Cleaning a thermos flask

bouicca21

I haven’t used my thermos for a while, so I washed it out carefully  with hot water and a cattle brush, then with bicarb and then plain hit water.  But my tea (plain black tea, no milk or sugar) tasted musty.  Any ideas on what to do with it (other than yell and chuck it at the wall)?

RobM99

Lemon juice might help - slightly acidic as we know.

CapricornLass

I'm surprised the bicarb didn't work - its usually very good.  However, OH and I have always found that tea in a flask never tastes nice when you come to pour it out, no matter what flask you use.  You would be better to fill the flask with boiling water and carry a tea-bag with you, and make it fresh when you need it, especially as you drink it black, and don't have to worry about the milk.

Pollie

Steradent tablet with warm water. Leave for a while and then rinse thoroughly.

GaleSF63

Mustard and hot water. 

Longwalker

Pollie said:

Steradent tablet with warm water. Leave for a while and then rinse thoroughly.

Seconded 

wort

Milton or supermarket own brand sterilization liquid. I always used it for dh work flask, also use to clean teaspoons and cups of tea stains, great to clean vases too.

YoungBlueEyes

I would try a denture tablet too. Possibly left longer...?

Nelliegrace

Oxyclean left to soak, then a good scrub with a bottle brush. It cleans teapots, tea strainers and the knitted tea cosy.

Moorviews

I wasn’t clear from your post how long the bicarb was left in the flask. My own method involves a big teaspoon of bicarb in the bottom of the flask, fill with cold water and leave for a day or two before emptying and rinsing out. Repeat if needed. 

bouicca21

Thanks all.  I think maybe my problem was not soaking the flask long enough - I literally just washed it out with bicarb.  So I will soak it in a bicarb solution for a day or two and see how it goes, before shopping for steradent or oxyclean.