Baking soda, then dry it open.

The best way to keep a lunch box from smelling like last Tuesday’s curry is hot soapy water right after you get home, a baking soda scrub for anything that lingers, and leaving it open to dry completely.

Stop letting it sit in your bag all afternoon. The longer food residue sits in a sealed plastic box, the more it bakes itself in. Wash it with hot water and dish soap as soon as you can — hot water cuts grease, and grease is what carries the smell.

If the smell or stain is still there after washing, make a paste of baking soda and a little water, spread it on the inside, and let it sit for fifteen minutes. Scrub, rinse, done. For really stubborn plastic, a white vinegar soak works too, but the baking soda paste is the one that fixes curry stains.

Here’s the part most people skip: dry it fully with the lid off. A damp, sealed lunch box is a bacteria party, and that’s where the musty smell comes from even after a good wash. Towel dry it and leave it open on the counter overnight.

Your lunch box shouldn’t hold grudges.