Sunlight is the secret to deodorizing plastic containers

Sunlight is the secret to deodorizing plastic containers.

The best way to get fish or garlic smell out of a plastic lunch box is a hot soapy wash, then a baking soda paste, then an hour in direct sunlight. The sunlight does most of the heavy lifting — UV light actually breaks down the odor molecules that are stuck in the plastic.

Plastic is porous, so the smell isn’t just on the surface, it’s soaked in. That’s why washing alone never works. Make a thick paste of baking soda and water, coat the inside, let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then rinse. If it’s still funky, crumple up newspaper and stuff the container with it, close the lid, and leave it overnight. The paper absorbs odors.

The sunlight step is the one people skip, and it’s the one that actually finishes the job. Just 30-60 minutes outside makes a huge difference. Don’t rely on the dishwasher to fix this either — the heat can bake the smell deeper into the plastic.

If it survives all that, the container is done. Toss it and switch to glass or stainless steel, which don’t hold odors in the first place.