Lunch box Smells and Mold

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Children and adults use lunch coolers, or lunch boxes, all the time. But unfortunately, over time, they can become smell or host molds. Not only is the smell a turn off, but the potential to become sick from mold growth is often overlooked. The best way to combat these problems is to clean your lunch cooler often. But are you really cleaning it properly?

It’s important we talk about mold first. This is the biggest lunch box danger. If you are like most people, you probably bring your bag home, toss the contents in the sink, and leave your lunch cooler on top of the fridge for the next day. Unfortunately, this is how the process begins.

It is easy for moisture to get trapped inside your lunch box, and mold spores are always floating around ready to take root where moisture exists. Therefore you should clean your entire lunch cooler, containers, bags, and cutlery. It is also important to let all of them dry completely. On this same website page we will go over some tips on removing smells and keeping molds from growing, but let’s look at lunch cooler smells.

Lunch box smells can be extremely foul and it usually leads to a lot of items being tossed in the garbage. Using plastic wrap or foil can let food smells escape in to your bag. So using air tight containers might seem like the next best option. However, even the toughest of plastics can retain bad smells over time.

What can we do about mold and bad smells? Here are some tips to consider:

1.    The best way to clean your lunch cooler is to wash the whole thing inside and out with soapy water. For some coolers you can remove the plastic lining and toss the fabric bag in to the washing machine. Let the sun dry it and your ready to go.

2.    It’s important to clean in to every crack and crevasse of your lunch gear. Some containers have a rubber seal that you can remove. Under the seal is a common place where mold starts. Make sure that all the pieces are completely dry before putting back together or you will have the mold come back in an instant.

3.    There are chemical cleaners you can use, but make sure they are washed or aired out. You don’t want them leeching in to your food.

4.    It has been said that you can wash your lunch cooler, and put it in the freezer over night to remove smells. This may work for a few days but you will have to repeat the process time and time again.

5.    Try leaving some coffee grinds in the bottom with the lid closed over night. Or a bit of baking soda. These are really effective in remove odors.

If all else fails, you may be left to dispose of your lunch gear in the garbage. But if possible, try to recycle them. If your local recycling company doesn’t take them, maybe you can use them for fishing boxes or camping gear.