So in a colossal bout stupidity I left spent grain in my mash tun (coleman cooler) over the winter when i thought i cleaned it out. Opening it for the first time was the most disgusting thing I have ever witnessed in my entire 42 years on this planet. The smell of death and decay and the sight of bugs and maggots was overwhelming to every one of my senses. I just can't describe it in words.
I cleaned it out and scrubbed it over and over and over again inbetween puking, then i scrubbed it some more with oxyclean, then soap, then again with oxyclean, then sanitized it with star-san and did the whole thing over again atleast 5 times over the course of a few days but the smell of death remains.
Is this a hopeless cause? Will anything get rid of that smell? I don't want any grain or wort to come close to touching this thing if I can't even get rid of the smell. I know i can boil the stainless steel parts (weldless valve, bulkhead and bazooka screen) but i can't seem to get rid of that smell in the cooler. It goes away after cleaning it then returns overnight.
Think i should just cut my losses, toss it and spend the $40 on a new cooler or do you think its salvagable somehow?
I feel like such a friggin idiot!@!#$