Guide to Properly Cleaning & Reusing IBC Totes

Intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) are reusable containers used to store and transport a variety of liquids and solids. Maintaining the cleanliness of these containers is especially important when they’re being used to store consumables, sensitive materials, potable water, or rain water. Consistently cleaning your totes is important for decreasing the risk of product contamination while improving the containers overall lifespan. Our IBC tote cleaning guide explains how to clean them correctly, common challenges, and tips for extending their lifespan.

IBC totes should be cleaned before reuse to remove any residual contaminates, prevent cross-contamination, and extend the container’s life span. Cleaning IBC totes is also a crucial step to ensuring safety for any future applications.

To ensure workplace health and safety, IBC totes should be kept in sanitary condition. The following steps walk you through how to clean an IBC tote in effort to ensure your totes are properly taken care of while also extending their lifespan.

When sanitizing IBC totes for reuse, they should be as empty as possible before cleaning. If the material being stored was a liquid or powder, it should be able to drain or be vacuumed out. If you were storing solids in the tote, they should be removed manually until all the material has been emptied out.

When sanitizing IBC totes for reuse, they should be as empty as possible before cleaning. If the material being stored was a liquid or powder, it should be able to drain or be vacuumed out. If you were storing solids in the tote, they should be removed manually until all the material has been emptied out.

Before adding cleaning agents, the tote should be thoroughly rinsed with potable water to remove any remaining residue that may have been missed during the emptying process.

Before adding cleaning agents, the tote should be thoroughly rinsed with potable water to remove any remaining residue that may have been missed during the emptying process.

The right cleaning agent will depend on what the tote was previously storing. A specialized cleaning solution or mild detergent is great for general cleaning purposes. For oil residues, a caustic degreaser would work best. If the tote stored consumable materials, a light bleach mixture should be applied to the surface.

The right cleaning agent will depend on what the tote was previously storing. A specialized cleaning solution or mild detergent is great for general cleaning purposes. For oil residues, a caustic degreaser would work best. If the tote stored consumable materials, a light bleach mixture should be applied to the surface.

Once the cleaning agent is applied, scrub the interior surfaces of the tote thoroughly. For the best results, use a brush or scrubbing pad with an adjustable reach pole for reaching small crevices. Once you’ve scrubbed down the whole tank, use a pressure washer to rinse down its surface until the water runs clear.

Once the cleaning agent is applied, scrub the interior surfaces of the tote thoroughly. For the best results, use a brush or scrubbing pad with an adjustable reach pole for reaching small crevices. Once you’ve scrubbed down the whole tank, use a pressure washer to rinse down its surface until the water runs clear.

Once you’ve completed rinsing down the tote for the final time, it’s time to let the tote dry out completely. The tote should be set out to air dry in a clean environment to speed up the process while allowing air to circulate.

Once you’ve completed rinsing down the tote for the final time, it’s time to let the tote dry out completely. The tote should be set out to air dry in a clean environment to speed up the process while allowing air to circulate.

The lifespan of an IBC tote depends on various factors, including UV exposure, usage frequency, maintenance, material, and content storage. To extend the lifespan of IBC tanks, it’s important to focus on a few key practices:

• Regularly clean your totes to prevent residue buildup 
• Inspect totes monthly for signs of damage or wear
• Periodically check the totes drain valve for dripping or leaks
• When possible, store IBC totes in a shaded area or use a protective tarp to prevent UV damage
• Store your totes on level surfaces to prevent stress and deformation

IBC totes generally have a lifespan of 5-10 years. While proper maintenance, cleaning, and storage influence longevity, what an IBC stores plays a key role in its overall lifespan:

• Hazardous Materials: ~5 years depending on chemical compatibility

• Chemicals: 5-8 years depending on chemical aggression

• Non-Hazardous Materials: 5-10 years depending on UV exposure

• Food-Grade Service: 3-7 years

IBC totes generally have a lifespan of 5-10 years. While proper maintenance, cleaning, and storage influence longevity, what an IBC stores plays a key role in its overall lifespan:

At The Cary Company, we prioritize providing you with comprehensive knowledge about your products. In addition to exploring questions like, “How To Clean an IBC for Drinking Water” and “Can You Reuse IBC Totes?”, we create product descriptions that identify the intended applications of every product. Browse our versatile selection of IBC totes now or explore industry-specific categories!

For questions about our IBC totes, or help in choosing the ideal one for your application, contact us at 630.629.6600 or sales@thecarycompany.com.