How do you remove odor from a food cooler?

Answer 1

Not unlike your fridge, a box of baking powder in a cooler can work wonders. In the link below, you'll find many suggestions for deodorizing a refrigerator. I see no reason why they shouldn't translate to an icky cooler.

http://ww3.komotv.com/Global/story.asp?S=4069105

Answer 2

Chances are you or someone you know has a freezer stuffed with food. Chances also are, many times that food will remain in the freezer far longer than it ever should. This is especially true with families that have second freezers and simply forget about them. Sometimes the cause is flooding, a faulty freezer unit, or the power may go out for an extended period of time. If something does go bad and rots in your freezer, that smell will linger and will affect everything else in there for a long time unless you quickly do something about it.

First, dispose of the food in question and any surrounding food items that may either smell bad themselves or have the affected food on them. If necessary, you may need to de-thaw the shelves and racks, in which case hot water and buckets will need to be used. Then, remove all shelves and ice trays and wash thoroughly with hot water and detergent. Let them soak if necessary and rinse with a sanitizing solution like bleach to ensure all the bacteria is gone.

Wash the inside of the freezer include the door to sanitize and remove the smell. Use baking soda and hot water and rinse with bleach sanitizing solution. After ensuring everything has been adequately washed, leave the door open for approximately 15 minutes to allow free air circulation.

If odors happen to remain, use the following tricks:

-Wipe the inside of the freezer with equal parts vinegar and water. The acid in the vinegar destroys mildew and bacteria.

-Leave the freezer door open for days, if necessary, to allow for maximum air circulation, while keeping the unit off.

-Sprinkle fresh coffee grounds, cat litter, or baking soda in a large, shallow container in the bottom of the freezer to get rid of the smell.

-Stuff the freezer with crumpled newspapers for a time.

If problems persist, likely odor-causing moisture has been absorbed by the freezer’s insulation, which makes the smell nearly impossible to remove. In this case, you may have to replace the insulation. In the meantime, make sure to double wrap all food items, and remove the outer layer before allowing food to thaw.

Answer 3

wash out with a strong solution of sodium bicarbonate, or bicarb.