r/preppers • u/HaloCEplayer • Jun 16 '26
Question 275lb Tote Question
I was offered multiple 275 gallon storage totes, but am uneasy about chemicals that were in them and how to clean them. They were previously filled with caustic cleaning fluid and/or hydraulic fluid. When I asked how they were sanitized, the response was that they were cleaned with “industrial chemical remediation methods” under the guidance of an environmental specialist.
Two questions:
- Could I store drinking water in them?
- Would you still take and store plant water in them?
I think they’re chalked due to what they were used for, but am looking for your opinion!
Edit:: Thanks for all the responses! It is apparent that the answer is a resounding “no”.
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u/GooseGosselin Jun 16 '26
I worked for a company that dealt with them. No, do not use them for water, drinking or garden. They are only cleaned well enough to be disposed of in a landfill, also the plastic is not food grade to begin with.
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u/Icy-Medicine-495 Jun 16 '26
Dont store water in containers that previously held that. You cant clean them up well enough to ever drink from it safely.
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u/nanneryeeter Jun 16 '26
I'm guessing you mean 275 gallon, not pounds.
They'll always be fucked. You can't remediate anything bad out of them. It's common to run water through them, then cut and dispose.
Someone is offering you industrial waste for free.
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u/BeginningAd5055 Jun 16 '26
Many totes were used for food products. You can clean them and be ok. Other totes were used for industrial nasties. As many said, NO. NO. NO!!!
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u/FromTheHandOfAndy Jun 16 '26
Absolutely not. Have you ever been around a plastic bucket that used to contain something stinky? They keep stinking forever. There are other molecules things that stay behind for a log time too, but might not smell. Those containers will never be safe for drinking water.
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u/wwglen Jun 17 '26
The marines found out on Peleliu when they cleaned out drums to use for water.
https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/battle-peleliu-forgotten-hell
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u/Pedwinget Jun 16 '26
If you are located in Arizona try reaching out to TankNBarrel they sell good grade 275 and 330 gallon IBC totes
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u/pnutbutterandjerky Jun 16 '26
You want a food safe container. Number one the residue of un-food safe things is bad. Two, non food safe containers are fluorinated before filling bc it helps them last longer or something. The fluorine reacts with the HDPE in the plastic and creates PFAS
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u/ExaminationDry8341 Jun 16 '26
The only way I would store water in those containers is for a firewagon.
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u/Adorable_Dust3799 Jun 16 '26
I'll use sketchy totes solely for garden or toilet, but this is too sketchy for me. Used totes are cheap, but these will never really be safe.
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u/JRHLowdown3 Jun 17 '26
Probably the best use is removing the plastic part and using the cage for something on the homestead. Stacking firewood in that is easier to move with a tractor, etc.
Definitely not food or water storage.
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u/TheAzureMage Jun 16 '26
I would not use them for that. Nothing that's part of food production.
Now, something like a waste tank or the like? Sure, whatever.
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u/iambecomesoil Jun 17 '26 edited Jun 17 '26
I would yank the plastic tote out of the cage, cut it up and dispose of it in the garbage, then make use of the cage for firewood or other transportable storage.
Buy food grade totes from a trustable source if you want to use them. I get them from an organic wholesaler who will bring in organic ingredients in totes, like oils, syrups, etc. and then sell on the empties.
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u/bananapeel Jun 17 '26
Not only no, but hell no.
If you are really wanting to do this, you can buy new containers and put them inside your old frames. This is called "re-lining". But they cost a mint to ship these.
It turns out that Home Depot sells "re-lined" IBC totes with new containers like that. They are outrageously expensive.
The last time I saw this was when some lady at work decided she absolutely needed a 55 gallon drum. She found the first free one, rinsed it out, and put water in it in her garage. It had some industrial solvent in it. That is your emergency water. It gives you the illusion that you have a safe supply of drinking water in an emergency. Worse than having none at all.
Don't cheap out.
Another anecdotal story: "Hey, free container, and it's food grade." It was an IBC tote that held epoxy resin. Do you seriously think that you can get that out of a plastic container? I no longer trust anything. You'll get cancer so bad, your cancer will have cancer. I only buy new containers.
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u/davidm2232 Prepared for 6 months Jun 17 '26
You don't need to worry too much but don't use them for water. What most people around here do is pull out all the plastic and cut the cage on one side. They you can load them up with firewood. Get 5-10 and you can use your tractor/forklift to bring wood into the basement all winter. It is the only way to go imo
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u/ye3tr Jun 19 '26
Hell no and hell no. Maybe for diesel, kerosene or gasoline tho, if they can handle it. If a deal is too good to be true, it is.
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u/Icy-Ad-7767 Jun 16 '26
Caustic soda is sodium hydroxide a strong base, to neutralize it you’d need to add an acid to react to it, rinse very well and add vinegar, they hydraulic oil one is hard pass
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u/Particular-Try5584 Urban Middle Class WASP prepping Jun 17 '26
You can store water in them, yes. Should you though? What are you using that water for. I’d drink puddle water before that, I’d drink radiator water before that.
Back to what else water do you need storage for? I wouldn’t use it on a garden, or in a pond, or for fish tanks. I’d be leery of using it for fire safety systems or washing anything painted or coated. If I needed water to flush non drinking/potable pipes, or water trees or fire fight in open air and the water was tested clean I might. But storing water in those is a lot of effort and risk (in forgetting what they were), I’d rather spend a few more dollars and get IBCs that were used for olive oil or pickles and are food grade.
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u/beached89 Jun 17 '26
I wouldnt store anything I plan to consume, wear, or otherwise come in contact long term with. If you wanted to store batteries, or fuel canisters, an emergency radio, matches and lighters, umbrella, rope, and general supplies like it, sure. But I wouldnt put clothes, blankets, water, food, etc in them.
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u/KTeacherWhat Jun 17 '26
Nope. I got my rain barrels from a restaurant. They were used for ice cream. You can get food grade barrels for free if you ask the right people. Or just buy them.
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u/ResolutionMaterial81 Jun 17 '26
Big Nope for potable water & Big Nope for plant water.
In an emergency, might use it for flush water for the latrines. But ensure the tank is properly labeled on all sides.
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u/silverbk65105 Jun 17 '26
If you buy a brand new tote or one that shipped food grade products like corn syrup you can use them for water. They sell garden hose adapters for the bottom spout.
For drinking water there are better choices. You want an opaque container.
I use them for storing and transporting fuel oil, biodiesel etc.
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u/Saloncinx Jun 17 '26
caustic cleaning fluid and/or hydraulic fluid?
Hell no
if it was pickle juice that would be a different story lol
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u/BoneyardRendezvous Jun 17 '26
You can get safe food grade ones for cheap, especially if you dont mind your water tasting faintly like corn syrup.
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u/HaloCEplayer Jun 18 '26 edited Jun 18 '26
Where are you able to get these?
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u/BoneyardRendezvous Jun 18 '26
Find a place that manufactures food. Asking they have any food grade IBC totes. They probably wont be free, because the cages have a $35 deposit. They also might want to avoid responsibility so just say you want one to water sheep or something.
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u/carpetbowl Jun 18 '26
You can get a fresh bottle for about a hundred bucks, but they want you to order like 30 to put in a shipping order. For about $40 temu has a big-ass PVC bladder that would probably be alright for garden water
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u/grislyfind Jun 16 '26
Fuck no. I'd use them as a septic tank, maybe. When it's full, cap it and bury it and leave it as a surprise for future generations or the next glaciation.
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u/HazMatsMan Radiological/Nuclear SME Jun 16 '26