How To Clean 5 Gallon Water Jug?

If your water jug has also got untidy and you want to know how to clean a 5-gallon water jug, then read the blog.

Why should you clean the water jug?

Water is something we cannot do without. But, it is our responsibility to make sure that the water we are drinking is clean and safe to consume. Of course, we should always use filtered water, but most importantly, we have to make sure that the containers in which we are storing our drinking water are clean enough. If it is not clean, all the dirt will get mixed up with the water, which is not safe for our health. Also, repeatedly storing water without cleaning the container can result in sediments building up inside it. That is why we should clean the jug regularly.

But cleaning such a huge water jug seems to be difficult, and also, if we do not clean it properly, then the following the processes to clean it becomes pointless. 

In this blog, I will share two methods that will leave your huge water jug squeaky clean.

The Methods:

First Method:

The things you will need:

  • Water
  • White vinegar
  • Liquid dishwasher soap
  • Uncooked white rice
  • Tea tree essential oil

The procedure:

  • Grab the 5-gallon water jug and empty it.
  • Now, fill half of the water jug with water and add one cup of white vinegar. Mix the ingredients well by shaking the jug. 
  • Turn the water jug upside down and leave it like this for ten minutes. After that, you can use some other object to give it support.
  • After ten minutes, empty the jug and rinse the inside of it with plain water.
  • Now fill half of it again with plain water and pour some liquid dishwasher into it.
  • Give the two ingredients a good shake and place the jug in an upside-down position again for another ten minutes.
  • After ten minutes, drain out the soapy water and rinse with plain water.
  • Now comes the most interesting part. Fill one-fourth of that jug with plain water and add two handfuls of plain white uncooked rice to it.
  • Shake the water jug well for at least two consecutive minutes, and you will see that after two minutes, the water has turned into something yellowish liquid. It means that the rice has collected all the sediments and other dirt inside the water jug. White rice acts as an excellent cleaning agent and collects all the debris.
  • Empty the dirty liquid and rinse with plain water. Once it is cleaned and no liquid is left, fill the jug with 500-milliliter water and add five to seven drops of tea tree essential oil. Make sure that the essential oil you are using is of good quality. This step is completely optional. It will remove any odor of vinegar of white rice and tea tree essential oil is antibacterial and anti-fungal. Shake the water jug well and empty it. Rinse with plain water at the end, and your 5-gallon water jug is clean to use.

Second Method:

Things you require:

  • Liquid dishwashing soap
  • A washing brush
  • Baking soda
  • A tablespoon to measure
  • Water
  • A container

The procedure:

  • Grab the 5-gallon water jug and fill one-fourth of it with plain water. Make sure you empty any previous residue of water before doing this.
  • Add one tablespoon of liquid dishwashing soap to the water and shake the jug well to mix two of them. Let it rest for ten minutes.
  • Now grab a washing brush specifically designed to clean the insides of the water jug. You can find these brushes at your local shops.
  • Start scrubbing the insides of your jug, and do not miss any spot.
  • After you are done with the brushing part, empty the soapy water and rinse with plain water.
  • Fill half of it with plain water and add two tablespoons of baking soda into it. Let it sit for thirty seconds and wash the jug off.
  • Now turn on the flame and place a container. Pour 500- milliliter of water into the container and start boiling it. Make sure it is not too hot, and turn off the flame once it is warm.
  • Pour the warm water into your jug. You have to remember one thing. If your jug is a plastic one, then do not pour warm water into it. The plastic will react with the water. If your jug is a plastic one, rinse the jug again and again with plain cold water until the water that comes off is clear. If you are using a metal or glass jug, pour the warm water and shake the jug well. Empty the water and pour some plain water. Rinse the insides of it and if required, repeat the last step until the water becomes clear.