Harsh lesson learned regarding old containers

[Kira]

Real simple one.
I was cleaning up and gathered together 3 old plastic bottles of charcoal lighter fluid.
Two were white plastic of a local store brand (ShopRite) and one was blue plastic bearing the Kingsford name.

I dropped the blue one at the top of the cellar stairs and the plastic ripped open and 1.5 qt. of fluid splashed down the stairs into the cellar.

What a mess.

MORAL of the STORY: Watch out for embrittled plastic bottles holding potentially hazardous liquids.

 

[Zee09]

Oh yeah been there.
I had an old bottle of unopened windshield washer fluid.
I walked out to the car and the handle just detached from the bottle by itself...yup.. crap all over.
And I was lucky as it was all crystallized and would have been bad news to use.

 

[oldcodger]

Don't store anything in the plastic 1 gal. milk jugs. Those things turn brittle overnight. They will literally come apart in your hand.

 

[ARCOgraphite]

I don't keep fuel in the house, but now that I think of it the wife has a can of Coleman fuel in the basement with the camping equipment. But it's a good ole turpentine style metal can.

Had a problem with one of those new "CARB EPA reg" gas jugs in the Summer. The smaller 2-1/2 GAL size.
It was stored under the porch near the lawn equipment, but on the sunny side behind a picket gate. Now, I was relaxing on the porch swing and smelled gasoline. Went down to look and the thing was hissing like a mad snake - it was balooned round - not a rectangular box shape anymore. It was ready to blow!

Moved it out to the side yard and slowly unscrewed the spout. NO cigar in the mouth.

Thanks CARB EPA. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant

 

[Astro14]

Ouch - glad you don’t smoke!

 

[NormanBuntz]

I had a bottle of Mequiar's leather cleaner/protectant that cracked and leaked badly. I called Meguiar's customer service and they sent me a complimentary replacement bottle. I've used their products for 40 years.

 

[slo town]

Had a problem with one of those new "CARB EPA reg" gas jugs in the Summer. The smaller 2-1/2 GAL size.
It was stored under the porch near the lawn equipment, but on the sunny side behind a picket gate. Now, I was relaxing on the porch swing and smelled gasoline. Went down to look and the thing was hissing like a mad snake - it was balooned round - not a rectangular box shape anymore. It was ready to blow!

Just last week I had an interesting experience with one of those plastic CARB gasoline containers. I filled up my OPE and set the empty container on the step of a 6 foot ladder that I had under the covered area of our patio. Late in the afternoon the sun got low enough that it bathed the ladder and gas container in sun, but keep in mind this was a winter day with temps in the high 50s.

After doing a couple hours worth of yard work I walked past the ladder and saw that the container had literally melted over the step. The container melted to the point it drooped over both sides of the step, shaping the container into a sagging C-shape, rendering it completely useless. And once again, this was a cool winter day so the afternoon sun was barely even warm.

Scott

 

[JoelB]

I would say the real lesson here is don't drop containers of dangerous liquids.

 

[eljefino]

I've had gas cans hold impressive pressure. Hopefully it recondenses into the gasoline and keeps it fresher, longer.

 

[walterjay]

I had a two year old jug of distilled water spontaneously begin leaking on one of my shelves. Buckled and ruined the shelf.

Also had a not too old poly gas container begin to come apart at the seam near the top.
Plastic roto-tiller gas tank break and leak everywhere when I opened the gas cock.
Plastic 27 year old mower tank leaking at the top

I am keeping an eye on my 15 year old generator gas tank....seems solid so far.

 

[SHOZ]

I don't keep fuel in the house, but now that I think of it the wife has a can of Coleman fuel in the basement with the camping equipment. But it's a good ole turpentine style metal can.

Had a problem with one of those new "CARB EPA reg" gas jugs in the Summer. The smaller 2-1/2 GAL size.
It was stored under the porch near the lawn equipment, but on the sunny side behind a picket gate. Now, I was relaxing on the porch swing and smelled gasoline. Went down to look and the thing was hissing like a mad snake - it was balooned round - not a rectangular box shape anymore. It was ready to blow!

Moved it out to the side yard and slowly unscrewed the spout. NO cigar in the mouth.

Thanks CARB EPA. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant

I hate the new gas cans. Buying up the old used one off ebay. Don't need a filler tube. Just get a new cap and gasket.

 

[LongTime_Lurker]

Could have been worse. Does Mrs. Kira know about this whole ordeal?

 

[racer12306]

Don't store anything in the plastic 1 gal. milk jugs. Those things turn brittle overnight. They will literally come apart in your hand.

I heard way back when that they held milk residue unless thoroughly cleaned, and maybe even then. Not sure how true it may be, but I've never reused milk jugs for anything.


Along the same lines, but different.....

A few weeks ago I was pouring our evening tea into a coffee mug and the &$*#&%*$*( just split down the middle. Half mug of tea just spilling over the cooktop (smooth electric). Was really glad it was on the cooktop and not the counter.

 

[4WD]

I store that in a small metal trash can @ BBQ pit - tight lid !
(BBQ related tools and water jug etc) …

 

[Blackstack]

My Dad brought over some old snowmobile parts a couple of years ago that I had laying around his place since I was a teenager in the mid-80's. In the boxes were a couple of cans of WD-40 that were about half full each. Bonus!.... I thought to myself. The first time I used one the stench could have knocked a buzzard off of a gut wagon. Hoe Lee Chit! I don't know how I didn't puke on the spot.

 

[Dave Sherman]

Good advice. On a similar note, if you put your used oil into old, opaque containers, MARK THEM. Let's just say someone helpfully rearranged my garage and put the used oil bottles on the shelf next to the bottles of oil and coolant. Found out the hard way that the Honda coolant wasn't Honda coolant anymore.

 

[SHOZ]

I heard way back when that they held milk residue unless thoroughly cleaned, and maybe even then. Not sure how true it may be, but I've never reused milk jugs for anything.


Along the same lines, but different.....

A few weeks ago I was pouring our evening tea into a coffee mug and the &$*#&%*$*( just split down the middle. Half mug of tea just spilling over the cooktop (smooth electric). Was really glad it was on the cooktop and not the counter.

I originally had a eclectic cooktop with the old coils. I had a big pot of water boiling and the coil shorted out. Blew a hole in the pan and the whole thing spilled into the cook top. I though we were all going to die!

 

[paulo57509]

I'm in the habit of going thru the collection of chemicals on the shelves and cabinets every year or two. If it haven't been used in a while, I but it in a box and take them to the hazardous waste disposal center (free drop-off).

This quells the urge to buy mass quantities too.

 

[ecotourist]

We had a few cans of Coke that got a bit old (maybe 3 or 4 years old). One can sprung a leak near the bottom and squirted Coke all over. That was a mess too.