Just got a new tool box, now how to decontaminate it.

[tool_scrounge]

I just was given an older Vidmar tool box, similar to the one shown in the photo. It is in reasonable shape with some rust on the bottom feet from spending the last decade in not-so-sealed shipping container outside. Eventually this will end up in the garage or possibly the house on carpet. But it is dirty and probably has a light covering of mold. The rust on the bottom feet need to be cleaned.

It is temporarily in someone else's warehouse, but it needs to leave there in a couple of weeks. I would like to get it cleaned up before then.

For cleaning the dirt and mold, what do you recommend?

Part of me wants to take out the drawers, put them in a U-Haul trailer, and high pressure wash then at a self car wash. Same for the cabinet shell. But I would not do this to the roller drawer frames with their steel roller bearings. But is that enough to get rid of the mold?

I probably could haul it outside and bag it with a ozone generator after washing if needed. Or find an discarded refrigerator box instead of a bag.

Chemical rust removal for the bottom where the feet were wet in the container seems pretty hard to do. Setting it on its side and using a orbital sander is a pain but may be a better option?

To move make it easier to move the box around, I would like to raise it up ~2" so I can just fit a narrow pallet jack underneath. I do have some older butcher block top pieces that about the right size. Is wood is a good choice? If so, should I trust the glue joints? I have seen old butcher block tops glued and then bolted together with threaded rod. I could do the same in a couple of places to augment the glue joints if need as sketched below.

 

[four.cycle]

Setting it on its side and using a orbital sander is a pain but may be a better option?

^ Certainly. Run down to Harbor Freight, buy one of their cheap angle grinders and a wire cup brush (and a MASK and eye protection) and go at it.

Part of me wants to take out the drawers, put them in a U-Haul trailer, and high pressure wash then at a self car wash. Same for the cabinet shell. But I would not do this to the roller drawer frames with their steel roller bearings.

Why not? I literally washed several tool cabinets over the last couple weeks, using water as hot as I could get it and Trisodium Phosphate.
Got 'em all soaking wet, inside and out.
That's why they invented 120v corded leaf blowers.
(I'm old school... you'll probably want to go with the new fancy-schmantzy cordless model.)
If you put enough air on it and blow the water out, it won't have time to rust. I'd take all the drawers out of the cabinet first, of course, where you can blow them off and lay them out in the sun.

On the mold, I'd just pour some regular old laundry bleach into the wash bucket. (Others will make me wrong about that, but that's how I do it.
^ aforementioned cleaned and reconditioned boxes start here.

 

[Dig Doug]

Hydrogen peroxide will kill the mold

use a squirt bottle and maybe a soft scrub brush let it sit then wash off

 

[Firebrick43]

I used a pressure washer on my vidmars including the drawer rollers. The drawers come out super easy and was the old solidified grease out and dirt off. After washing I blew everything mostly dry with compressed air and then brake clean in the bearings and more compressed air. Then injected synthetic grease in the bearings with a needle attachment for the grease gun. I have done 3 vidmars and 2 listas this way.

 

[Hank11]

I just cleaned up a really greasy tool chest. It had what appeared to be cutting oil mist and grinding dust inside and out. I sprayed it with a can of Gunk and scrubbed it with a brush, including the slides, then hosed it out with garden hose. I let it sit in the sun for a couple of days to dry it and then re-lubed the drawer slides.

 

[gahrajmahal]

The main takeaway from every helpful idea posted above is Protect Yourself First, with eye and breathing protection.

 

[MovingAlong]

... probably has a light covering of mold.

Everything has a light covering of mold, that's nature.

All of the above recommendations will work, as will your idea of pressure washing at the local car wash.

Regarding residual water and the bearings, all of the above recommendations for displacing that water will work as well. (and to get folks excited, allow me to suggest using a Water Displacement spray )

Where metal rubs on metal, put a little Mobil 1 oil/Lucas grease/Super Lube/Renaissance wax/Motorcraft Mercon ATF/Marvel Mystery Oil/Mineral Oil/etc.. on the moving surfaces. *brand specifics are used to indicate silliness, except for Super Lube!

For rusty metal, I typically use Ospho to convert the iron oxide to iron phosphate and paint from there.

As for raising it up to get a pallet jack under it, I'd be looking at plywood: it's flat, it's stable, it's strong.

Looking forward to seeing pics of it all cleaned up!

