Old Kerosene - Disposal & Cleanup

greenspun.com : LUSENET : Countryside : One Thread

When we purchased our current home, the previous owner left a new (in box) kerosene heater and 10 gallons of kerosene.

From what I can determine the kerosene is about 6 - 8 years old. It is stored in blue plastic cans that appear to be in good condition. The cans were stored outdoors in a shed.

I know over time that kerosene tends to 'attract' moisture and as such, I don't intend to use the kerosene in any of my heaters.

I can dispose of the old kerosene via the county haz-mat facility but that brings me to the question - How do I make sure the cans are moisture free prior to refilling them with fresh kerosene?

What can I use that will evaporate completely and take any moisture out of the can?

Thanks in advance

j (who's already looking ahead to winter...)

-- j (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), June 20, 2000

Answers

use a can of "dry gas", but the kind for desiel fuel

-- STAN (sopal@net-port.com), June 21, 2000.

As long as the kerosene hasn't been opened, the kerosene is good pretty much indefinitely. Try selling it, if you don't want to use it.

-- lynne (leaves8@hotmail.com), June 22, 2000.

Combine the above 2 good suggestions. "Dry-gas" is alcohol based, and the alcohol will combine with small amounts of water, effect a molecular change, and make the "water" burnable. It's probably just fine. If that still makes you nervous, use it as a firestarter. When having lobster bakes, I use a little old diesel or kerosene to start the (wood) fire, much like charcoal starter. And better to burn it in an open pan with a wick of any sort (old rag) than to dump it. GL!

-- Brad (Homefixer@SacoRiver.net), June 26, 2000.

I have used 10+ year old kerosene with no problems whatsoever. If you don't want to use it in a heater maybe you could use it in lamps or as suggested earlier as a fire starter.

-- Bob Johnson (backwoods_bob_2000@yahoo.com), June 27, 2000.

-- (noneofyour@biz.com), July 13, 2001