Food can be stored in plastic containers which are quite practical but they can also retain odors. Scents can become stuck to a container and be very stubborn, whether it’s the fragrance of the meal from earlier in the day or the plastic-like smell of the container itself. Try washing by hand, cleaning with baking soda and vinegar, or using other absorbing agents to absorb the odor. Your container will be odor-free and functional with a little work.
Mix baking soda and vinegar
If using soap and water didn’t work for you, this might. Add ΒΌ cup (52.2 g) of baking soda to a large basin or saucepan along with one cup of white vinegar. Mix the vinegar and baking soda together until well combined. Next, place the plastic containers, not forgetting to include the lids, into the dish containing the baking soda and vinegar. Stir the mixture in the dish, add enough water to cover the containers, and let the containers soak for 24 to 48 hours. After that, place the plastic container in the dishwasher because vinegar has a strong smell on its own.
Toss in a small teaspoon of salt
Salt has the ability to absorb odors. Absorbing substances such as salt have the potential to eliminate odors from containers if washing and soaking are unsuccessful in doing so. Fill the container with a generous amount of salt, leaving it in a clump in the center. After that, put the lid on and leave it overnight. Just remember to empty the jar of salt before using it.
Put newspaper creases in the container
Newspapers have the ability to absorb unpleasant smells from plastic containers. Tear and crumple numerous newspaper sheets, then put them into the container and cover it. If you leave it there for 24 to 48 hours, the paper will absorb the unpleasant smells. After removing the newspaper, wash the container because it can be dirty.
Make use of coffee grounds
Odors can be effectively absorbed by coffee grounds. Put the spent coffee grounds in the plastic container after brewing the morning coffee. It works better to use used coffee grounds than fresh ones. Place the top back on and leave the coffee grinds inside the container until the smell goes away, roughly one day.
Put the container in the sun
The sun is a powerful odor eliminator. On a sunny day, take the open plastic container outside keeping this in mind. You can let the container air out by leaving it open. You can also simply place the pot on a sunny windowsill if you are unable to bring it outside.
Apply vanilla extract
Bad odors can be covered up by the strong, pleasant scent of vanilla extract. To use vanilla extract, fill the bottle with a few tablespoons of water, add a few drops of extract, and close the lid. Alternatively, you may pour the vanilla onto a cloth, place the cloth inside the container, cover it, and let the vanilla seep inside for a few hours.
Clean the container in the dishwasher after soaking it
This cleaning combination could work wonders. Scrape out and discard any remaining food scraps first. After that, soak the container in a bowl of warm water that has a good dose of dish soap in it. After letting the container soak for at least half an hour, rinse and wipe dry. If hand washing doesn’t seem to be working, consider placing the container in the dishwasher to see if the high heat might help get rid of the smell. First, confirm that the plastic container is safe to use in the dishwasher. To stop the container from warping, place it on the top rack.
Image From Freepik