I stored a big batch of those laundry detergent ‘balls’ in a large Gladware storage container to protect them from the humidity in my basement.
Now that I’ve used up that detergent, I want to reuse the tub, but there’s a very strong lingering odor from the detergent. Not an unpleasant odor, sort of vaguely floral-ish, but I fear that it could get absorbed by any food item, and who wants sugar cookies that taste vaguely floral-ish?
I’ve already run the tub through the dishwasher three times, with several days of sitting around open to air out between washes. As best I can tell, the odor isn’t fading at all.
What should I try next? I’m thinking filling it with a bleach solution for a while. My sister suggests putting it out in the sun. My neighbor says I should fill the entire container with wads of crumbled up newspaper and seal it up for a while.
Anyone know what is likely to work? Or maybe warn me against something that will definitely damage the container?
Hubby, btw, suggested either throwing it out or using it for non-food storage. Spoil sport!
oils (which may be providing the stink) can dissolve into plastics. it may take a long time to come out. the substance can travel far into the plastic so treating the surface does little to nothing to remedy the problem. time may be the only cure to let nature take its course.
you might experience similar with tomato in plastic.
A few things come to mind, but I can’t say that any of them are guaranteed to work.
a) Fill container with white vinegar. Let sit a day or two, empty, rinse, air dry.
b) Fill container with baking soda. Let sit a day or two, empty, rinse, air dry. For this one, you could use pure powdered baking soda, but it might take a lot of boxes. However, I think a strongish baking soda solution would work as well. I don’t know the proportions, though … if it were me, I’d fill a (say) 2-quart container with water and dissolve maybe a cup of baking soda into the water.
c) Fill container with coffee (let it cool lest the plastic container could melt). Let sit overnight, empty, rinse, air dry.
d) Fill container with tomato sauce. Let sit overnight, empty, rinse, air dry. A lot of people avoid storing tomato-based sauces in plastic containers because the smell and color can often be left behind. I’ve seen that happen, but more often I’ve been able to wash out the spaghetti sauce (or whatever) and continue using the container as normal.
If you’re really attached to the container, I’d try letting it sit out in the sun. Otherwise, I’d just toss it. Personally, I probably wouldn’t want food in the container that I’d been storing laundry detergent in anyway. Either that or repurpose it for some other non-food use. Anything else you need to store?
Buy more of that detergent, and use the tub to store it.
However, consider also how much trouble you’re having getting the smell out of the tub and what effect that may have had on your clothing, and all the plastic parts inside your washing machine.
As mentioned upthread, plastic tends to absorb oils. Try wiping the inside with a damp paper towel and then rub undiluted liquid dish detergent thoroughly over the entire surface, then rinse. Repeat if necessary; when it’s literally squeaky clean, it’s as clean as you’re going to get it.
Just because something is disposable doesn’t mean you have to dispose of it.
But yeah, it sounds like too much work to de-scent it, and it might not work at all. Too bad, it was exactly the size I needed to hold the double batch of sugar cookies I make for Christmas each year.
So, I guess I’ll demote the container to gardening supplies. So what if my rose fertilizer gets stinky?
While disposal / repurposing is probably the right call, I’ve had some success in a similar situation by filling a container with soapy water and letting it sit for a week or so. The scent of the dishsoap DID linger, but I use a soap that has a light, natural orange-y scent so it wasn’t a problem.
