Using plastic containers to store garlic is helpful. To keep the containers smell good, you need to know how to remove garlic smell from plastic containers.
Short answer: pour 2 tablespoons of baking soda into the container and let it sit overnight. After that, add 50 ml of water and scrub the whole container with a sponge. Then, wash it under running water thoroughly.
Garlic is a pungent vegetable that can be used both as a seasoning or an ingredient in many dishes. It is mandatory in the kitchen because of its flavor and versatility. It can add taste to a variety of foods such as meat, pizzas, sauces, and much more.
Without garlic, you wouldn’t have roasts, grilled meats, coleslaw, burger patties, fries, and all kinds of sauces. Garlic is truly a kitchen essential and cannot be missing from the ingredient list.
Some people use their garlic in baking or only use it a little bit at a time. To keep it fresh, they put it in a plastic container. It’s good, but it could cause new problems. Your plastic container will smell like garlic. Sometimes, it’s hard to remove.
We know that not everyone loves the garlic smell. It became uncomfortable if you have a problem with the odor in your plastic container. You must do something to remove it.
Do not worry! Let me show you how to remove garlic smell from plastic containers easily!
Contents
Why do your plastic containers smell like garlic?

The plastic container is probably made of a substance called polypropylene. It can absorb the smell of food such as garlic, especially if you store garlic in it for a specific length of time.
Also. the plastic used in the containers is porous. This means that it will absorb the odor from anything you put into it.
In the case of your plastic containers, the smell passes through the container walls and small pores and gets trapped inside the plastic container.
How to remove garlic smell from plastic containers
1. Dishwashing liquid
You may remove the garlic smell from the plastic container by using dishwashing liquid. It is an effective method and easy to do.
Prepare the following materials:
- dishwashing liquid
- water
- a sponge
Fill bucket water with a squirt of dishwashing liquid. Make sure it’s enough to make soapy water. Then, soak the plastic container in the mixture. Leave it overnight.
Then, wash it with a sponge thoroughly. Then, rinse it with running water perfectly.
2. Lemon water
Lemon water can remove the smell and make your plastic containers smell like lemon instead of garlic.
The strong citric acid in the juice is able to dissolve bacteria that cause odors or even serious infections without leaving behind any harmful residue.
Prepare the following materials:
- 2 lemons
- water
- a sponge
All you have to do is cut half of a lemon into pieces and squeeze it into a plastic container. Then, wipe the inside of it with a sponge. to make sure the lemon reaches all of the areas.
After that, leave it overnight and rinse it with water the next day.
3. Baking soda
Baking soda is an excellent deodorizer, and you can use it to remove bad smells from plastic containers.
Prepare the following materials:
- 2 tablespoons of baking soda
- 50 ml of water
To remove the garlic smell from plastic containers put two tablespoons of baking soda and let it sit overnight. The next day, pour the container with 50 ml of water. Then, wipe the mixture and rinse as usual.
4. Vinegar
Using vinegar to remove the smell of garlic from plastic containers is simple.
The citric acid in the vinegar will break down the molecules that cause the smell and will help to remove it.
Prepare the following materials:
- 50 ml of vinegar
- dishwashing liquid
Simply place the vinegar in the plastic container, and allow it to sit for a night. Wash it out with dishwashing liquid the next day, then rinse the container as usual.
5. Newspaper
A newspaper is a multi-purpose household item. You can get rid of the garlic smell from your food containers by putting newspaper in them and leaving the container closed for one day.
The newspaper will absorb the smell and leave you with a fresh smell.
6. Essential oil
You can use essential oil to remove the smell of freshened up the container. Put a few drops of essential oil in the container and leave it for 2 hours. Then, rinse it with running water.
This will eliminate odor from containers and you will be able to use containers again with a sweer smell!
7. Coffee powder
Coffee grounds (or coffee) are not just good for drinking. You can use them as a natural stain remover, a deodorizer, and an air freshener.
Put a tablespoon of coffee powder into the container and leave it there overnight. In the morning you will notice that the garlic smell is no longer there. Then, rinse it with warm water.
8. Tea grounds
Leaving a tea bag in the container overnight will help to remove the smell.
Putting the tea bag in hot water first, before it goes into the container is a good idea as this will let some of the properties go directly into the plastic and break down stinky smells. It will absorb any odors and also makes for an extra clean dish.
9. Saltwater
You might not know that you can get rid of the smell of garlic from plastic containers with saltwater.
Soak your plastic container in saltwater for a few hours, then wash it and rinse it with running water. The best thing about this method is that it doesn’t cost a lot and you don’t need any special tools.
10. Charcoal
Charcoal is one of the best natural remedies for odor removal. It works as a natural deodorizer and odor absorber.
Placing a piece of charcoal in an unpleasantly-smelling plastic container can do miracles, it will absorb all the smells within hours and make the container smell like new again.
Conclusion
Garlic is a great spice to use in your cooking. It adds a savory flavor and a bit of heat to your dishes.
Unfortunately, garlic has a tendency to linger on cutting boards and utensils. This can cause odor problems with food storage containers. This article will cover 10 different ways to get rid of that unpleasant odor:
- Dishwashing liquid
- Lemon water
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Newspaper
- Essential oil
- Coffee powder
- Tea grounds
- Saltwater
- Charcoal