Kitty Litter buckets for storage?

[CherylOK]

I have a couple of the containers for scoopable cat litter...the 14 lb, about 2 gal size. They have a 2 1/2" screw lid for pouring.

Has anyone used them for stroage? The litter is dry and pretty clean, so I think, after washing and sterilizing, they would be safe. I thought about sugar, popcorn, dried beans. What flour? Any other ideas or considerations?

So far, all my food preps are in regular, household sizes.

The sugar and flour bags, being in paper, concern me. I'd feel better if both were in stronger containers, especially heading into hotter, buggier weather.

 

[AnniePutin]

Storage of some things--yes. Direct contact with food? Probably not. I doubt they are FDA approved for food contact. I could be wrong though. I have several myself, and have used them for buckets and storage of cleaning bottles and even pet food and snacks in bags or other containers--no direct contact with the litter buckets. Maybe someone else here knows for sure. They're too nice to throw away, that's for sure. Definitely recyclable for something!

 

[barb43]

Cheryl, i haven't used those buckets, but i do put my bagged sugar and flour into 2-gallon ziploc bags and then store them in Rubbermaid containers. Don't see why you couldn't do that and store them in the kitty litter buckets.

 

[SolarWind]

I haven't used them for direct contact food storage but I don't see why you can't if they are cleaned properly. They are just HDPE plastic.

If you used a scoop to transfer the material between the bucket and the litter box
I would NOT use it for anything else. If you pour directly from the bucket like I do then it should be as safe if cleaned well.

 

[Eddie Willers]

Whatever perfume was put in the litter will permeate the stuff you put in the buckets. Doesn't matter how well you clean it - the perfume will still be there.

Guaranteed - discovered this myself.

'Eddie

 

[bluetick]

Kitty litter buckets are great! I buy 33 to 38 pounds of litter in them at BJ's, and recycle them. These buckets have carry handles and snap on lids.

One lidded bucket is a stool I sit on while brushing, and brushing, and brushing the dogs in the backyard. Others hold bags of beans, rice, sugar, flour, etc. in my pantry. One contains a sand/salt mixture for winter ice melting. One contains potting soil. One keeps grass seed dry and safe from mice.

I filled a couple with pinecones, and another with dry corn cobs to use as firestarters in the woodstove. I take one or two at a time out into the yard after a storm to fill with downed broken branches for use as kindling. During the winter, it's easy to grab a bucket from the back porch and bring it in.

I transfer dogfood from the huge bags into the buckets, keeping one indoors while storing the rest on the porch. During the winter, if it looks like the geese will have to be shut into their shed for a couple of days, I transfer feed into a bucket and leave it in the shed. That way, I only have to haul water to them.

Oh, and I used one to carry in butternut squash from the garden!

That's all I can think of at the moment. They are very useful items!

 

[Cardinal]

I use them to store canned goods in.

 

[summerthyme]

Guys... it sounds like she has a JUG type deal here, not an open "bucket".

I reuse BUCKETS myself.. put food IN MYLAR bags inside the bucket with no trouble. But yes, some litter has a very strong perfume which stays in the pail just about permanently.. it won't permeate the mylar, however.

And it's unlikely they are guaranteed food safe.. some folks don't worry about that for dry foods, others do. What it means is that it may have been made with recycled plastics, which could have contained trace amounts of chemicals which MIGHT not be good for you. I tend to doubt that there could be much of a transfer of anything dangerous to dry foods stored in a pail, but... I prefer to use food safe containers as long as I have access to them.

For these, it's going to be difficult because they have a narrow opening. You can't very well line them with mylar or even plastic bags. If you trusted the plastic and the litter was unscented, they would make great containers for rice, beans, or sugar...

Summerthyme

 

[barb43]

Hmmm, i figured they had a screw off lid with an opening in it . . . That would be good for reusing. But if they have a permanent top and just an opening to pour the kitty litter out of, doesn't strike me as too re-useful.

 

[JohnGaltfla]

I have a couple of the containers for scoopable cat litter...the 14 lb, about 2 gal size. They have a 2 1/2" screw lid for pouring.

Has anyone used them for stroage? The litter is dry and pretty clean, so I think, after washing and sterilizing, they would be safe. I thought about sugar, popcorn, dried beans. What flour? Any other ideas or considerations?

So far, all my food preps are in regular, household sizes.

The sugar and flour bags, being in paper, concern me. I'd feel better if both were in stronger containers, especially heading into hotter, buggier weather.

Already using mine! I bought the 40 lb plastic containers of litter from Sam's Wholesale. They are great! Just rinsed them out, dried them and store bags of cat food and bird seed in them. Also many other goods that I want to keep dry.

Glad to see someone else uses the 2 gallon ones too, as I rinsed them out and use them for non-potable water in an emergency stiuation....

 

[Dinghy]

I have used them to store water for flushing and cleaning.

 

[ARK678]

I use the same jug type cat litter and I have found that the empty jugs are great for storing used oil, and antifreeze until I can take it somewhere to safely dispose of it

ARK

 

[Wise Owl]

I am amazed no one pointed this out yet but if you look on the bottom of the bucket/container there is a triangle there. Inside the triangle is a number. You want at least a 1 or 2 in that triangle to store anything you are planning on ingesting or that your pets are going to ingest.....the reason is that the plastic used in the others will break down faster and be absorbed into your food. Studies have been done on this.......I have two really nice buckets with lids that I got dog food in years ago and won't use them for food because they are only a 3......but to store canned stuff or if you can put a mylar bag inside then they probably would be ok to use....but I wouldn't store long term in them especially in hot environments because the heat would speed up the deterioration........

 

[summerthyme]

Wise Owl,... I didn't say it, because it's not true.

Well, not exactly.. "1 or 2" doesn't guarantee that it's food safe.. if it doesn't say "1 or 2" is certainly isn't, but recycled containers also can be 1 or 2 HDPE plastic, and wouldn't be considered safe for food.

The only plastic that you can be certain is food safe is something which had food sold in it (recycled deli pickle buckets, etc) or which is sold specifically for packaging food.

If in doubt, contact the manufacturer of the container (for new ones, obviously)

Or, probably easiest if you're saving money and want to reuse the many sturdy containers that come our way, do the mylar thing, and make sure all the food you store is in contact only with mylar or other food safe packaging.

Summerthyme

 

[CherylOK]

I, too, use the 40lb buckets of litter from Sam's. We live in the country, and don't have running water into our home yet. We use these buckets to haul water from the outside storage container into the house. They've also held toys, crafts, all sorts of things. They are wonderful!

The ones I'm talking about are the smaller amount, and have a pour spout. Thanks for all the info.

I just checked the bottom, and it's a "2". I might use them for popcorn, but I will clean it out, close it up and wait a few days and sniff, to see if any fragrance remains.

I like the idea of using it for grease or oil, waiting for recycling.

 

[Dixielee]

I hope I am not drifting here....

But, we have gotten dozens of 3 and 5-6 gallon food grade buckets from grocery store bakery areas and bakeries in the area. They have had cake frosting in them, wash up easily and make great storage buckets.

I did get a bunch one time that had been used for dill pickles in them and was NEVER able to get the smell out. I used bleach, baking soda, newspapers, etc. Finally gave up and we just use them for general hauling around the farm, but not food storage.

Most grocery stores will just give them to you or charge a nominal charge.