Post-holiday cleaning up is unavoidable and can be a chore if you have many food containers to wash and store post parties. What’s more troubling is that your plastic containers still smell unpleasant even after numerous washing. It didn’t help that you need to start your food prep for children’s snack box as they prepare for school, and pack lunch for the adults who are heading back to work after the holiday seasons. Here are 7 useful, environmental-friendly tips on how to get smell out of Tupperware containers without using any harmful chemical. Best of all, these solutions are usually easily available in your kitchen.
Table of contents
- 7 Environmental-Friendly Items You Can Get At Little Cost
- 1. Vinegar wonder
- 2. Au naturel Sunlight – The free way to get smell out of Tupperware
- 3. Baking soda is not just for baking
- 4. Lemony goodness – The most natural agent to get smell out of Tupperware
- 5. Pinch of salt literally
- 6. Charcoal, no BBQ needed
- 7. It’s in the News (Newspaper) – Recycle & get smell out of Tupperware
- Final Thoughts
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
7 Environmental-Friendly Items You Can Get At Little Cost
1. Vinegar wonder
After washing your plastic food containers as usual with dish soap and water, don’t stop there. Rinse your container with white vinegar. White vinegar is an inexpensive, natural deodorizer that can be easily found in the kitchen. It is not only used for cooking but is great for cleaning purposes as well.
Fill the washed container with vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes. We recommend at least 3 minutes. After that, rinse off the vinegar with hot water and dish soap again. Dry and store your Tupperware containers. You can repeat the steps whenever needed.
2. Au naturel Sunlight – The free way to get smell out of Tupperware
Under the right circumstance, 10-15 minutes of soaking in the morning sun (between 10 am to 12 pm) is a good idea to activate Vitamin D in our body. While the sunshine plays a role in boosting our immune system, it is also beneficial in combating the pesky smells from your plastic food containers.
It’s time to whip out your Tupperware containers in the cabinet and expose them to the natural sunlight directly to air out the unpleasant staleness and get ready for a new school year. Simple and most natural method indeed.
3. Baking soda is not just for baking
Have you heard of the many uses of baking soda? Baking soda, which is also known as sodium bicarbonate, is commonly used in baking as a leavening agent – to help dough rises. However, its uses go beyond just baking to include other household uses and even science projects for school. Just like vinegar, baking soda produces carbon dioxide when reacts with acid. Here’s another interesting finding – baking soda may boost your workout.
Nevertheless, combining baking soda with water can serve as a natural, nonabrasive cleaner to wipe off food residue. Sprinkle baking soda on your food container and let it sit overnight before rinsing it off. It will remove the unpleasant smell of Tupperware. Baking soda acts as a deodorizer that can be used for not just your food container, but also for your clothes, carpet, and many more.
Insert breaker à Baking in mind? Check out Tupperware Speedy Chef, your little helper to whip up quick, delicious desserts.
4. Lemony goodness – The most natural agent to get smell out of Tupperware
If you are someone who loves green cleaning, you will love lemon. Lemon is a great cleaning agent and not to mention that it has a refreshing citrus scent. Did your momma ever tell you not to throw your lemon skin away after making lemonade, and use them to wipe down your sink? Using lemon on your sink is a harsh-free method to clean and shine your sink. At the same time, it freshens your kitchen as well.
The acid in lemon has natural antibacterial and antiseptic properties, although it is not advisable to use it as a disinfectant, it is effective in cleaning oily residue, stains and smell from your food & spice container, like the Tupperware modular mates. Add salt for extra power. If you don’t like the smell of vinegar, which is also one of the tips for getting rid of the smell in your food container, add a bit of lemon.
5. Pinch of salt literally
Salt is probably the most common and readily available ingredient in any household today. For generations, this mineral has been used for many household hacks, especially because it offers gentile scouring benefits. Some people add baking soda to salt and make it into a paste for cleaning appliances and removing stubborn stains like coffee and tea.
So, your food container smells like your lamb stew from the day before. Clean the container with dish soap, rinse clean and wipe the container dry. Then, add a large pinch of salt to the container and store it away. The salt will absorb the pungent smell. You can also add lemon juice for that extra citrus scent as mentioned above. Remember to wipe out the salt from the container before using it the next time!
Bonus! Some other alternatives that don’t require harsh chemicals to get rid of bad, unpleasant smells in Tupperware include:
6. Charcoal, no BBQ needed
Wait, what? Charcoal is not just for the barbecue pit? Activated charcoal absorbs moisture and bad smells due to its porosity. Activated charcoal means the charcoal has been processed through a chemical or heat (for example exposed to the sun).
Tackle the odor by putting a piece of charcoal in the container with its lid on. You may leave the charcoal for a day or two to completely absorb the odor. One thing good about charcoal is that you can reuse it. Just air and sun the charcoal before the next use. However, do take note to avoid charcoal with additives or mesquite charcoal which is meant for grilling.
7. It’s in the News (Newspaper) – Recycle & get smell out of Tupperware
You may hear about newspapers being used to absorb odor in shoes. The good news is, you can use a newspaper for food containers too. The newspaper will absorb both moisture and smell. Crumple a piece of old newspaper and stuff it into the plastic container. Then cover the top and leave the newspaper in overnight or longer. Be sure to wash the container thoroughly with dish soap and water before use afterward.
Final Thoughts
There you have it, 5 + 2 ways how to get the smell out of Tupperware. Plastic containers are convenient to store food but they collect odors. The first step to prevent odor out of your Tupperware containers is to always wash them immediately after use. If you are using a dishwasher, remember to put them on the top rack to prevent these plastic containers from melting or warping due to the extreme heat.
To prevent your food containers from turning stale, organize them with their lids and containers together, then keep them in dry, airy cabinets. A well-organized cabinet allows you to see your Tupperware containers collection at one glance so that you can rotate the usage of each container appropriately.
A tip to stay organized is to stop yourself from hoarding every plastic food container you get from take-outs. Go green by abstaining from using one-time-use plastic take-out containers and bring your own container.
Do you have any other ways to remove the smell from Tupperware? Share with us!
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