The most interesting fact I’ve ever learned about five gallon plastic buckets is that In the third world, they are so valuable that it would be unthinkable to drill holes in one! Lucky for us, five gallon buckets are so cheap and ubiquitous in the western world that they can usually be picked up for free.
Here are just a few places to check for 5 gallon buckets. Usually, people working in these places get regular requests for their used buckets, and will not think your request strange at all. Call beforehand to save yourself a trip.
- Bakeries
- Delis
- Construction sites
- Supermarkets
- Coffee Shops
- Farm Stores
- Soap Makers.
- Restaurants
- Wine Making Stores
- Kitty Litter
- School Cafeterias
- Craigslist & UsedEverywhere
- Car Washes
- Buffets
If you obtain a bucket from a source that is not involved in food, like a gas station or hardware store for example, make sure your bucket is food grade HDPE (high density poly ethylene) before using it for food purposes.
Many of the above free bucket sources also will have smaller buckets available. If you grab those too, you won’t be dissapointed! It’s great having a variety of sizes to fit various uses. Check out this great 1 gallon bread box, for example.
I purchase cheap used buckets from a bulk soap retail company. See our buying 5 gallon buckets article for more on buying buckets.
Find someone that works at a corrugated box plant. The five gallon buckets are not food grade but they use hundreds of them a month from water based inks.
I need 50 5gal buckets. I live in west central Florida. Help me out if you can. rikful23@yahoo.com
Check with pool maintenance companies – especially the mom&pop pool maintenance places. The Chlorine tablets that they use come in 5 gal buckets. Rinse the buckets out really well, but they are *totally* sanitary once you do!
house painters get paint in 5 gal buckets. when the latex based paint dries it peals out like a latex glove and leaves a clean bucket.
LOOKING TO PICK UP YOUR 5 GALLON PAILS FOR FREE. NO GHARGE
PLS CONTACT
3476155263
I live in Stanwood Wa and
LOOKING TO PICK UP YOUR 5 GALLON PAILS FOR FREE. NO GHARGE
PLS CONTACT
Kuo13730@gmail.com
I LIVE IN VA.BEACH AND WILL PICK UP YOUR EMPTY 5 GALLON BUCKETS FOR FREE
yeah I’m in VB need like 50 also………
Need 30 5 gallon buckets for softball and tball teams. Please email me and let me know if you have any available and how/where I can get them.
Thank you
Need some 5Gal buckets I live in Austin TX please email if you have some for free npatten@ymail.com Thanks! !!
I’ve got just over 10,000 buckets I need to just get rid of for free. At-least 5,000 are food grade 5 gal but the rest are a mix of 5 gal non-food grade and smaller sizes. No hazmat ones though. Contact me.
I need just 10, in San Antonio. Where are you ? I would pay shipping and a reasonable price.
I need 50 buckets for an indoor garden. I live north of Atlanta.
Thank you for your assistance.
Pete
I can use at least 50.
Rich Mogansen you did not leave any contact info
Where are you located? There is no contact information. I would love to get some of those for food storage. Thanks!
where are you located?
Hi Rich, We are interested in your 5-gal buckets. We are in Arizona. Where are you located? Thx, Jeff
I am in Connecticut and would be able to use and share with friends and neighbors 100 buckets, please.
I am also in Chicago suburbs visiting often and could use and share with friends and family. 50 buckets, please.
Let me know how to contact you, or you may contact me of course. Thank you this would be wonderful.
Do you still have buckets you want to get rid of ?
If so what color are they.
Thanks Fred
315-797-7070 x 7299
I need at least 15 please where d u located
Could I have some? If possible email me at Briannajo5566@gmail.com
hi rich,
i need 5 gal buckets with the lids that fit them. e-mail and let me know what you have
thanks joe
hi rich,
i need 5 gal buckets lids that fit them let me know
joe
Where are you located? I am in Austin. Just looking for two buckets. Thanks
hello my name is Richard, i will bye all the pails you have, thanks and hope to here from you.
i need all your empty plastic buckets. Where are you located?
contact me i need them
I’m in Mobile, Al We need 100+ buckets for the Mobile Rock and Gem Society – non profit, for storing rocks and specimens for two local universities. jimandde@mobis.com
do you still have 5 gallon buckets available if so please contact me at ar15bushmaster@hotmail.com
wes hester
662-590-5591
Old thread.. do you still have buckets?? Thank you, kind Sir!!
Do you still have 5 gallon buckets for free??
Where are you located?? I’m in Arkansas and need them this week.
