used watering can for weedkiller, what to wash it out with?

[blondiewonder]

Hi, i bought a red watering can specifically for weed killer, but since i have gone down the more natural route i don't use chemical weed killer anymore, but i still want to make use of the watering can, any tips on what to wash it out with that will completely get rid of traces of weed killer?
Thanks

[Potstubsdustbins]

Depends on what weed killer you used to use. With most a good flush with clean water should do the trick. You can always check buy using it on weeds after cleaning.

[BUFFS]

I would be pouring an awful lot of boiling water into this watering can and I would then put a good dollop of bleach and a fresh load of boiling water, left soak overnight before a really good flushing with cold water, I may be way off but that's what I would do, and then use it on something that isn't too important before it gets an "all clear", good luck with it...

[Snadger]

Rinse it out with soapy water (squirt of washing up liquid in first rinse) four times and pour rinsings onto previously weed killed area.

[Penellype]

I would be seriously worried about putting a strong and noxious chemical like bleach near another chemical in order to "get rid of it". You could get all sorts of chemical reactions going on. Most bleach is sodium hypochlorite, which is a very reactive chemical. Common weedkillers may contain glyphosate (N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine). I have a degree in chemistry and I can't tell you how these chemicals will react or what you might produce as a result. It could be toxic, carcinogenic, dangerous to fish and all sorts.

Just because you are familiar with a household chemical does NOT mean it is safe to mix with something else!

Give the thing a good wash with several changes of water and leave out the additional chemicals.

[bramble]

I presume its a plastic wtering can. No point in putting boiling water and bleach into it, as the can will probably disintragate.
As Snadgar says.

[blondiewonder]

Me again....does anyone think white vinegar and bi carb solution is a good idea?

[Alison]

Me again....does anyone think white vinegar and bi carb solution is a good idea?

No, as said above, mixing chemicals is not a good idea

[Potstubsdustbins]

Most weed killers available to the amateur are water soluble therefore lots of flushing should do the trick, I too would not use chemicals you never know what reaction your going to get.

Back when I was involved in gun manufacture we used to mix a solution to 'hot black' finished guns. The first time my mate did a mix we were outside (thank goodness) and the fumes took every leaf of a near by tree and this was using a correct formula, Alison may be able to explain what chemical reaction took place.

[Penellype]

Not sure of the chemistry involved here but the idea of hot blacking is to oxidise the outside of the metal to prevent rust, which is a more destructive form of oxidation of steel in the atmosphere. The usual chemicals used are potassium nitrate and sodium hydroxide but quite how they act when heated with iron I don't know.

Potassium nitrate is a non toxic, everyday chemical often used as the potash component of fertilizer and as a food preservative and is a classic example of something that people are very familiar with and would think is safe to mix with other chemicals. It is however a very good oxidising agent in the right conditions, which gives it its other main use.... gunpowder.

As a general rule it is not wise to mix any chemicals, however familiar, unless you know what you are doing.

[sparrow100]

Me again....does anyone think white vinegar and bi carb solution is a good idea?

My neighbour tried that last year. It kills top growth, does nothing to the roots. Within a couple of months all the weeds were back, looking more luxuriant than ever.

[Penellype]

White vinegar and sodium bicarbonate are useful household cleaners. Vinegar is an acid and is good for removing things like grease and limescale. Sodium bicarbonate is good for removing smells and stains. The 2 together can be used (vinegar first) to clean burnt on food from a pan.

Again, quite how weedkiller would react with either acid or alkali I don't know, but I'm not surprised that spraying it on weeds kills the top growth.

Stick to water, and just wash the weedkiller off. Its soluble in water so it should disappear with a good rinse.

[Jimmy]

I have a separate can for weed killer and only use it for that.
Jimmy

[Alison]

I have a separate can for weed killer and only use it for that.
Jimmy

So did the original poster but they (like many others) no longer use weed killer so wanted to clean out the can for watering / feeding purposes .

[Potstubsdustbins]

Penellype, I have been speaking to my ex-partner who used to do the blueing process, along with your chemicals there was an addition of caustic soda a mix called 'traditional caustic black'.

This mix was placed in a special stainless steel bath and heated to 135' to 155' centigrade, the gun parts were the in for around 30 minutes.