best ways to clean out fertilizer drums

[jay563]

I use some old farmall planters/side dressers. What is best way everyone finds to keep fertilizer drums in good shape. I have high pressured mine, used salt ex, grease/oil on surface, repainted them, rust proof paint etc.
 

[Dean Olson]

I thoroughly flush mine out with water, let them dry, then come back and soak WD40. I store them inside. I buy WD40 in 1 gallon cans and refill a hand sprayer.

The retired farmer I bought them from stored them in a 55 gallon drum of used motor oil. They are in perfect shape after 50+ years but what a mess to clean up before you can use them.
 

[uncle henry]

i do as dean does but i put mine in a drum of used motor oil inside my shed
 

[Rick Remmert]

We cleaned ours out with and stored them in diesel fuel.
 

[tobaccoman]

You already have some pretty good answers. Here's what I do:
Disassemble them completely! Wash off each piece throughly. Let all the pieces dry in the sun. Dunk all the smaller pieces in used motor oil and apply a liberal amount of the used motor oil with a rag, etc to all surfaces of the hopper itself,both inside and out. Reassemble and set inside(put something under it to catch the excess oil that runs off) and you will be good to go next year. I've been using this method for 35 years and my hoppers are as good as ever.
 

[504]

We always washed ours with water and then treated them with used motor oil.
 

[IH fan]