An empty tub or bucket that has held food often ends up in the cupboard with nothing to do. It can make a very good small bin for the worktop or the hall, if you give it a new job. Before it takes on that job, though, it needs a thorough rinse. Otherwise the old smell and the old stickiness will follow it into its new life.
Start by tipping out anything left inside and scraping the sides with a spoon or a piece of paper. This stops grease and scraps from blocking the sink. Then fill the container with warm water and a little washing-up liquid and leave it to stand for a while. The warm water loosens whatever has dried onto the sides.
Getting into the corners
Use a bottle brush or an old cloth to reach the corners and the rim, where dirt gathers most. Pay attention to the lid as well, because the groove around the edge holds on to old crumbs. A cotton bud or the corner of a cloth will get into the narrowest gaps. Rinse everything under running water until no suds remain.
If a smell lingers, fill the container with warm water and a spoonful of bicarbonate of soda, then leave it overnight. In the morning, rinse it again and give it a sniff. A slice of lemon left inside for a while also freshens things up. Avoid strong cleaning products on tubs that once held food.
Once the container is clean, let it dry completely upside down on a rack or a folded tea towel. A damp bin soon grows musty, and a musty bin is one nobody wants to use. Check for cracks in the sides or the base, since a split container will leak and should not be kept. Then decide where it will live and what it will hold.
A well-washed tub can then serve as a caddy for peelings or a bin for paper offcuts. Put a small label on the front so that everyone in the house knows what belongs inside. Wash it again from time to time, especially after it has held anything damp or sticky. Reusing a container this way saves you buying a new one.
