Low cost, Tax deductible food grade buckets

[Urban Survivalist]

The other day I found a really cool place to eat. It was called Firehouse Subs. As me and family ate our really good sandwiches I noticed a sign on the wall saying buy a bucket and save a life. As I read further I found out that Firehouse Subs sells their 5 gal. pickle buckets with the lid for $2.00 and the proceeds go to the Public Safety Charity Fund so your purchase is tax deductible. The Buckets are food grade and the lids have full rubber seals. The buckets are red and have a really cool Firehouse logo on them. I ended up buying 5 buckets with lids for $10.00 no tax. The buckets have a strong pickle smell but I left them in the Arizona sun for a week and a half and the smell is gone. Now I have 5 food grade buckets with lids for long term food storage for a small fee and gave to charity. Firehouse subs has 425 locations according to their website so there may be one by you. I thought this was a good find and could help everyone out so I wanted to share the info. I hope it helps.

[becky3086]

I just found this out from my brother who promises to get me some next time he goes to buy some.

[Tofu]

I have never been able to get that pickel smell out. I use the 4 that I purchased for storing the free coffee grounds I got from Starbucks for future compost. The buckets are very cool fire engine red, easy to open lids and the money goes to a good cause (better than giving it to the china mart). Good find!

[Spock]

try your local bakeries. I found one via craiglist thats sells me buckets at $1 each. they are 4.25 gallon and .090 mil thickness vs the .070 mil of a homer bucket.

[protus]

been using firehouse now for 2+ yrs for my LTS buckets. the charity the money goes to ,along with the price is a no brainer on my end ( though free is better) lol

[Matt In Oklahoma]

On the pickle smell.
I bought those 65gl drums with pickles and pool shock will take it right out. I used one bag for the barrel, left it full of water and shock in the sun for 6hrs and it totally cleaned it out. rinse good and no smell, all clean

[Urban Survivalist]

On the pickle smell.
I bought those 65gl drums with pickles and pool shock will take it right out. I used one bag for the barrel, left it full of water and shock in the sun for 6hrs and it totally cleaned it out. rinse good and no smell, all clean
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Good to know 6 hrs is way better than a week and a half. I will be trying it next week. Thanks Matt

[monkeybird]

The pickle smell is why I've just purchased mine. I got some from Publix Deli and I tried and tried to get the pickle smell out. Baking soda, clorox, you name it I tried it. It was so much work I decided I'd rather pay for the buckets.

So, if pool shock really works - I have a new source of buckets. After you treat the buckets, if you close them up again after a day or so can you still smell the pickles or is the smell gone forever?

[protus]

i just use warm water and soap..pack my food in them and then slap the lids on. Your house will only stink of pickles for 2-3 days..i promise ;P

[Matt In Oklahoma]

So, if pool shock really works - I have a new source of buckets. After you treat the buckets, if you close them up again after a day or so can you still smell the pickles or is the smell gone forever?

I refilled mine with drinking water and closed them up. i didnt reopen them until after the big winter storm and extreme low temps i posted on to see what was going on and there was no smell. both me and my son checked almost expecting to be dissapointed but no smell. Think about it, I have used pool shock on a green smelly pool ran the pump and filters and been swimming the next day with no more smell

[1Admin]

I thought all storage food was pickle flavored?? ;)

[BeckyinTX]

Thanks for the tip Matt! I'm gonna have to try that! Letting the pickle jars sit out in the TX sun all summer was the only thing that worked. I'm not that patient so I've just been buying the 1/2 gallon Mason jars.

Got my first 2 free buckets today! They're icing buckets from my grocery store's bakery. She was happy to get rid of them. They have a heavenly scent to them! lol It's gonna be mighty disappointing to open that bucket, smell icing, & see rice. :-)

[manowar]

i go to dairy queen and get the 5 gal buckets that the toppings came in, and they are happy to get rid of them for free, same with at the mill i work at the cafe there gives away all their buckets for free. i am a big fan of free.lol
manowar

[610Alpha]

No firehouse store where I live :( oh well.

[WiseOwl]

I was at an O'Reillys tonight getting some wiper blades and noticed there was a Firehouse in the shopping center a block away. I remembered this thread and sure nuff, $2 a bucket. They have them all sitting up by the front. The shop was busy and when I waited in line about 5 mins to get up to the girl and said " Do you sell I buckets?", some people looked at me funny. I took all she had. Now the Trooper smells like pickles but thats ok because I love pickles. Kinda like the SNL chick on the Zaxbys commercials, yeah like that.


And, I am going to try some different techniques on getting the smell out. I will share my findings.