To hold the picnic, to go camping or to take a few cold drinks to the beach, having a cooler can always be useful. However, like the fridge, it can tend to quickly become a den of bad odors. And what’s more, all it takes is a drink to spill or a jar to break to end up with unidentified dirt and sticky residue. To be able to put your food in without defying all the laws of hygiene, discover your grandmother’s tips for how to clean and deodorize a cooler with natural household products. Follow the leader !
How to clean your cooler
Ideally, cleaning should be carried out after each use. This will in fact eliminate bacteria and dirt, but also limit the formation of unpleasant odors. To do this, simple soapy water (for example with black soap or dishwashing liquid will be more than enough). For a very dirty cooler covered with stains or mold, however, you will need to move up a “higher gear”.
What maintenance products for more thorough cleaning, stain removal and degreasing?
The white vinegar : This multi-use cleaning product allows you to stain, descale, disinfect and deodorize all surfaces in the house… and the cooler too! Dilute three parts vinegar in one part warm water and scrub the dirt with a clean, lint-free cloth.
The baking soda or even more powerful soda crystals : Their uses are very similar to those of vinegar. Dilute your powder in water and apply with a microfiber cloth or sponge. If necessary, leave it on for a few hours before rinsing with clean water.
The citron : It allows you to degrease, whiten and detach the inside of the cooler. Take the juice of half a lemon and dilute with hot water. Take care to scrub vigorously before rinsing and drying.
Otherwise, easy to find in supermarkets or DIY stores, the clay stone is also a good option.
Cleaning your cooler is good! But how can we deodorize it?
Musty, plastic or musty smells are always very unpleasant. It must be said that forgotten in the back of the garage, the cooler was unfortunately not likely to smell like roses… So, how can we eliminate all of this? There are several techniques here:
-Place pieces of activated carbon inside to absorb and neutralize bad odors.
-Otherwise, use a white or green clay cup. As in the fridge or at the bottom of the trash can, this will help sanitize the cooler while providing a deodorizing and absorbent effect.
-If you don’t have any of this, just simple oat bran basically will be more than enough.
-Last idea: use a cloth soaked in vinegar or lemon juice. Leave for 20 minutes in the closed cooler. Then ventilate the cooler well.