If you have stored or reheated a strong-smelling food item in a plastic container, you may find that it holds the odor long after the food has been removed. This smell can linger even after the container has been cleaned and can sometimes even affect the taste of other foods that are subsequently stored in the container. A container that has been invaded by odor doesn't have to be trashed though. In many cases, the smell can be washed away by a few uncommon cleaning agents.
Food Items
There are several edible items that can be used to remove smells, including white vinegar, lemon juice and vanilla. These are food items that all have strong smells of their own that will soak up any residual odor in a container, but unlike the odors that are stuck to the interior of the container, these smells will fade once removed.
In order to clean with white vinegar, try adding it to dishwater along with your regular dish detergent and let your odor-infested containers soak for a few minutes before washing them as normal. Containers can also be rinsed out with lemon juice before washing and then washed in regular dish detergent.
To use coffee, place used grounds inside the container and seal with the lid. Let the container sit for a day or two, remove the lid, dump out the grounds and wash. Odors should be gone.
Vanilla can be used in a similar way. Sprinkle a paper towel with a few drops of vanilla flavoring and enclose in sealed containers. After it sits for a day or two, remove the paper towel and wash.
If there are cuts in the interior plastic of a container, there may be food particles trapped inside these scratches that are causing the odor. To remove small trapped particles, sprinkle salt inside the container and scrub the inside with a dishcloth. The salt particles will get inside the cuts and remove bits of food.
Non-Food Items
There are also a few non-food items that can be used to remove a lingering odor from a container. Newspaper can be used like coffee grounds and vanilla. Wad up a piece of the newspaper, sprinkle it with water and place inside the sealed container. Leave it for a day or two. The charcoal in the newsprint will absorb the odor. You can also use a regular piece of charcoal.
Bleach can remove both stains and odor from plastic. You can also use a baking soda and water mixture. Add just enough water to the soda to form a paste, coat the inside of the container and set the container aside a day or two, then wash the paste out. This paste is also a good remedy for the sticky residue that sometimes forms.
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