I have this lunch box that is huge but works really well for me. I made a mistake a few weeks ago by leaving rotten food in it over the weekend and the stench is unbearable.

This lunch box has a removable interior made of some kind of plastic so I removed it and soaked it in warm water and dish soap for 48 hours in the sink and then I scrubbed the interior with a sponge.

When I got done, it still smelled like rotten food! I also cleaned the lid which isn’t removable but made of the same material. But just used the sponge on it.

Sticking my head inside is where I smell it most, so I think it’s the removable tub.

I also tried teabags as I heard of something like this with smelly shoes, but now my lunch box smells like feet lol.

So I’m at a loss. I love this box and don’t want to trash it. It was hard finding one like it.

Anything else I can try?

Edit: thanks for the suggestions! I forgot to mention that I did put some vinegar and baking soda in last night and kept the lid closed. I’ll leave it this way until tomorrow night and see.

Thanks for the suggestions!

  • linearchaos@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    The problem is we are very very sensitive to rotten food.

    Water and soap will do very little to remove any of that if that’s bound itself to the plastic.

    You could use a high pH solution to try to tear up any organics. An extended soak in week hydrogen peroxide or a soak in a light lye solution might get the job done.

    Ozone, sunlight, retrobrite, barkeeper’s friend, vinegar they’re all trying to do the same thing destroy those organics left on the plastic. But in some cases that stuff just binds and there’s not that much you can do about it.