Peanut Butter Jars

[+brilang]

I have managed to snag a peanut butter jar from the household recycling. It has been washed three times in the dishwasher. Yet when I opened the jar today, days after it was washed for the 3rd time, it smells strongly of peanut butter. How should I get the smell out? Would this be an allergy hazard to those with peanut allergies?

[+narcissa]

Do not use old food containers as geocaches.

 

Peanut allergies aside, it will attract animals no matter how hard you try to clean out the food residue.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

Vinegar,WD-40, paint thinner.

It's been a long time since I found a peanut butter jar but as I remember they were pretty good at being water tight.

[+L0ne.R]

I have had good luck with Kraft peanut butter jars. I hand wash mine and haven't had any trouble with animals. The occasional issues I've had with animals has been when I cover a container in camo duct tape and place the container on the ground. Rodents love the taste of duct tape and chew parts of it off. I usually spray paint my Kraft pb jars and I usually hang them in trees. So far, so good and I've been using them for years. However, I have seen pb jars that are quite leaky. They don't appear to be Kraft jars and all of the leaky ones I've seen didn't have a gasket in the lid. I remove the paper gasket and replace it with a thin circle (cut to the same size as the paper gasket) of fun foam to use as a seal to prevent water from seeping in. In terms of allergies, note in your cache description that you are using a peanut butter jar. Anyone with an allergy can skip it.

[+Gitchee-Gummee]

If you can smell it... betcha a bear can smell it better. Bears LOVE peanut butter.

 

Use something other than that container.

 

Simple as that!

Edited June 17, 2014 by Gitchee-Gummee

[+Snoogans]

10 to 15% bleach and water and soak the entire container for at least a couple days. That and Krylon fusion paint (for plastic) will eliminate the smell forever.

[+J Grouchy]

I have one I just soaked for a day or two with detergent and water inside...then I rinsed it and ran it through the dishwasher. Around here they actually seem to hold up well enough. I haven't found any that have been chewed or are filled with water.

[Mr.Yuck]

I have had good luck with Kraft peanut butter jars. I hand wash mine and haven't had any trouble with animals. The occasional issues I've had with animals has been when I cover a container in camo duct tape and place the container on the ground. Rodents love the taste of duct tape and chew parts of it off. I usually spray paint my Kraft pb jars and I usually hang them in trees. So far, so good and I've been using them for years. However, I have seen pb jars that are quite leaky. They don't appear to be Kraft jars and all of the leaky ones I've seen didn't have a gasket in the lid. I remove the paper gasket and replace it with a thin circle (cut to the same size as the paper gasket) of fun foam to use as a seal to prevent water from seeping in. In terms of allergies, note in your cache description that you are using a peanut butter jar. Anyone with an allergy can skip it.

 

Thanks for the testimonial! I was surprised there were a few "don't do it" responses early on. I think just about any plastic screw top container makes a good cache container. Of course there's the washing issue, and I do think there has been drama around here in the past regarding peanut allergies. A LONG time ago.

[+narcissa]

Thanks for the testimonial! I was surprised there were a few "don't do it" responses early on. I think just about any plastic screw top container makes a good cache container. Of course there's the washing issue, and I do think there has been drama around here in the past regarding peanut allergies. A LONG time ago.

 

I've seen too many food containers chewed or thieved by critters, even when they've been cleaned and spray-painted. Also, some land managers specifically ban containers that have had food in them. And while I've seen some peanut butter jars do very well in the right hiding spot, I've also found many that didn't. Their suitability probably varies by region - we get harsh, long winters and have lots of wildlife around here.

[+The_Incredibles_]

I've found lots of peanut butter cache containers. I guess it depends what area you're in as to whether or not it will work regarding the local animals.

[+L0ne.R]

I've found lots of peanut butter cache containers. I guess it depends what area you're in as to whether or not it will work regarding the local animals.

 

I agree. In my area we don't have bears. We do have a lot of coyotes and rodents. If you place a thin plastic type of food container (folgers bucket, take out food, margarine tub, yogurt tub) there's a decent chance that eventually it will be chewed through by rodents. Thicker plastic containers usually survive.