I could use a couple dozen buckets (food grade). Send details please. Thanks!
I was responding to your ad about the 5 gallon bucket’s I live in Philadelphia PA where are you located I was looking for about 100
Where r u located I’m in pa .
im from california i need lots of buckets let me know if you still have it my name is juan 562 577 2692 feel free to call me thks rich i need for promotional purposes
Not sure if this is still monitored, but we could take a couple thousand of them if you still have some available. If so, contact Steve @ 320.234.7668. Thanks!
Need to know if you still have the pales available
U still have them?
Thx Pat
Patbarker53@hotmail.com
ARe these still available? I’m working at a high school trying to equip a ceramics classroom on no budget. The 5 gallon utility buckets I bought for our glazes all split. I need to find heavier duty buckets.
@Rich Mogansen where are you located? We are in need of some!
Rich Mogansen,
I’m looking for FOOD GRADE 5 gallon buckets. I would like as many as I could get ahold of.
Could you please tell me how to get some of them from you?
My contact E-mail is: r.tate1@cox.net
Thank YOU Rich!
I am in the epoxy installation and I used 5 gallons pail and would like where I can get them for free pick up or pay 50c for each pail if I have to wash it. I need about 500 pails a years you
I live in St. Louis, Mo. area. I can use about 50 of your buckets.
I need 10 of the 5 gallon buckets for a classroom.
Thank you.
I need 50 buckets for an indoor garden. I live oviedo,florida i want free how can i pick up or what? pls email me airloo74@gmail.com
Thank you for your assistance.
Live in central ohio. If anyone could spare about 20-50, it would be the best help. Hubby is truck driver and could meet someone at truck stop on his run if responses.
Thank you and Have a Blessed Day.
Live in central ohio. If anyone could spare about 20-50, it would be the best help. Hubby is truck driver and could meet someone at truck stop on his run if responses.
Thank you and Have a Blessed Day.
(mfj22511@gmail.com)
Need all the plastic buckets I can get, I will come to you to pick up. Louisville Ky…… Thanks.
If you have I just need 2 with lids if possible, I’m looking for some thats ultra smooth inside for delicate and silk. My washing machine has ruined two of my delicate clothes and I am very angry with it. I can make a cheap and manual clothes washer with a bucket and a plunger. Unable to find anything I need at my local hardware stores maybe have something?
Could I have about 35 food grade 5 gallon. What would the cost be? I live in Oklahoma.
I am in need of 50 – 75 5 gallon plastic buckets for a children’s grief camp activity. I am located in Annapolis Maryland. Please contact me if you can help us out. Thank you
I am in need of 50 – 75 5 gallon plastic buckets for a children’s grief camp activity. I am located in Annapolis Maryland. Please contact me if you can help us out. Thank you
We are in Odessa TX and are in need of some pails. Can someone please email me? We need quite a few with the lids. Thanks!
Looking for 300 plastic 5 gallon buckets. Will pick up empty buckets for free. In the Rockford, Il area.
I need all the plastic buckets I can get. Durham Region Ontario
Looking for as many plastic 5 gallon buckets anyone has. Live in Toms River, NJ area.
I would love free 5 gallon buckets please. As many as you allow to share with friends, family and neighbors. Thanks. Kary
Good morning!
I would like to get 18 of your free buckets, square ones, to support a dressage arenna fence with pvc pipe between them.
Thank you for your time!
I need to get 50, 5-gallon food grade containers for a self-watering project for charity. Please advise how to get them. Thank you,
We have 300 – 500 used – clean 5 gallon buckets that need to get rid of soon. These are completely free but you must come pick up. Located in Houston, TX. Please contact me if interested veronica.velasquez@doggett.com
We have 4 gallon buckets with lids, food grade and clean. They are located in Cleveland, Tn. Have several hundreds.
I need 3gal square white jackets. I have seen them used. Any one has them, food grade?
What like to see how much a skid 100-200 5gal pals would cost. They are going to be used for used parts storage. Please contact Bill Bohle or Scott Chabot S.Chabot@hvacintegration.com with a quote on above quantity if ez lids are available please include cost also. Scott Chabot
need pails for inventory
We are putting together flood buckets for Houston Texas. We need 5 gal buckets with screw on lids. Our church UNM is assembling the buckets.
jbblakley@gmail.com
I am selling 5 gallon blue buckets with snap on lids for $1,00.
I live in maryland
Any 5 gallon buckets left with Teartab lids? if not std lids would be ok if they are clean buckets? I could use them all for liquid plastics storage