Water tank cleaning with Milton's and removing Milton's taste afterwards

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Peter

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Have cleaned and sterilised our water tanks using Milton's. Seemed to go OK, my only problem now is getting rid of the taste of Milton's from the water. I possibly overdosed the tanks when cleaning. Getting a lot of ear ache at the moment on this problem. Tried filling and emptying the tanks a couple of time and the taste seems to be going very very slowly, really taste it in tea/coffee. Any over ways of getting rid of this taste? or just drink beer

Thanks

Peter
 
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It soon clears if you keep using the water (effectively flushing it through).

Either that or you get used to the taste...;)

It may also be that with repeatedly flushing through, the water is still very fresh and therefore tastes a bit more chlorinated than it does after leaving it a week. Thereby exaggerating the problem!

It'll soon settle down if you've flushed it through properly (including calorifier if you have one).
 
A weak vinegar solution works for me. Not sure of the exact dilution but I pour a small bottle [about 1/2 pint ] to each tank, leave for an hour then pump out and refill. The water tastes slightly of vinegar for a while but soon clears and is preferable to Milton anyway.
In any case the earache is worse than the taste.
 
I gave up using Milton and bought ordinary laundry bleach, which is dilute sodium hypochloride. If the taste has not gone in two flushes, either you used way too much or the water you are using is chlorinated and you are tasting that.

Milton is 2% Sodium Hypochloride and 16.5% sodium chloride (common salt). As far as I can tell the ingedient you need is the sodium hypochloride, and Milton is a very expensive way of buying it, plus salt.
 
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I'm just about doing it according to Peggy Hall's method (The Head Mistress) : after the bleach treatement, fill the tank with vinegar diluted in fresh water (one liter of vinegar for 20 liters of water), and leave it this way for 3 - 4 days, and then rinse again filling the tank three times or more untill any taste has disappeared.

It works for me (aluminium tank) since years.

Fair wind.
 
If you have overdone the Milton or bleach it does take a lot of flushing to get rid of it. Exposure to sunlight should help but as yet not figured out how to get the sun shining in a water tank!

Not tried vinegar but often suggested. Personally I think vinegar would be as bad as the chlorine.

Take fresh tap water in water carriers for making tea and coffee!
 
Have you tried an ordinary domestic filter jug for drinking water? We use one at home all the time (Portsmouth Water has a very distinctive taste/smell) and another one on the boat. Tea/coffee/squash etc. always taste fine.
 
I bought inflatable water tanks and the advice by Plastimo was to use vinegar to eradicate the plastic taste-it worked fine but I could not then get rid of the taste of vinegar even after a seasons use and repeated fillings. Bought a water filter cartridge (in line type) about £15 and the water tastes great. Instant fix that removes all traces of milton, vinegar and other unwanted tainting of the water.
 
Catalac08... I actually used white vinegar numerous times on Plastimo tanks and the taste always flushed out within two rinses. Did you perhaps use the standard coloured vinegar and is that harder to flush out?
 
Lady Sailor said:
I'm sure I read on this forum that you can't really sterilize your water tank well enough to ensure safe drinking water.
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Although I am sure this is true, most of us use the tank water for tea & coffee which will be boiled safely, but after a winter lay-up many systems will have some growth in the tank or pipes that will taint the taste. Treatment with Milton or similar should deal with the worst of this, and was something we used to do before we had a shower, that takes care of the flushing problem. A water filter will make the water taste ok, though will not sterilise it.
 
Martin_J said:
Catalac08... I actually used white vinegar numerous times on Plastimo tanks and the taste always flushed out within two rinses. Did you perhaps use the standard coloured vinegar and is that harder to flush out?
Click to expand...

Yes I used ordinary Malt Vinegar (did not really think about any other type) and it was amazing how the taste persisted until I used a filter cartridge!
 
Lady Sailor said:
I'm sure I read on this forum that you can't really sterilize your water tank well enough to ensure safe drinking water.
Click to expand...

Depends what you mean by safe. I generally drink the tank water on any boat unless the water source itself is reputed to be dodgy (eg mains on Greek islands) or there's a blatant off taste or bits in it (couple of elderly cheap charters). Not done me any harm yet.

Pete
 
Hi All,

May seem a daft question but why use Miltons (tablets or liquid) ?

I have always used Aqua Tabs for the first two tank fills at the beginning of the season then just water for the summer. No problems providing source of water Ok ie UK. Is it because foreign water is so dodgy?

Am I missing something ?
 
theoldsalt said:
Hi All,

Am I missing something ?
Click to expand...

Not really. The active ingredient in Aqua tabs is sodium dichloroisocyanurate which is another source of chlorine.

You use Aquatabs
I use Milton. 2.5mls/ 5 litres for treating the first fill each season.
 
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