One thing you may not get with those discarded 5 gallon buckets is a lid. And, even if you do get the original lid, you may find it to be a real pain to put on and remove. That's why I'm so happy to have found these Gamma Seal twist tops for 5 gallon buckets. The Gamma Seal lid is composed of two pieces -- an adapter snaps over the top edge of a 5 gallon bucket (or other size plastic bucket with a 12 inch diameter top), allowing the top to screw on. The whole process takes less than a minute.
There is almost no limit to what can be stored in an old 5 gallon bucket (see 11 Uses for Old Drywall Mud Buckets for suggestions on all kinds of uses for the recycled containers). The manufacturer offers this list of potential uses:
- Pet foods
- Kitchen dry goods
- Fertilizer and rock salt
- Paint
- Boating, camping, fishing
- Picnics
Gamma Seals are air tight and water tight. I filled a bucket with water, twisted on a lid, and turned the bucket on its side. No water leaked out. That's a good sign if you want to store some grains, seeds, flour or other dry good in a 5 gallon bucket. The contents should stay dry, and the pests will be locked out.
The manufacturer claims that Gamma Seals are made with material that meets all U.S. FDA requirements for carrying a "food grade" designation. Note, however, that an old drywall mud bucket, no matter how well it has been cleaned out, will not necessarily be the best choice for direct food contact. For storing food, you might be better off finding food grade buckets. Restaurants and health food stores can be a good source for these, and Gamma Seals also sells buckets at a reasonable price.
Gamma Seals are available at freckleface.com and gammaseals.com.
Disclosure: Review samples were provided by the manufacturer. For more information, please see our Ethics Policy.