How do you remove a foul odor from a plastic ice chest?

Question

Last summer some raw meat with ice was put into this chest. This was done to keep the meat refigerated for a drive that lasted about 1.5 hours. Somehow the meat was forgotten about and ended up spending about 2 days in said ice chest in the trunk of a car.
You can imagine the smell. Anyway, everything was done to remove the foul odor that emenated from it: baking soda, bleach, vinegar. Several cleansers was used to clean out the chest. Nothing has helped this problem.
No doubt the smell of the rotting meat has permeated the plastic ice chest but I was wondering if anything can be used to exorcise the foul odor.
I hate to waste such a good ice chest.
Do you know of anything that could be used in removing the stench?

Answer 1

Rubbing Lemons all over the chest could possibly do the trick. The acids in citrus is strong and the aroma is pleasant.

Answer 2

If you have already used bleach, then the chest should be sanitary for use, although I'm sure that the biggest concern is the smell.

Likely the smell is caused by blood seeping into tiny cracks of the chest as you mentioned. The best idea is to use a bleach solution of 10% bleach to 90% water, filling the entire chest. Let it sit overnight. Rinse thoroughly with water. Let the chest sit, open and upside-down for another 24 hours. You will likely need to use a remote part of the house, likely the basement or attic, etc. Make sure that air can get in and out of the chest. After 24 hours, clean again with water and lysol (or similar cleaner). If by this time, the invasive scent is gone, wonderful. If not, the only other option is to attempt to mask the scent by some other method. Hope it works for you.

Answer 3

Plastic Ice Chest

Answer 4

What about charcoal? Fill the bottom of the chest with a layer of charcoal and close the lid. Then let it sit for a couple of days. See if that works. (I've heard of using 2 or 3 charcoal briquets in a bowl to keep your refrigerator smelling fresh. So maybe this will work.) Good luck!

Answer 5

Rinse with tomato juice. And let it stand till nearly dry. Do this several times. Then follow with a strong baking soda soak stirring occasionally. This may take a few days, but it will work.
After the soaking, set it outside, opened, in direct sunlight.

Answer 6

Use Milton or any other sterilizing solution used for cleaning baby´s drinking bottle´s. This will sterilize and clean the ice chest at the same time

Answer 7

Pour some lysol in the chest, fill it up to the top with water and let the solution sit for hours. Repeat if you have to.

Answer 8

Buy another ice chest. You're not going to be able to remove the smell, because it's permeated the micropores in the plastic.

Answer 9

dried tea leaves
put some in a container
and leave in cooler for a week
and it should absorb the odour
hope this helps

Answer 10

chest are cheaper these days, why even waste your time and labor, but the time you're done you wasted 30-50 dollars of your labor time