Bleach is the move for moldy coolers.

Yes, bleach. But don’t mix it with anything else.

Scrub the cooler with dish soap and hot water first to remove loose gunk. Then mix a bleach solution — about one tablespoon of bleach per gallon of water — and fill or wipe down every surface. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes. Then rinse very thoroughly. Bleach residue is not something you want near your food or drinks.

Vinegar works too, but on porous plastic the bleach is more reliable at killing mold roots. Just don’t combine bleach and vinegar — that makes toxic chlorine gas. Pick one.

After cleaning, let the cooler dry completely with the lid open before storing. That’s the real trick. Damp storage is what got you here in the first place.

Future you deserves a cooler that doesn’t smell like a basement.