Before You Start
Cleaning a used IBC at home is straightforward for most applications — rainwater collection, irrigation, non-food storage, or garden projects. However, if you need food-grade cleanliness for storing drinking water or food ingredients, we strongly recommend purchasing a professionally cleaned container from a certified reconditioner. Home cleaning cannot reliably achieve the same sanitization standards as industrial processes.
That said, here's how to clean a used IBC effectively for non-food applications.
What You'll Need
Step 1: Know What Was In It
Before cleaning, determine what the IBC previously contained. This information should be on the data plate, prior-contents label, or provided by the seller.
Easy to clean: Water, food ingredients (corn syrup, vegetable oil, juice), food-grade cleaning solutions, vinegar.
Moderate difficulty: Soaps, detergents, cosmetic ingredients, non-hazardous industrial chemicals.
Difficult / not recommended for home cleaning: Petroleum products, solvents, pesticides, unknown chemicals. These containers should be professionally cleaned or recycled.
Step 2: Initial Rinse
1. Remove the fill cap and open the discharge valve
2. Flush the interior with a strong stream of water from a garden hose for 5-10 minutes
3. Rotate the hose angle to reach all interior surfaces
4. Close the valve and fill the IBC to approximately 25% with clean water
5. Rock the IBC vigorously (carefully — a quarter-full IBC weighs 600+ lbs) to agitate water against all walls
6. Drain completely through the valve
Step 3: Soap Wash
1. Mix 1/4 cup of unscented dish soap (or 2 tablespoons of TSP) per 5 gallons of warm water
2. Pour 10-15 gallons of the solution into the IBC
3. Use a long-handled brush through the fill cap opening to scrub accessible interior surfaces
4. Close the cap and rock the IBC to distribute the soap solution across all surfaces
5. Let it sit for 30 minutes
6. Drain through the valve and rinse three times with clean water
For a pressure washer: insert the wand through the fill cap opening and spray all interior surfaces from multiple angles. The mechanical action of the pressure washer eliminates the need for manual scrubbing.
Step 4: Sanitize (Optional but Recommended)
For rainwater, irrigation, or any water-contact application:
1. Mix a bleach solution: 1/4 cup of unscented bleach per 10 gallons of water
2. Pour 10-15 gallons into the IBC
3. Close the cap and rock to distribute
4. Let it sit for 1 hour
5. Drain completely through the valve
6. Rinse three times with clean water
7. The final rinse water should have no detectable bleach odor
Step 5: Odor Removal (If Needed)
Some IBCs retain odors from their previous contents even after thorough cleaning. For persistent odors:
1. Make a baking soda paste: 1 cup baking soda per gallon of water
2. Pour into the IBC and let sit overnight (12-24 hours)
3. Drain and rinse
4. If the odor persists, fill with water and add 1 gallon of white vinegar
5. Let sit 24 hours, drain, and rinse
6. Sun-dry with the cap off for 2-3 days (UV light helps neutralize odors)
If the odor still persists: The HDPE has absorbed the chemical at the molecular level. This is permanent and the container should be used only for non-sensitive applications or recycled.
Step 6: Valve Cleaning
Don't forget the valve — it's a common source of contamination:
1. Open and close the valve several times while rinsing
2. If possible, remove the valve (most 2" butterfly valves unscrew from the bottle)
3. Disassemble the valve and clean each component individually
4. Replace the gasket if it shows wear, compression, or discoloration
5. Reassemble, reinstall, and test for leaks
Cleaning Schedule for Ongoing Use
If you're using your IBC for ongoing rainwater collection or similar applications:
When Professional Cleaning Is Worth It
If your application requires true food-grade cleanliness, invest in a professionally reconditioned IBC. Our cleaning and reconditioning service uses a certified three-stage process that achieves documented microbiological standards that home cleaning simply cannot match.
For non-food applications? Follow this guide and your used IBC will serve you well for years.