Cleaning older equipment

[swmcl]

I just purchased some secondhand darkroom equipment. Even though it hasn't supposedly been used for 20 years the trays especially stink of fixer when I washed them.

Can I use a bottle steriliser solution to wash equipment ?

Is there a best solution for photographic equipment ?

Should I just give them a wash with a dish detergent and not worry ?

My concern is that I cannot identify their previous useage. Smell aint good enough I'm afraid.

Cheers,

Steve

[hoffner]

Use them. They will soon get their own smell.

[Jim Jones]

Don't make my big mistake of trying to clean them with Clorox or similar bleaches. That may be as dangerous as it was unpleasant.

[Jim C.]

Personally I would try soaking the fixer smelling trays in some hypo clearing agent, then rinse soak really well,
if that doesn't work, toss them.

[axs810]

There's a Mr. Clean spray with febreze (looks like baja blast mountain dew color) that helps get rid of the fixer smell.

[Howard Tanger]

Soak the smelly, dirty equipment in a solution of 2 - 3 Tbls of soda ash (washing soda) (sodium carbonate) in a gallon of hot water for a few hours; rinse clean.
The chemical is available at most swimming pool supply stores. Howard Tanger