 

[HogDude]

I just was given an older Vidmar tool box, similar to the one shown in the photo. It is in reasonable shape with some rust on the bottom feet from spending the last decade in not-so-sealed shipping container outside. Eventually this will end up in the garage or possibly the house on carpet. But it is dirty and probably has a light covering of mold. The rust on the bottom feet need to be cleaned.

It is temporarily in someone else's warehouse, but it needs to leave there in a couple of weeks. I would like to get it cleaned up before then.

For cleaning the dirt and mold, what do you recommend?

Part of me wants to take out the drawers, put them in a U-Haul trailer, and high pressure wash then at a self car wash. Same for the cabinet shell. But I would not do this to the roller drawer frames with their steel roller bearings. But is that enough to get rid of the mold?

I probably could haul it outside and bag it with a ozone generator after washing if needed. Or find an discarded refrigerator box instead of a bag.

Chemical rust removal for the bottom where the feet were wet in the container seems pretty hard to do. Setting it on its side and using a orbital sander is a pain but may be a better option?

To move make it easier to move the box around, I would like to raise it up ~2" so I can just fit a narrow pallet jack underneath. I do have some older butcher block top pieces that about the right size. Is wood is a good choice? If so, should I trust the glue joints? I have seen old butcher block tops glued and then bolted together with threaded rod. I could do the same in a couple of places to augment the glue joints if need as sketched below.

Check out @Grant Gunderson starting around his #220 post. Did a very nice job with his.

 

[Grant Gunderson]

I have 20+ lista, Vidmar and Equipto cabinets and have cleaned and painted all of them.

Most molds are non toxic.. you do eat cheese? It’s only a major issue in really high quantities. I’d pressure wash them and let them dry in the sun with all of the drawers out.

Acetone works great to remove old grease etc.

I then sanded all of mine with 400 grit, sprayed a sealer coat, then color and finally a 4k poly top coat.



After painting I then cleaned all of the drawer slides and lubed with Super Lube. Even if the bearings appear rusted together you can usually use some pliers and brake cleaner to flush them out and then repack with super lube. They don’t need to be precision, just roll smoothly.


A section of 2x4 works great as skids under them to move them around with a narrow pallet jack. However if you only have 1 to move it’s pretty damn easy to move by pulling out all of the drawers and using a hand truck. I’ve done that countless times solo.

Personally I hate having them on skids as it’s too easy for parts to roll under them, so soon as they are in position I remove the skids then bolt to the floor so they don’t tip. Had that happen once with a very heavily loaded drawer and it scared me enough to be religious about bolting them down as well as together in banks.

If you move them loaded with a pallet jack make sure you secure the drawers so they won’t open, as it can be very dangerous if they tip.

 

[four.cycle]

Protect Yourself First, with eye and breathing protection.

^ this

 

[rsanter]

I have bought and sold many tool boxes

i take them apart and hit them with degreaser, then the pressure washer inside and out.
i blast the roller bearings and everything with no regard or concern.
then the rollers I will hit with wd40 to displace the water and then grease them.

 

[Lassen Forge]

I have bought and sold many tool boxes

i take them apart and hit them with degreaser, then the pressure washer inside and out.
i blast the roller bearings and everything with no regard or concern.
then the rollers I will hit with wd40 to displace the water and then grease them.

Exactly what I was gonna say were I a couple hours quicker. The only thing I would ad is fog everything with oil to keep the bearings from rusting before the grease-up...

 

[Lookin4'67Galaxieconv]

For greasy old tool boxes, I take the drawers out and spray degreaser in them (Purple Power) then rinse them out. Usually do that twice. Also do that with the shell.

 

[JuncleJohn]

Going to take some good old elbow grease. But, will be worth it.

John

 

[mike93lx]

I got a nasty matco box recently. Pulled all the drawer and scrubbed the whole thing down with a degreaser, warm water and a kitchen sponge. Drawer slides were cleaner with brake cleaner, then regreased.

Didn't take all that long. Moving it around to use the pressure washer would have been tougher than it was worth

 

[Shiftless]

I just was given an older Vidmar tool box

All the above suggestions are good. I’m late to join this discussion but I want to give a “you ****” comment to tool_scrounge for scoring a 10+ drawer Vidmar tool cabinet for $0.00.
Even though it wasn’t all clean and ready to go when you got it, it’s still a fantastic box.

 

[CJM8515]

just use degreaser and a hose, pressure washer for really nasty stuff if it wont come off with a hose. i typically just use undiluted simple green. spray on and let sit for 10 mins then spray off.