How to Clean an Igloo Ice Chest

Clean an Igloo ice chest after you use it.

When the mercury climbs and people head outdoors for fun in the sun, taking food and beverages along makes these excursions more pleasant and enjoyable. Many people use portable coolers to tote their favorite refreshments when they spend time outside. An Igloo cooler is one common cooler brand that provides both hard-side and soft-side coolers for keeping drinks and food icy cold. Clean an Igloo ice chest after you use it to ensure it stays free of stains and bacteria.

Things You'll Need

• Dishwashing detergent
• Bucket
• Cleaning cloth
• Garden hose
• Baking soda
• Bleach
• Towel

Instructions

Hard-Side Cooler

1. Place two to three squirts of dishwashing detergent into the bottom of the bucket and add warm water to fill the bucket.

2. Saturate the cleaning cloth with soapy water and rub the entire interior and exterior with the soapy cloth to clean it. Rinse the cooler with the garden hose to remove all remaining soap residue.

3. Mix 1/4 cup baking soda with enough water to make a diluted cleaning solution. Saturate the cleaning cloth with the baking soda water and scrub at areas where stains persist on the cooler. Rinse the cooler again with the garden hose to remove the baking soda.

4. Mix 3/4 cup chlorine bleach with 1 gallon of water and wash the interior and exterior of the cooler with the bleach water to disinfect it and remove any remaining stains and odors. Rinse the cooler with the garden hose a final time to remove all bleach residues.

5. Dry the cooler completely with the towel. Alternatively, leave the cooler open in the sun to dry.

6. Store the cooler with the drainage plug open to enable draining and ventilation during storage.

Soft-Side Cooler

1. Fill a bucket with warm water and several squirts of dishwashing detergent to make soapy water.

2. Saturate the cleaning cloth with the soapy water and wring it out well.

3. Use the soapy cleaning cloth to spot-treat areas on the cooler with stains. Do not clean the entire cooler with the soapy water, spot-treat only to prevent water from seeping through the seams and developing mildew problems inside the cooler lining.

4. Rinse the cleaning cloth with water and wipe away any soap residue.

5. Dry the cooler with a towel to remove moisture and then leave it out where it can dry thoroughly before storing it. Store the cooler open slightly to enable adequate air circulation.

Tips & Warnings

• Test the color-fastness of your soft-side cooler before spot treating it by first wiping the cooler with the soapy cleaning cloth in an inconspicuous area to make sure the fabric of the cooler isn't damaged by the detergent.

References

• Igloo: FAQs