[Loves to ride]

I have a couple of the big old black rubber Fortiflex buckets that I use in the paddocks to feed out of. They are admittedly, ancient but work great. These are the soft rubber, black, more like tire material, not the newer plastic ones.

I cannot get the smell out of them!

I wash them every day and let them stand in the sun to dry. I've used bleach, lysol, dish detergent. Nothing helps keep the smell out. It's better when they are dry but with any moisture - still some smell.

What can I use to clean them so they smell better?

The horses don't seem to mind, but I do.

TIA...

[ReSomething]

Baking soda. Lots of baking soda and a bathtub full of water. soak for a couple of days.

Or save yourself the work and get used to the smell. They are after all, outside and you say the horses don't care.

[trubandloki]

What smell are you talking about?

[Plainandtall]

Is the smell the smell of rubber? I don't think that goes away.

[Rbow]

What smell are you talking about?

Mine tend to get scummy quickly, but I haven't noticed a smell either. They definitely seem more difficult to keep clean than the other buckets.

[trubandloki]

Mine tend to get scummy quickly, but I haven't noticed a smell either. They definitely seem more difficult to keep clean than the other buckets.

Yeah, I have a couple I use for feed tubs and some really big versions that I use for water in paddocks. I have not noticed a smell.

I clean my buckets with Listerine.

[VaqueroToro]

The rubber smell won't go away; it's part of its DNA.

Baking soda and vinegar or baking soda and hydrogen peroxide -- smear the baking soda around into all the cracks and crevices then pour the liquid of choice in for the bubbling action. Let sit, scrub, then rinse, then dry in sunlight. Bonus is that neither will hurt your horse if all of it doesn't rinse out.

[Loves to ride]

wow quick responses - thanks!

This isn't the rubber smell. It's like a scummy smell, but they aren't scummy.

Thanks...