How To Clean A Propane Tank

Over the years the usage of propane tanks has immensely increased. But the funny thing is these tanks are just not used for only carrying propane inside. So before you decide to make something yourself learn How To Clean A Propane Tank first so you can avoid any disaster in the first place.

Propane Tank Safety

Whether you’re grilling or just storing your tank, learn how to stay safe with these tips-

Do not bring your propane tank indoors for any reason. All propane usage, inspections, storage, or refills should be done outside.
Always keep your propane tank upright and secure. We recommend using a tank foot, EZ-go, or other tank holders while storing your tank to keep it stable.
Wipe down your propane tank with a soapy water solution to check for leaks. If there is any leaking present, bubbles will form. If there is any leak turn the valve off and check the system
Propane in its natural state is odorless. Rotten egg odor is added to propane for safety. If you notice the smell, remove any source of flame from the area, turn it off and get it serviced
Do not smoke or light an open flame near propane tanks
Never leave it in an enclosed vehicle.
If your tank is 12 years or older, it must be re-qualified before it is safe for refill or usage.

Before start cleaning your propane tank make sure it’s fully empty. Otherwise, anything can happen if you do not act carefully. Follow the How To Clean A Propane Tank step-down below if you want to clean your propane tank-

Step 1

Take your propane tank somewhere safe and open before cleaning. To make sure there is no gas in your tank take a screwdriver and push it inside the check valve. Where you’ll push you will be able to smell the gas coming out. When the tank will be empty there will be no more smell of the gas. Now you can proceed with your next step.

Step 2

Now it’s time to get that valve out of the tank. It is generally welded in three places. In the front two holders and the back of the. To cut these welded places you have to use a grinder with a four-inch cutoff wheel. When you’ll be grinding make sure there are no sparks. For this, you can also use a Sawzall which is much safer.

Step 3

Now it’s time to ditch the check valve. It will be tight. Now turn your tank over the sides to disconnect the valve. So the easiest way to knock this valve out is just to take a hammer and hit that valve from the sides and it’ll break it loose. You might need a couple of good taps to knock the valve. Now you can turn over the tank overnight to let the liquid propane gas evaporate completely.

Step 4

Now it’s time to clean the tank. Take some dishwashing soap and pour it inside the tank. Now grab your water hose and fill it halfway. Now close the hole with your hands and swish the tank around to make sure you’ve got all the soapy water coated everywhere that you can then dump it out on the ground. You might have to do this step 2 or 3 times.

Step 5

If the outside area of your tank is dirty then again take some soap and you can use a steel sponge to rub off the dirt and then rinse it with water. So now your propane tank is fully clean and there is no gas inside.

There are different kinds of DIY things that you can do with an empty propane tank. So before you through your propane tank look at some of our ideas.

First, cut your tank from the middle length-wise. Now weld two handles from the grip. Make some small holes in the bottom part of your tank. Now weld a hosepipe for fume ventilation. Clean the inside of your tank well. You can attach a wooden nob so pull the tank cover while cooking or grilling. Now cut a grilling day according to your preference and attach it to the bottom part of your tank. Lastly, spray paint the whole thing and your DIY BBQ grill pit is ready to use.

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Final Verdict

You can also make a lot of things with your empty. Such as wood stove, burner, water bucket, portable compressed air tank, and many other amazing things that you can’t even imagine. But the whole point of creating any DIY project is to know How To Clean A Propane Tank in the safest way possible.