# Food storage in used 5 gallon buckets using Mylar bags.



## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

I have been able to get my hands on some 5 gallon buckets with lids, although they are marked as food grade, they have had janitorial stuff in them (wax, flood stripper stuff like that). I've cleaned them out about as well as I can, but I am still not willing to put food or water directly in them, as I am afraid some chemical residue still may exist. 
My question is, would it be safe to put food stored in sealed mylar bags in them? Any opinions will be welcomed.
Msdave


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I wouldn't trust them. I'd rather go with a bucket not labeled for food than one that had chemicals in it. Check with your local bakeries, they get their frosting and such in 3-5 gallon buckets. But check the lids, it's a mix and match if they just hand them over. Also delis, fast food places and the like.


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## Diver (Nov 22, 2014)

New buckets are cheap. Use those for something else.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

Ditto above Dave,
As inexpensive as 5 gallon new food grade buckets are, go with the new ones for food. Or go to a local bakery/grocery store on an early weekday morning if you can and ask the bakery dept if they have some. 

I would use the janitorial ones to store some cleaners and stuff; soaps, cleaners, detergents etc.


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## Kahlan (Sep 16, 2014)

For those of you who actually purchase the containers where do you buy them from? I bought from Baytec Containers last time but am pretty sure I paid too much. Plus I'm an idiot and didn't realize lids were separate so had to place a second order for the lids and pay another huge shipping fee.


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

We used to buy them online at a company called Freckle Face. Home & Master Index freckleface.com plastic material gamma seals ball valves plastic sheet plastic rod plastic tube The prices were okay - not great, but the shipping was a killer. For the last couple years we have been buying them at Menards for the same price as online and no shipping!


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## Moonshinedave (Mar 28, 2013)

You guys made a believer out of me, NO food storage in those buckets, thanks all for the inputs.


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## Inor (Mar 22, 2013)

Moonshinedave said:


> You guys made a believer out of me, NO food storage in those buckets, thanks all for the inputs.


Well, not so fast... Eating food stored in the buckets holding floor polish might give you bright shiney teeth! :lol:


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

Or another end might be shiny too, but I won't do the checking.


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## RNprepper (Apr 5, 2014)

Kahlan said:


> For those of you who actually purchase the containers where do you buy them from? I bought from Baytec Containers last time but am pretty sure I paid too much. Plus I'm an idiot and didn't realize lids were separate so had to place a second order for the lids and pay another huge shipping fee.


Yup, Baytec is way expensive on the shipping. You can go with Emergency Essentials. Or Home Depot. They have food grade buckets with both ring seal lids and gamma seal lids. That's where I've been getting mine lately. One day I was buying several and a guy came up and said, "Are you one of those Amish people?" I thought tht was funny.


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## Boss Dog (Feb 8, 2013)

I think you can get buckets at Lowes or Home Depot for about $5 but they're not as sturdy as actual food buckets.
I've got about twentyfive 5-gallon buckets from a local deli that I'm slowly filling up. They were pickle buckets and have an O-ring in the lids. Just pull the O-rings and wash everything to get all the pickle brine out and then put them back together. Best part is, they're free! Deli was throwing them in a compacting dumpster before. As has already been said, check your local deli & bakery. You can probably score some for free.


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