[+Chief301]

I've used peanut butter jars a couple of times and they do OK in the right location. Notably, I have this cache....

 

http://www.geocaching.com/seek/cache_details.aspx?guid=80f091c1-c849-4cdd-b374-b0044fbffcc5

 

.....tucked in the base of small hollow tree at a boat launch. A couple of weeks ago we had some record rainfall and the cache location was underwater for about a week. I tried to get in there with knee-high rubber boots but couldn't even get close, the water was too deep. So knowing the container was a PB jar I really expected the worst. When the water finally receded I checked on it and to my surprise, shock really, the thing was bone dry on the inside. I couldn't believe it. I don't know if that jar is more watertight than I figured, or maybe it floated on the rising water or what, but there it was. Gratifying. 😊

[+Mudfrog]

10 to 15% bleach and water and soak the entire container for at least a couple days. That and Krylon fusion paint (for plastic) will eliminate the smell forever.

 

I've had good luck using that approximate recipe on peanut butter jars and spice bottles. A bit of bleach, liquid dishsoap, and water do the trick nicely. I do have to say that the spice bottles are harder to get the smell from. Even so, i've never had a problem with animals. Of course, we don't have bears down here either...

[+DanOCan]

I've hidden a number of caches using various peanut butter or mayonnaise jars and haven't had any issues. I usually just give them a run through the dishwasher and call it good.

[+Chief301]

When I use a PB or mayo jar, I wash it by hand with dish washing liquid and very thoroughly scrub all surfaces inside and out. Rinse several times, then fill the jar with water and a little shot of bleach. Shake the bleach solution vigorously for a couple of minutes then let the solution sit in the jar overnight. Then another thorough rinsing. When dry, I spray paint the whole outside of the jar with OD green matte paint....I figure in addition to camouflage it will help prevent UV degradation of the plastic.

[+brilang]

Thanks. I'll try the bleach solution. We have squirrels and bears in my local geocaching area, so it does have to be as clean as possible.

[+CanadianRockies]

There's a local geocacher who has placed at least a hundred peanut butter jars. She sends them through the dishwasher once and then hides them. She says only one of them has been gnawed on by critters.

 

Another local has placed hundreds of match stick containers along mountain trails, and the squirrels love them. About 5-10 percent of the time, we'll find find the wire holder but no container anywhere nearby.

[Luckless]

I like how water tight peanut butter jars are- better than a lot of other containers.

I try to remember to write that the container is a peanut butter jar to alert anyone with a peanut allergy- not sure if too many people with peanut allergies cache.

[wrangler clem]

My daughter has a peanut allergy. But no worries. Hers is not that bad. She can eat at the local ice cream place that has peanuts there and doesn't have a allergic reaction. But she can't eat them.

[+Harry Dolphin]

Thanks. I'll try the bleach solution. We have squirrels and bears in my local geocaching area, so it does have to be as clean as possible.

 

Hmm... I've had several Lock and Locks, never used for food storage, that have been chewed on by our local bears.

[+Pork King]

...not sure if too many people with peanut allergies cache.

That's a weird stereotype.

[+Ambrosia]

I dunno, at least half of the pb jar caches I've found were warped and/or wet inside.

[+.LMN.]

The PNB jars I've found have been really sturdy but hard to get larger swag in. I think the dampness also depends of how the finders close them.

[+larryc43230]

... I think the dampness also depends of how the finders close them.

This applies to just about every sort of cache container out there, from nanos to ammo boxes.

 

--Larry

[+.LMN.]

... I think the dampness also depends of how the finders close them.

This applies to just about every sort of cache container out there, from nanos to ammo boxes.

 

--Larry

 

Of course!

[+BCandMsKitty]

I have managed to snag a peanut butter jar from the household recycling. It has been washed three times in the dishwasher. Yet when I opened the jar today, days after it was washed for the 3rd time, it smells strongly of peanut butter. How should I get the smell out? Would this be an allergy hazard to those with peanut allergies?

 

hand wash ... then dishwasher a couple of cycles ... then slosh in about half full of bleach, add water to overflowing then tighten the lid on so liquid is touching the inside of the lid and leave for a couple of days. Never had a problem with them.