Sunlight kills garlic smell better than any spray

Baking soda plus direct sunlight kills garlic and onion smells in a lunch box, no harsh chemicals needed.

Scrape out any food bits and give the box a rinse. Coat the inside with a layer of baking soda — enough to cover the surface — close the lid, and leave it overnight. The baking soda absorbs the odor molecules.

Dump the baking soda out the next morning and set the open box in direct sunlight for a couple hours. This is the step people skip, and it’s the one that actually matters. UV light breaks down the sulfur compounds that cause garlic and onion smells. It eliminates the odor instead of just masking it.

In a hurry? Wipe the inside with white vinegar, rinse with water, and dry it in the sun. It works, but the vinegar smell takes a while to air out.

Either way you end up with a lunch box that smells like nothing, which is exactly what you want.