Getting Tea Tree oil out of stainless

[pirateagenda]

Picked up a stainless drum cheap that was previously used to transport tea tree oil. The scent is strong.

So far i have filled and rinsed twice, filled with sodium perc, left for 24 hours an rinsed, filled with sodium perc again and left for 24 hours and the smell has dimished, but is still there.

any hints to get it out?

 

[peteru]

You need something to dissolve the oil. Try caustic soda or a degreaser product.

 

[Stokesy]

I've used chlorine on plastic ibc's for my aquaponics before to remove residue and odour, and then hit it with ct18 truck wash and pressure wash it. Stainless is easier to clean.
The other way, if you know any engineering workshops that can acid dip your drum, that will fix it for ya. The acid is basically a mixture of hydrofluoric and nitric acids from memory. [emoji482][emoji482]

 

[Frothy Boi]

Melaleuca oil is quite tenacious and very pungent. You should try dissolving those terpenes in methylated spirits.

 

[MHB]

Steam is about the only thing I know works, managed to get an old 205L SS drum clean by putting water in it and sitting it on a burner, boil for a couple of hours, empty and repeat...
Mark

 

[pirateagenda]

Steam is about the only thing I know works, managed to get an old 205L SS drum clean by putting water in it and sitting it on a burner, boil for a couple of hours, empty and repeat...
Mark

Thanks everyone for the suggestions!

I'll try this one first as it doesn't require any chemicals to be obtained!

 

[tugger]

Hot water and soap steel wool pads.

 

[pirateagenda]

steamed it for an hour this morning. drained it and on its 2nd steam cycle now. smell has all but gone away!

 

[The Flyingscrapyard]

steamed it for an hour this morning. drained it and on its 2nd steam cycle now. smell has all but gone away!

I can recommend the steam option. When I was doing hours at the local butter factory many years ago, it was a fairly common job to steam out fuel tanks. A high temp hose that was using exhaust (low pressure) steam would be put in the tanks and it would be steamed for a day, depending on the size. Obviously, if you can get the drum hot enough to flash off the volatiles from the oil, you'll clear the fumes as well. Sounds like you are there.

 

[pirateagenda]

i ran out of gas mid 2nd steam. the smell is still there but very light. i'll grab some more and go again as it seems to be working.

 

[Lionman]

Add some sodium perc to the the boil. Sodium perc works a lot better at higher temp. Don't use straight sodium perc, use unscented napisan or something similar like PBW as they have other ingredients like surfactants that help break down oils too.