Ice Chest Odor

[Azone]

Proven methods for getting a strong odor out of a ice chest?
I filled it all the way up with 1/2 gallon of bleach and water and let it sit for a couple hours and the smell is still pretty damn awful.
Let it soak longer? Vinegar? Dish Soap?
No, I don’t want to throw it away, it was expensive.

 

[HairyScandinavian]

We've had some pretty rotten ones. I typically just use Dawn and let is soak, scrub it, rinse and let dry out. Then I repeat that a couple times and with use it dissipates. I also keep separate drink coolers from meat coolers for that reason though.

 

[Nickofthewoods]

Mix of baking soda, water, hydrogen peroxide, dish soap, and then a good scrubbing? That's also a good de-skunking mix when the dog gets sprayed.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

You could try a couple boxes of baking soda with lid partially open. In the future never store with lid closed, if that is what you did.

 

[Vrybusy]

Very hot water and add distilled vinegar....depending on the size, you might want to do 2 gallons. Close and let sit for a while - hour or two. Rinse with plain hot water, wipe dry with towel then leave open in the sun if at all possible to dry in the heat.

 

[Rich M]

Let it sit outside in the sun for a couple days or so. I'm bad with fish coolers and sometimes they get pretty nasty - will leave em out in the sun or under the drip edge for a few days to week or two and they end up fine.

 

[wapitibob]

Very hot water and add distilled vinegar....depending on the size, you might want to do 2 gallons. Close and let sit for a while - hour or two. Rinse with plain hot water, wipe dry with towel then leave open in the sun if at all possible to dry in the heat.

Yep, distilled vinegar. Same goes for game bags.

 

[slaton]

Pure Vanilla extract on a rag and coat the inside of the cooler. Once dry wash out with dawn dish soap.


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[fmyth]

Spray it with Scope mouthwash and close the lid. May have to repeat a few times. We used to use it all the time on refrigerators in foreclosed homes. One of my clients would not allow us to throw the refrigerators away. Some were full of some strange goo. Scope works.

 

[def90]

The smell from old mildewy tarps/tents, hunting gear, coolers, and any other old smelly item can usually be killed off by leaving said item out in the sun for a couple days.. If you live in the Pacific Northwest I don't know what to tell you.

 

[PVHunter]

I'd definitely let it sit longer than a few hours before drying in direct sunlight (forecast looks hot here in Coastal CA, so you should be set).

If you're going to try the baking soda approach, make it a "paste" (sort of like what you might do if you were cleaning nasty grill grates, and coat the interior before letting stand and eventually washing.

I didn't see anyone mention Simple Green. That stuff has worked wonders on nasty coolers and wetsuits in my experience.

 

[displacedtexan]

Sun, blue Dawn, vinegar, and Simple Green.

Always sun, the others vary based on my mood and what I find first.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

I agree with leaving it open in the sunlight. leave it open a little when in storage.

 

[Z71&Gun]

Scrub it with mouthwash and denatured alcohol, then pour in some pine sol and hot ass water.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Ass water, really???

 

[Azone]

You could try a couple boxes of baking soda with lid partially open. In the future never store with lid closed, if that is what you did.

I never store with lid closed but a family member decided to have a heart attack and this cooler happened to slip my mind for a couple days with the ensuing drama that took place. Fish and lunch fixings mixed in with a little produce aged in triple digit heat, yum!!!

Ass water, really???

I never smelled ass water but the rotten goop that came out of this cooler would probably give it a run for its money. Was just about throwing up all over the backyard while cleaning it out.

 

[Azone]

Thanks everyone for the replies.
Will start working through the methods mentioned and see what makes this thing not want to gag a maggot.

 

[GSPHUNTER]

Thanks everyone for the replies.
Will start working through the methods mentioned and see what makes this thing not want to gag a maggot.

Maybe it's just me, but it sounds like it needs a good burning. Gagging maggot are not pretty.

 

[D_Dubya]

Bleach water for a couple hours and 2 or 3 days of sunshine will cure it.

 

[Rob960]

Bleach or vinegar and water mixture. After washing let it open and facing into the sun.