Getting stubborn odors out of storage containers?

[zoe b]

this method is what booksellers use to get rid of musty and other bad smells in books--I don't know if it will work on plastic containers, but it's worth a try--put the object in a plastic garbage bag--cover (or fill in this case) with cat litter--the plain old cheapy kind. Tie up the bag and leave for at least 24 hours--longer if needed.

[paulraphael]

I had ok results with the oxygen bleach. Got much of the coffee smell out, but not all. worked GREAT for de-stinking sponges, though.

And everyone, please be wary of using newspaper on any food surface. Newspaper ink isn't the toxic soup that it used to be, but it still transfers easily, contains any number of organic compounds that weren't meant to be eaten, and there's no telling what kinds of oils and toxic metal dust can be picked up from running through an industrial press.

[andiesenji]

Thanks for your "when-all-else-fails" treament, andiesenji. Hope I don't ever need it, but glad to have it.

Grovite - if the noxious bubble gum odor lingers, your Bar Keeper's Friend paste treatment is my next step. Thanks.

←

This technique, using a larger, heavy metal container, is sometimes used to remove "unpleasant" odors from rooms in buildings, sometimes crime scenes.

[yeti]

My worse problem is getting old coffee stink out of the thermos that I take on climbing trips. The inside is stainless steel, so I don't want to use chlorine bleach. I'd also rather not use a process that takes days.

I know nothing of 'destinkifieing' plastic or glass containers, but the stainless steel thermos can be rendered like new with denture tablets. Just plain old denture cleaning tablets, make sure they are not mint flavor, or any flavor at all unless you enjoy it flavoring your coffee. Fill your thermos with real hot water, throw in the cleaner, do not put the stopper in the bottle, give it a few hours, rinse, paying particular attention to the neck where thermos scum seems to accumulate. The inside will be bright and shiny, after a few uses of the cleaner, just like the day you brought it home.

[Richard Kilgore]

I asked two people at the restaurant supply store where I got the polyethylene storage container in question in this topic if there is any difference in the odor retention qualities of polyethylene and polycarbonate. Both assured me they are exactly alike and that odor retention is not a problem. One recommended a very dilute bleach solution.

Not quite satisfied, I contacted customer support at Continental Carlisle and asked the same question. Here's the quite different information I received.

Hi Richard, I apologize for the delay, but the information you had requested was a little more specific than what I normally receive, so I forwarded to

our engineering department for some help. Polyethylene will have more of a

tendency to retain odors since they get locked into just below the surface

and have no mechanism to come out. Polycarbonate will have less of a

tendency to pick up an odor since the odor retention mechanism is a little

different in PC, but again, once the odor is in the polymer it will not come

out. Having said that, it is our opinion that once they have an odor they

keep it, so we would recommend that the end user only store items for use in

the same family of food in order to prevent cross contamination of odor. If

I receive anything further, I will be sure to forward for your review. I

hope this helps in your discussion.

If you should have any questions, please do not hesitate to reply.

Thank you,

Lance