The Sun Fixes Smelly Lunch Boxes

The best way to get onion, garlic, or fish smells out of a plastic or silicone lunch box is direct sunlight.

Vinegar and baking soda soaks are okay but they mostly mask the smell. The odor is caused by oils that soaked into the plastic or silicone, and scrubbing can’t get at them. UV light actually breaks down those odor molecules at a chemical level, which is why it’s the only thing that truly “resets” the material.

So here’s the routine: wash the box normally with dish soap, then set it outside in direct sun for a few hours. Not on a cloudy day, not by a window—glass filters out the UV. Put it in a spot that gets hit hard. Flip it halfway through so both sides get exposure. If you see it stop smelling, you’re done.

One warning: don’t use boiling water to try to kill the smell. High heat on plastic or silicone can actually bake the smell in or warp the material. Stick to warm water and soap for the wash, then let the sun do the heavy lifting.

This works for plastic and silicone alike. Silicone is kind of notorious for holding onto cooking smells, but a good sunny day has pulled even a fishy silicone spatula back to neutral for me.