Getting Rid of Musty Smell: Cooler

Updated on June 15, 2014
H.W. asks from Portland, OR
7 answers

Hi all,

We borrowed a soft-sided cooler bag for a train trip Kiddo and I are taking in a few days. Our friends were very sweet to loan it to us; the problem is that it smells a bit musty (their house is old). I'm going to rub some dish detergent inside the carrier/pockets and let it sit, then wipe clean, but what about the outside? We have a couple days of sunshine and I'm tempted to spray it with white vinegar and set it to dry, but as it's not mine, am wary of making it smell like vinegar+ "musty"....obviously not the result I'm wanting.

Any suggestion, besides Febreeze? I should add that my friend does have some allergies and so anything too 'chemical' should not be used on it.

Thanks and have a great weekend?

1 mom found this helpful

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So What Happened?

Not that anyone is checking, but the end of this story is that I discovered why the bag stank-- it has black mold on it! I started to clean it and noticed the black spots up close. We obviously will not be taking it on a train; thanks for all the good suggestions

More Answers

L.A.

answers from Austin on

No Febreeze! It can break down those coolers.

Once you wash it and dry it, open a box of Baking soda and put the box in there and close the top
Or

Once you wash it and dry it. Place some dry newspaper in there and let it just sit

Or also sometimes use a cup of coffee grounds, it absorbs odors

FYI, All of these are also how you store a refrigerator. You clean it out really well. Once it is all dried, with no moisture. Place newspaper in it with coffee grounds. or Baking soda. It will be ready to use when you take it out of storage,

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C.S.

answers from Las Vegas on

What is a soft sided cooler bag? Is it an ice chest with a cloth other shell? I wash that stuff with dish soap and water, then rinse. Do you have a porch you can set it out on or a garage? If it is warm enough put it in the garage to dry. Hang it upside down to drain the water.

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G.B.

answers from Oklahoma City on

Wash it in the washing machine with bleach in the water. Put it in the bathtub or kitchen sink in water with bleach in it.

If it's soft sided it's washable. I wash mine all the time.

Front loader washers have little drawers, add a little bleach in that container.

Top loader washer, start the water, add detergent, add a couple of table spoons of bleach to the water and swish it around. When it gets half full add the cooler and get it started agitating quickly. It only needs a couple of minutes of agitation. That will get the cracks and crevices wet and stuff will come loose.

Let it air dry or put it in the dryer on very low heat for about 10 minutes then hang it to dry.

Scented stuff will ONLY make your food taste nasty.

2 moms found this helpful

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

My suggestion is making soda, charcoal or damp rid

Good luck

1 mom found this helpful
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D.N.

answers from Chicago on

My husband left a cooler in the car with water inside. It got really nasty and the whole thing smelled. I washed it with dish soap and then sprayed with vinegar--twice. It did not smell like vinegar. I use it all the time and have never had a vinegar after effect.

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P.M.

answers from Portland on

Vinegar doesn't leave a smell after it dries, but extensive sunshine will eventually break down the plastic. We have a soft cooler bag that also gets musty. I dissolve some borax in water to spray it inside and out (cleans and sweetens), rub it around, and rinse.

The I spray it heavily with vinegar, followed by a strong solution of dissolved baking soda (or washing soda) in water before the vinegar dries. (You can reverse these and do the soda solution first).

The baking soda foams up when it connects with the vinegar. While this is actually the cleaning action of the two solutions neutralizing each other (so it's not usually too helpful to mix these in advance), that foaming action does help clean tight corners and creases. Air drying should then be enough.

Hope you get a satisfactory green solution!

1 mom found this helpful

D.B.

answers from Boston on

Febreze and things like that just mask the smell, and you're right that they can cause other problems.

Use dish soap just to get rid of any food residue or visible dirt. If there needs to be any scrubbing involved, you can also use baking soda, then rinse clean. White vinegar is also terrific, and if you rinse it, it won't smell afterwards. If there's a smell inside the pockets, dip the whole thing in a bucket of vinegar & water (about 1 cup vinegar to a gallon of water, or more if you think you need a little extra power). Then stuff some newspaper in the pockets to let some air in there, so things dry without creating more smell.

Even if the "finished product" smelled a little vinegar-y, the vinegar is better for your friend than the musty and mildew-y smell!) And yes, let it sit in the sun when you are done, but only when it's good and clean.

I only use baking soda or vinegar for cleaning pretty much anything - plus a basic dish soap for something oily. You don't need any of those other high priced cleaners which are just chemicals or a version of what you would make yourself with the basics.

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