IBC tank used for storing cooking oil - how to clean?

[mariohi]

I can get them for 15 pounds each which is very cheap, but the problem is that the cooking oil was stored inside. What would be the best way to clean it on allotment without hot water? Does it actually needs to be cleaned, will oil hurt plants or soil somehow?

[Bill HH]

Normal washing powder should do it,but I think you are right in thinking a bit of oil wont hurt anything.

[arpoet]

We bought one for our lottie a few years ago. That too had been used for cooking oil.
As we had mains water on the site, we went down early one morning, poured a bottle of fairy liquid (other brands are available) and hose piped it full. The following day we emptied it then swilled it out.
We then filled it from the shed roof. The water was still a bit greasy, but never a problem.

[bretty666]

Hi.. im not too sure about the science of oil in soil but sureley you only have residues left in your tank?? We use a lot of oil on building sites now and we are only allowed to use a veg oil that is fit for human consumptiin as it poses no risk to the ground we use it on?? When you fill it up,give it a stir...wait a sec and you should be able to remove most of whats left in the tank as it will float to the top..do this a couple of times and you will greatly reduce what could enter your soil..
This looks interesting Disposing of Used Cooking Oil in the Soil - Soil Forum - GardenWeb

[bearded bloke]

What Bretty says ^^ or if you are transporting it,why not stop at a garage with a steam cleaner & give it a good blast with that.

[Kristen]

My IBCs had Soya Sauce in them ... I didn't clean them other than fill&drain once to get rid of the worst. 3 years on and the water is still tinged brown and smells perfect for watering the stir-fry veg I grow

I think the only reason it might matter is if the oil (or anything else that has been in them) might gunge something up - like a sprayer, or if it coats the leaves in some way. I can't see that watering on the soil, with a can/bucket, would be a problem.

Anything that could grow mould, such as orange juice, might be a problem as mould growing in the tank would coalesce into bigger "lumps" which would be much more likely to bung up a sprayer, or the like, I think. Although even then not a problem if its only going to be "chucked" on the soil.

[roitelet]

I put cooking oil in my water buts to stop Mosquitos. It floats on the top and doesn't cause a problem.

[bretty666]

Ah good tip riotelet!! Thats worth looking into...but not as good as kristens watwring the atir fry veg with pre-tainted soya sauce water hahah thats just brill!! ..oil in a sprayer will be fine though so i wouldnt worry about that...(years of experience spraying metal with oil to stop concrete sticking to frames and shuttering using just normal garden sprayers). but kristen might have a good point about it coating the leaves? That might not be too good for them..but then again i think the oil will stay at the top. eitherway it would be good if you could let us kbow how you get on with it!?

[mariohi]

Ordered, delivered will wash and rinse few times. Thanks for replies.

[Snadger]

Oil floats on water so if you bung the hose in the top until it fills any oil should float to the top and overspill down the outside.
We had a divvy at work try to fill the tractor with diesel by taking the radiator cap off and putting the filler into the radiator! Same solution there, diesel floats on water so bunged hose into radiator until water ran clean. Problem solved.

[mariohi]

Oil floats on water so if you bung the hose in the top until it fills any oil should float to the top and overspill down the outside.

That makes sense. Will use combined method, wash, rinse, then harvest water and let it overflow for some time.