Can't get horrible smell out

[lbb87]

This doesn't exactly fall into the cookware category but I'm sure someone will be able to help me.

I have a plastic Tupperware bowl that has a horrible odor (bad enough to make you vomit). I accidently left it sitting in my bedroom for a few weeks after eating something out of it. I have no idea what food had been in it because when I found it, it looked clean but I knew it wasn't. I'm thinking that pudding had been in there but I just can't remember.

Anyway, I guess the food/smell was absorbed by the plastic (or something) because that smell will not come out. Does anyone know of a way to get the smell out? I thought about using Clorox/bleach but I don't know if that will damage it. I tried soaking it in a lot of soapy water and also using vinegar. I haven't tried a lemon, but then I don't have any and I'm not going to the store anytime soon.

Does anyone have any ideas? I really don't want to throw the bowl away as no one makes bowls like this anymore. It's gotta be at least 20 years old.

 

[Ishbel]

Have you tried making a bicarb of soda paste and rubbing all the interior surfaces? I have very little tupperware, so I'm not sure what would work. I would think that being 20 years old and presumably used quite a lot, the interior might be a little compromised, which would make using bleach a bit problematic.

I'm sure that there will be a number of people who have had lots of experience with Tupperware, and may know of a magic solution for your problem!

Perhaps you could do a search for a Tupperware site and there would be a recommendation for 'deep cleaning'?

 

[letscook]

1-baking soda sprinkle in it and cover it
2- White vinegar and leting it soak
3- Throw it out and get a new one.

 

[GB]

I have never tried this myself, but I have heard it works although I do not know to what degree. Take a few sheets of newspaper and crumple them up and put in the container with the lid on. Let it sit for about 3 days. The newspaper is supposed to absorb the oder. It is worth a shot at least.

 

[Constance]

Run it through the dishwasher on the top rack.

 

[Andy M.]

Try the bleach - diluted 50/50 with water. It won't harm the plastic

Try ammonia (separately from the bleach).

Try kitty litter.

You have nothing to lose as the container is useless to you as is. If you have to toss it, you can chalk it up to a lesson learned.

 

[Alix]

There is a product at those "As Seen on TV" stores called a Deodorock. I once burned garlic in my microwave creating the most hideous odor throughout the house for weeks. NOTHING would remove the odor until my MIL gave me one of those rocks. It worked like a charm. Hope you can find it.

 

[Barbara L]

Bleach shouldn't hurt it. When I sold Tupperware, we were told to put it upside down in the grass overnight. With so many dogs running loose, I was afraid it would be gone so I've never tried it, but my manager swore by it!

Barbara

 

[amber]

I've heard lemon juice works well for eliminating odors.

 

[jpmcgrew]

Try all of the above and then set bowl in the sun eventually you will get smell out if not toss it.

 

[daisy]

Fill containers with warm, soapy water and add 1 tablespoon of bicarbonate of soda, more if container is large. Leave overnight, turning occasionally. Repeat if necessary.

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Fill container with cold water and malt vinegar or vanilla essence. Leave for several hours. If smell is still faintly there, leave in direct sunlight for an hour.

 

[purrfectlydevine]

Charcoal absorbs odors. There is a kind called activatied charcoal, but I can't remember where Mom got it. Our freezer got unplugged accidentally and wasn't discovered for several days and the smell just about knocked you over. I've also heard that kitty litter absorbs odors. Good luck.

 

[Michael in FtW]

Try all of the above and then set bowl in the sun eventually you will get smell out if not toss it.

I agree ... wash it with whatever you want (I personally would probably use Comet) ... but then sit it outside in the sun UNCOVERED for a week or two.

 

[tancowgirl2000]

Try pure vanilla....or a very good vanilla extract like Watkins.....I use it too get that icky cooler smell out of my coolers, after a weekend of good camping....has never failed...

 

[Constance]

I just saw a tip on GMA about this subject. They say to crumple up newspaper and seal it inside your tupperware bowl for 24 hours, then wash. The newspaper supposedly absorbs the odors. Sounds worth a try.

 

[SpiceUmUp]

Once it is absorbed in to the plastic, there is little chance you will get the smell out all the way. I am a plastics engineer in real life, I have used material that is reprocessed milk containers. This material have been cleaned, ground, melted at 400 plus degrees, pushed through an extruder, peletized and still smells of spoiled milk. On the plus side, when we are proceesing it, the whole place smells like cheese.

Plastics are very porus, you can kill the germs on the surface but that which gets in to the material is there until you heat it up and it will still have the odor

 

[Piccolina]

I once burned garlic in my microwave creating the most hideous odor throughout the house for weeks. NOTHING would remove the odor...

I did the same thing once, Alix yeas ago, when I was living someplace without an oven. Somehow the novel idea of roasting garlic in the microwave popped into my head. Boy, was that a stupid idea!!! It smelt to high heaven and probably took four months before the smell was out of the microwave.

NEVER try to roast garlic in the microwave! (Talk about a lesson learned!)