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!

  • @[email protected]
    5•7 months ago

    This is an out of the box idea (no pun intended), have you considered using an effervescent denture cleaner like Effordent? Fill container with warm water and dump a bunch of tablets in it.

    • Treczoks
      4•7 months ago

      Yep. Denture cleaners are quite good for food-safe stuff. When we cleaned out grandmas flat, I put her cleaner tablets aside, astonishing the other family members with my move: “But you’ve got no dentures?!?!” Those pills are great for cleaning vases or thermos bottles.