

Put a plastic bag in the bucket first. They sell them for drums , maybe ?... they sell them for 5 gal buckets?


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## AllFloridaBee (Sep 25, 2007)

Dale Hodges said:


> Put a plastic bag in the bucket first. They sell them for drums , maybe ?... they sell them for 5 gal buckets?


4 mil Contractor's Bags?, but at $0.25 each it's false economy and too risky,IMO. I've NEVER been able to get the smell out of pickle buckets myself.


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## Dale Hodges (Jul 13, 2007)

They make a plastic bag just for honey drums...can't remember where I saw it.
It was one of the bee supply catologs, I think they were pretty inexpensive


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

Put a bunch of sticks in the pickle bucket and fill it with water. Leave it for the bees to drink.


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## Dan Williamson (Apr 6, 2004)

I got a stack of buckets from another beekeeper and some of them were pickle buckets... He said he'd had most of the buckets for years... I don't know how long "years" was exactly but I still smell the pickles.


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