Can You Help?

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

Joyous — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:56:29 GMT

Dorina:
A note of caution tho -- it can clog drains so don't dump down sink!

Good point. The grounds can be composted, though. I understand some plants love having coffee grounds applied directly to their soil (don't know which ones, though), so the coffee grounds can do triple-duty: making coffee, clearing up smells, and garden-work!

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

Dorina — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 22:34:56 GMT

Great idea -- I found out about coffee grounds accidentally myself & usually forget about it! =) Thanks for the reminder.

A note of caution tho -- it can clog drains so don't dump down sink!

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

karlenet — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:45:27 GMT

I know it sounds strange, but old coffee grounds absorb odors. Just let the grounds dry, sprinkle them in the container, put the lid on, and let it sit overnight. They work on pet odors in carpets and furniture too (just make sure you let them dry completly so they don't stain the fabric). It is a great way to recycle something that you would normally throw away.

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

Mum — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:10:49 GMT

Someone wrote about sunshine removing odors, it will remove the tomato stain too!

Sandy

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

Dorina — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 17:27:51 GMT

I have used two things which work well just depends on which I grab first.

1-Sprinkle some baking soda in the container with some warm water and let it soak.

2-Splash some white vinegar with some warm water in the container and let it soak.

I find my regular dishwasher cycle gets rid of most smells in my containers because I use the full normal cycle with the heated rinse. But if you are not lucky enough to have a dishwasher the two suggestions above should help.

Hope I helped!

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

Bija — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 16:57:14 GMT

I have always used baking soda to get rid of smells in food containers, thermos bottles and even in the microwave. It can't hurt you. Just scrub it with a paste of baking soda, or add baking soda and water and shake it up and let it sit overnight. By the way, I would never use liquid bleach in a plastic food container. I don't know for sure, but I would guess it could break down the chemical make-up and change it. I wouldn't trust it.

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

Joyous — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:16:20 GMT

angd73:
I use ground mustard and water

Wow, that's a new one to me! How did you learn to do that? I always seem to have ground mustard that I'm not using. Can it be stale mustard that's not good for seasoning food anymore?

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

firstborn — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 15:12:48 GMT

Use plain white vinegar.

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

Kaiya6661 — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:39:30 GMT

Soak in White Vinegar. Then rinse. Takes out the smell everytime.

Vinegar takes the smell out of lots of other items as well. I use it in my laundry, and was amazed when all smells came out of a towel that had been soaked with gasoline and sat for a month or so. I washed it about 5 times before i used the vinegar on it and finally no smell. A friend washed all of her salvageable clothing after a fire with vinegar and no smell. Also a cheap way to get rid of odors in houses. Pour some in a cut glass dish ad let it stand. Safe for pets as well instead of over powering chemicals.

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

MaryKay — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 13:38:28 GMT

I have read that if you place your crumbled newspaper in the container and seal it and leave it in the sun for several days the newspaper will absorb the orders from the container.

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

angd73 — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 23:34:09 GMT

I use ground mustard and water and it works like a charm!! I I fill the container with hot water and add a TSP to a TBS of mustard depending on the size of the container.

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

timzagain — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 11:56:11 GMT

I've been successful using a mild bleach solution - fill the container with the bleach solution and leave for a few days! If the weather permits, I put them out in the sun - one of the many advantages of living in a year-round hot climate! Not sure why that works, but it does! I do the same thing with DD's insulated lunch box every weekend. When I don't put the containers out for the occasional tanning session, I find they smell funny even after washing!

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

saumiller123 — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 00:44:18 GMT

Here is a green and frugal solution for anything that has smells - SUNSHINE! Put those plastic containers in a mesh bag or just on a table top and let them spend a day or two in the sun. A friend of mine had a skunk invade his cabin and spray everthing - furniture, rugs, etc. They put everything in the yard for a few days (in Taos, NM) and the smell was totally gone. SUNSHINE has the ability to clear it all up. Keep that in mind for your laundry.

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

Joyous — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 22:06:28 GMT

Maybe the stained containers could be reborn as something else. Could the exterior be painted and the container turned into an organizer of some kind, for craft buttons or for stationery or make-up or fancy soaps or . . .

Could the container turn into a kitchen sill herb garden?

Re: How do I get food smells out of plastic containers?

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 14:09:31 GMT

Dear Kim, Please do use the nonstick-spray trick, as I would hate to see you discard perfectly useful containers just because they have some staining from tomatoes. Yours in Him, Deb