Best way to clean steel flasks

[cambourne7]

Hi Guys,

I have been taking a large flask to the allotment with me when i go but its a bit of a waste. I have 2 smaller stainless steel flasks which i would like to use but having left coffee in them once 2 often even when cleaned in hot soapy water when they dry i can still smell something and there is some brown staining inside the flask.

No i know that i can use washing powder to clean pots that are badly stained, burned etc but i wanted to know if anyone had any tips for cleaning the flasks and the stoppers.

cambourne7

ps i dont have a dishwasher

[cambourne7]

[Mrs Ava]

Milton sterilising fluid maybe?  Mum used to use that on dads old fashioned glass flasks.

[greenscrump]

Maybe bicarb of soda?? has brought my teeth up a treat  ;D

[sarah]

yep, bicarb will do the job. soak over night.

[OliveOil]

drop a couple of denture cleaning tablets in hot water!

[theothermarg]

try washing soda it,s 50odd p a packet from tesco so prob everywhere else i,v not tried it in a flask yet but a teasp with boiling water brings teacups up a treat it,s one of those oldfashioned things that work
marg

[jennym]

Anything like persil, or others as suggested below, will loosen it but you really need a good stiff bottle brush to actaully remove the dirt.

[cambourne7]

right i will pop things into soak tonight and see how it works....

.. cant wait  ;D

[okra]

vinegar also does the trick

[trojanrabbit]

I'd go with the washing powder - for stoppers just put them in a bowl of the solution and weight them down so they don't float.
Sometimes you need a brush, like JennyM says, but I've done teapots which are black as the ace of spades and they've needed nothing more than a wipe with a cloth after an overnight soak.