How to Remove the Freezer Smell From an Ice Bucket

Ice buckets, whether plastic or metal, may develop a freezer odor.

Ice buckets develop a musty freezer smell over time. Ice in the bucket may pick up this unpleasant freezer odor. Using dish detergent to clean out the bucket can help but sometimes the detergent itself will impart an unpleasant, soapy odor to the bucket. Simple solutions leave an ice bucket fresh smelling.

Things You'll Need

• White vinegar
• Sponge
• Towels
• Baking soda

Instructions

White Vinegar

1. Remove the ice bucket from the freezer and dump out all the ice. Allow the bucket to warm to room temperature.

2. Mix ½ cup of white vinegar with ½ cup of warm water in a bowl. Use a clean sponge to wipe this mixture over the interior of the ice bucket.

3. Allow the mixture to sit on the bucket's interior surface for 15 minutes. Rinse out the bucket with clean water.

4. Dry the bucket with a towels and sniff the bucket. If it still has a freezer odor, reapply the vinegar and water solution, letting it sit for another 15 minutes before rinsing.

5. Leave the ice bucket sitting out in the open air until the vinegar scent dissipates. Refill with ice and return to freezer.

Baking Soda

1. Take the ice bucket out of the freezer and dump out all the ice. Let the bucket come to room temperature.

2. Place ½ cup of baking soda in the ice bucket and then fill it with warm water.

3. Let it sit for half an hour to an hour. Rinse it out with warm water and dry it with a towel. Soak it again with baking soda and water if any odor remains.