Tip for best aluminium cleaner for german waterbottles and gunk-filled water carriers

[corporalSteiner]

hi Ausrustung fans

i wonder if anyone has any top tips for returning a gunked up metal water container to its former potable glory?
do i use acid?
if so what kind?
if it aint acid, whats its name?

i know folk use denture cleaning tablets for waterbottles, but is there anything else designed for a total clean against unidentifiable gunk inside a typical whermacht aluminium container?

whatever it is, id love to know its name.

thanks in advance

[CWP]

Once an aluminum water container has been used to hold gasoline or unidentified chemicals, I would not drink out of it. In any event, these items are antiques and I avoid using them, I collect them.

[corporalSteiner]

'relics for eyes only' argument aside, there MUST be simple procedures for cleaning metal back to water holdable condition once again.

i appreciate chris' view.

any more opinions or tips?

[pzrwest]

To clean a canteen I just put good old liquid dish soap and a hand full of steel bb's or small beach stones into the canteen then shake it vigorously and dump it out and repeat a cpl times then flush it out with clean fresh hot water till all soap residue is gone. Then I boil the tea kettle then pour boiling water into the canteen, if I'm worried that there might be something still "alive" in it I pour rubbing alcohol into it and give it a good shake then pour it and repeat the boiling water then after I pour it out I leave the canteen upside down propped up till it dries. Shouldn't take long with the heat of the boiling water the canteen will dry quickly. I always leave the cap off the canteen to prevent it getting musty again. After useing it in the "field"(re-enacting) I rinse it out with boiling water and let it dry out thoroughly and store it with the cap off.

[sturmann]

Salut,

Pretty much the same as above, some peebles or small stones + boiling water + washing up liquid + bleach and shake like a mad man ...

yves

[Grabenkater]

Fill your canteen body half way with sand, and then take it to the local paint store. Have them place it in the paint shaker for 20 min. This will remove lots of scale and corrosion. However I agree with Chris, if it has ever had anything like gasoline in it, do not drink from it.

[corporalSteiner]

thanks for your generous ideas
much appreciated all
kind regards
ill let you know how the cleaning goes...

[Christian_GJR3]

.

I have followed the soap, boiling method, and after I poured clean vinegar in it too. Just to make sure

Of course I didn't clean a rusty metal canteen, but a nice GJ 1 litre alu.

[corporalSteiner]

thank you again for soap and boiling.........i may have to experiment with cleaning what looks like 'gunk' out with specialized acid compounds...