vile smelling trays

[Wayne]

I bought several small used trays the other day, sight unseen. When i got them home I discovered that they smell really awful, not quite like s*** but pretty damn close. Only worse. I've been soaking them in a 20-25% bleach solution for 3 days now, and have got 2 of them tolerably stink free. The third, which was probably the culprit all along, still stinks! Are there any remedies other than throwing it in the wood furnace? What godawful photographic process was conducted in this vile thing?

 

[Bob Carnie]

I suspect it was used for a puppy litter tray.

 

[avandesande]

do you really want an answer to this?

 

[eumenius]

Try some hydrogen peroxide in washing powder solution, or throw the most smelly one away - unless it's a real gem

 

[Wayne]

Try some hydrogen peroxide in washing powder solution, or throw the most smelly one away - unless it's a real gem

Ah, that gave me a great idea. I have some skunk-off stuff around here somewhere, if that doesnt work its in the fire!

 

[Papa Tango]

The skunk-off is likely an enzyme, and won't do you much good. If the bleach wont do it, leave it outside in the sun for a week. Still stinks, pitch it.

 

[Gerald Koch]

A hydroquinone based developer really produces a stink when it is left to oxidise in a tray. Also stains badly. Try a dichromate tray cleaner.

 

[Changeling1]

I bought several small used trays the other day, sight unseen. When i got them home I discovered that they smell really awful, not quite like s*** but pretty damn close. Only worse. I've been soaking them in a 20-25% bleach solution for 3 days now, and have got 2 of them tolerably stink free. The third, which was probably the culprit all along, still stinks! Are there any remedies other than throwing it in the wood furnace? What godawful photographic process was conducted in this vile thing?

The trays were probably used to sepia-tone some prints and not cleaned properly. The stench of the sepia process is enough to stop a charging rhino.

 

[raucousimages]

If you dont know what the tray was used for you could create a very toxic reaction by cleaning it in other chemicals. Also calculate the time and expense of trying several cleaning methods, is it worth it with trays on ebay going so cheap.

 

[pnance]

Hydrochloric acid is a good tray cleaner. (muratic acid) and available at pool supply stores. As mentioned you should be careful of combinations of what is in the tray and what has been used to clean it. Rinse very well between applications of different chemicals. Do it outdoors.