# accidentally left grain in mashtun for 3 days.. it stinks. remove smell? **URL:** \ **Category:** Brewing Processes\ **Created:** [October 5, 2022, 1:12am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445 "2022-10-05T01:12:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fredthecat](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/fredthecat/32/9872_2.png) [@fredthecat](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/fredthecat)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 1:12am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/1 "2022-10-05T01:12:55Z")
lol, i have never done this before i swear. but i guess i was too distracted/busy this time and forgot to clean out the mashtun after sundays brewing. its been 3 days now and it smells like doenjang/fermented bean paste. i cleaned it out, used a little dish soap. then some near boiling water and baking soda… the smell has dissipated… but i am normally super clean and my mashtun had no smell before. any thoughts on this? im thinking of cleaning/scrubbing it a bit with softish cloth towels then maybe just throwing in some baking soda? ---
**Author:** ![erockrph](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/erockrph/32/13330_2.png) [@erockrph](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/erockrph)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 1:37am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/2 "2022-10-05T01:37:23Z")
Have you tried PBW or something similar? A long hot soak can definitely help. Something else is letting it sit dry, propped open, in direct sunlight for a few days. Plastic especially seems to benefit from this. ---
**Author:** ![dmtaylor](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/dmtaylor/32/9644_2.png) [@dmtaylor](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/dmtaylor)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 2:02am UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/3 "2022-10-05T02:02:04Z")
I’ve left grain in my mash tun many times.  Am very familar with the odor, and don’t even mind it anymore.  I just rinse it out and call it a day.  It’s a mash tun.  Who cares what it looks or smells like.  The wort is boiled afterward anyway.  I’ve made sour mash beers before and even they tasted fine and NOT sour after 3 days in the mash tun. ---
**Author:** ![MNWayne](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mnwayne/32/19_2.png) [@MNWayne](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/MNWayne)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 2:17pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/4 "2022-10-05T14:17:05Z")
Must have been a plastic mash tun.  I’ve done the same thing but mine is SS and smell is gone after cleaning.  Give it a good cleaning. Rinse it with bleach water and it should be fine. Smell should be gone after first use. ---
**Author:** ![pete\_baker](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/pete_baker/32/5190_2.png) [@pete\_baker](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/pete_baker)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 2:26pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/5 "2022-10-05T14:26:01Z")
Once you clean it sun and air is the best. ---
**Author:** ![denny](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/denny/32/13092_2.png) [@denny](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/denny)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 2:34pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/6 "2022-10-05T14:34:06Z")
Baking soda is the best odor remover I’ve used. Fill it with hot water and a lot of baking soda. ---
**Author:** ![fredthecat](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/fredthecat/32/9872_2.png) [@fredthecat](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/fredthecat)\ **Post date:** [October 5, 2022, 7:27pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/7 "2022-10-05T19:27:20Z")
thanks guys, yeah just going to do standard practice, but i try hard to keep dishsoap away from my stuff as much as i can. ill check the odour level now, it was left propped open and cleaned from last night. ---
**Author:** ![mabrungard](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/mabrungard/32/12430_2.png) [@mabrungard](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/mabrungard)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 2:21pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/8 "2022-10-06T14:21:10Z")
Bleach is a powerful disinfectant and oxidizer and a short soak in a bleach solution should destroy the odor.  Of course, you’ll need to rinse and allow the tun to air out for several days.  But this approach does work. ---
**Author:** ![reverseapachemaster](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/reverseapachemaster/32/19_2.png) [@reverseapachemaster](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/reverseapachemaster)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 5:11pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/9 "2022-10-06T17:11:14Z")
I’ve been bad about leaving the mash tun sitting for a few days before I get around to cleaning it. I clean it out with oxyclean and hot water. Be vigilant about cleaning out everything, including valves. If it still has a smell to it I’ll do an oxyclean soak. After a soak and a few days to air dry the bad smells are gone. ---
**Author:** ![denny](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/denny/32/13092_2.png) [@denny](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/denny)\ **Post date:** [October 6, 2022, 5:52pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/10 "2022-10-06T17:52:39Z")
Try the baking soda. Easy, inexpensive and effective. ---
**Author:** ![kramerog](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/brewersassociation/user_avatar/forum.homebrewersassociation.org/kramerog/32/19_2.png) [@kramerog](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/u/kramerog)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2022, 10:27pm UTC](https://forum.homebrewersassociation.org/t/accidentally-left-grain-in-mashtun-for-3-days-it-stinks-remove-smell/32445/11 "2022-10-18T22:27:03Z")
As long as there aren’t cracks in your tun and you don’t do overnight mashes, I wouldn’t be too concerned about some odor in the tun.