I recently used a big glass jar to store some soap powder that had been spilt. The jar was originally a food jar. Problem is the jar now smells of soap powder and is unsuitable for food storage and nothing works in getting rid of the soap odour inside it. I've tried excessive cleaning, left the jar outside with the lid off for days, left it full of rainwater water for days with the lid off, tried bicarbonate soda crystals but still the odour remains. Is there any way to restore the jar so it's suitable to store food again?
cleaning out soap odour
Jun 01, 2013
15 Replies
Smash the jar into small pieces and take the cullet to Pilkingtons, and ask them to blow you another jar.
Bill
"Cullet", that's a new word for me. I know about a "gob" of glass.
Try filling it with vinegar or concentrated sugar soap and leaving it for a few days.
Yeah, it's a proper word. I came across it when I was learning about the glass recycling game.
Bill
Does the jar's lid have a cardboard liner? If so, that's quite likely to retain any odour.
You can try microwaving a half a lemon in it and then wash normally and wipe clean. Limonene is a very good and basically harmless solvent of most things. You might need to do it twice to remove every trace.
If that won't shift it then nothing will.
Leave it out in strong sunshine (when available!).
Could it be that its the outside that smells, not the inside? Its probably safe now, but I do know what you mean. I have a corner of the kitchen that smells like that and no amount of cleaning seems to help at all.
Brian
Isn't that what you do to a badger these days?
Lemons, like many natural things, has several good uses. As a mouth deodoriser for one. Some claim it's anti cancer abilities and, unofficial reports say that a major drug company is working with lemons to try to extract the functional parts of the lemon that do it. Sadly, like the rest of the medical system, they want you to pay for the processed product rather than sell you a 'lemon'! How kind.
You find your way about by small though, don't you, like a bloodhound?
Bill
gosh you're so funny
ok thanks for that, I'll give it a try
If it's reasonable heat-proof, you could try putting it in your oven, winding up the temperature to it's highest setting and letting it sit there for a couple of hours, and then turning the oven off and letting it cool slowly with the jar inside.
No idea if it would work though.
No, Bill; that would be a Dachshund.
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