Firehouse Subs’ $3 Pickle Bucket: Using Murphy Oil Soap to Remove Unwanted Smells

What Does Murphy Oil Soap Do to Remove Pickle Smell from Plastic Buckets?

Murphy Oil Soap primarily acts as a mild detergent to clean the plastic bucket, but it does not chemically neutralize or remove the vinegar (pickle) odor effectively.

Understanding Murphy Oil Soap Composition

Murphy Oil Soap Original contains ingredients like water, sodium tallate, fragrance, trisodium MGDA, and lauramidopropyldimethylamine. Its formula is that of a traditional soap rather than an oil-based cleaner despite the brand name. The “Oil” in its name refers to the product line and not an active oil component meant for odor removal.

How Soap Cleans Plastic Containers

Soap molecules help lift grease, grime, and organic residues from surfaces, including plastic. Washing a pickle bucket with Murphy Oil Soap removes visible dirt and some residues adhering to the sides. However, volatile odor molecules—like acetic acid from vinegar—may not be eliminated completely by soap alone.

Why Murphy Oil Soap May Not Fully Remove Pickle Smell

• Vinegar odor results from acetic acid molecules absorbed by the plastic.
• Murphy Oil Soap lacks strong oxidizing or neutralizing agents to break down these odor-causing molecules chemically.
• Fragrance in the soap may mask odors temporarily but does not eliminate them.

More Effective Odor Removal Methods

Oxidizing agents such as bleach or solutions containing sodium hypochlorite can chemically break down odor-causing molecules by oxidation. These agents are more efficient in eliminating residual vinegar smells absorbed in plastic. However, they may affect the plastic’s integrity with prolonged use.

Application for Fishing Bait or Tackle Storage

Since the pickle bucket will store fishing bait or tackle, controlling residual vinegar odor is important to prevent bait contamination or scent interference. Murphy Oil Soap will clean the container but may leave residual odor. Additional steps, such as airing out the bucket or lightly treating it with diluted bleach solutions, might reduce the smell further.

Summary Key Points

• Murphy Oil Soap cleans the pickle bucket but doesn’t chemically remove vinegar odor.
• “Oil” refers to product branding, not an active oil ingredient for odor removal.
• Bleach and oxidizing agents more effectively break down vinegar smell molecules.
• For bait or tackle storage, additional odor removal methods may be necessary beyond Murphy Oil Soap cleaning.

What role does Murphy Oil Soap play in cleaning the Firehouse Subs pickle bucket?

Murphy Oil Soap mainly acts as a soap to clean dirt and grease. It does not specifically target or neutralize the vinegar smell in the bucket.

Why is the “Oil” term used in Murphy Oil Soap if it is not related to oil-based cleaning?

The “Oil” in Murphy Oil Soap is part of the brand name. It does not mean the soap contains oils that aid in removing odors or stains.

Does Murphy Oil Soap effectively remove the pickle smell from plastic buckets?

No, Murphy Oil Soap by itself does not remove vinegar or pickle odors well. It’s better at general cleaning rather than breaking down odor molecules.

What cleaning agents are better for removing vinegar or pickle smells from plastic containers?

Bleach or other oxidizing agents work better. They chemically break down odor-causing molecules, reducing the vinegar smell more effectively than soap.

Can Murphy Oil Soap be safely used to clean the pickle bucket for fishing bait or tackle storage?

Yes, it cleans the bucket’s surface. However, if odor remains, additional treatments like bleaching may be needed to eliminate vinegar smells.