Why Does My Elephant Box Prep & Store Silicone Lid Smell of Dishwasher Detergent?

If you've recently bought an Elephant Box Prep & Store food container, you may have noticed that the silicone seal can sometimes retain a smell after going through the dishwasher.

And while you might expect a food container to smell like... well, nothing, you may occasionally notice the distinctive smell of dishwasher detergent lingering on the silicone.

It's understandable that this can be concerning. After all, you're using your Prep & Store container to store food, so the last thing you want is for your lunch or leftovers to smell like your dishwasher tablet.

The good news is that this doesn't necessarily mean there is anything wrong with your container or that it hasn't been cleaned properly. Silicone can be more prone to retaining odours than materials such as stainless steel and glass, and that includes smells from both food and cleaning products.

Here's why it happens and what you can do about it.

Why does silicone retain dishwasher detergent smells?

The Elephant Box Prep & Store range combines durable 304 stainless steel, borosilicate glass and food-grade silicone.

The stainless steel and glass are relatively resistant to retaining smells. Silicone, however, can hold onto odour molecules more readily.

That means that after a dishwasher cycle, you may sometimes notice that the silicone seal has retained some of the fragrance or smell of your dishwasher detergent.

This can be particularly noticeable with strongly scented dishwasher tablets or detergents.

The result can be slightly frustrating: the container itself looks perfectly clean, but when you open it, you can still smell the detergent on the silicone.

And if you're then putting fresh food into the container, it's understandable that you might not want that smell anywhere near your lunch.

Is the dishwasher detergent smell a sign that my container isn't clean?

No.

A lingering detergent smell doesn't necessarily mean that your Prep & Store container hasn't been cleaned properly.

In fact, it's quite possible for the silicone seal to be completely clean while still retaining some of the smell of the detergent used during the wash cycle.

Silicone's tendency to hold onto odours is a known characteristic of silicone kitchenware. Strong smells can cling to silicone even after the original food or cleaning product has been removed.

So if your container has come out of the dishwasher sparkling clean but the silicone seal still smells strongly of detergent, you don't necessarily need to wash the whole container again.

Instead, focus on cleaning and rinsing the silicone seal thoroughly.

How to remove dishwasher detergent smells from your silicone seal

If your Prep & Store silicone seal has picked up a strong detergent smell, try the following.

1. Remove the silicone seal

Take the silicone seal out of the lid before cleaning it.

This allows you to wash the seal thoroughly and also makes it easier to clean around the channel where the seal sits.

2. Wash it thoroughly

Wash the silicone seal using hot water and washing-up liquid.

Give it a good clean, paying particular attention to any areas where detergent residue, food oils or other residue could have collected.

3. Rinse really well

This is particularly important if you're trying to remove the smell of dishwasher detergent.

Rinse the silicone seal thoroughly under clean running water to remove any remaining washing-up liquid and loosened residue.

You don't want to replace one strong smell with another!

4. Allow it to dry completely

Leave the silicone seal somewhere well ventilated and allow it to dry completely before putting it back into the lid.

Avoid closing the container while the seal is still damp.

5. Repeat if necessary

If the detergent smell is particularly strong, you may need to repeat the process.

Silicone can retain odours for longer than stainless steel or glass, so don't be concerned if the smell doesn't disappear immediately.

What if the silicone smells like food instead?

The same issue can occur with strongly flavoured or aromatic foods.

Garlic, curry, soups, tomato-based dishes and other strongly scented foods can leave an odour behind on silicone even after the food itself has been removed and the container has been washed.

This is one of the quirks of silicone kitchenware: it can retain the smell of whatever it has been in contact with.

So if your silicone seal smells of yesterday's curry, that doesn't necessarily mean it's dirty. It may simply have retained some of the food's aroma.

The same cleaning and rinsing process described above is a good place to start.

Why does the silicone smell while the stainless steel doesn't?

If you've ever opened your Prep & Store container after washing it and thought, “Why does the lid smell of detergent when the stainless steel doesn't?”, there's a simple explanation.

Different materials interact with odours differently.

Stainless steel and glass are relatively resistant to retaining food and cleaning-product smells. Silicone, on the other hand, can hold onto odour molecules more readily.

That's why the smell may be concentrated around the silicone seal while the stainless steel and glass parts of your container smell completely neutral.

Can I still use my container if the silicone smells of detergent?

If you've thoroughly cleaned and rinsed the silicone seal but can still detect a residual detergent smell, it's understandable to want to get rid of it before storing food.

The best approach is to wash and rinse the silicone seal thoroughly and allow it to air dry completely.

You can also try reducing the amount of detergent fragrance your container is exposed to by choosing a milder or less heavily scented dishwasher detergent.

If you regularly notice strong detergent smells on your silicone products, this may be worth trying.

How can I prevent dishwasher smells from sticking to the silicone?

There are a few simple things you can do to reduce the likelihood of your Prep & Store silicone seal retaining strong detergent smells.

Try a milder or fragrance-free dishwasher detergent

If your current dishwasher detergent has a particularly strong fragrance, switching to a milder or fragrance-free alternative may help.

This can be especially useful if you notice the detergent smell lingering on several silicone items in your kitchen.

Rinse the silicone seal thoroughly

If you notice detergent smells after a dishwasher cycle, give the silicone seal an additional rinse under clean water.

Let everything dry completely

Allow the silicone seal to dry fully before reassembling your container.

Remove strong food smells promptly

If you've stored strongly scented foods, don't leave the container sitting closed for longer than necessary.

Wash the container and silicone seal as soon as practical and allow them to dry properly.

What about vinegar and baking soda?

You'll find plenty of advice online recommending vinegar, baking soda and other household ingredients for removing smells from silicone.

Some of these methods may help with particular types of odour, but you don't necessarily need an elaborate cleaning routine.

Start with the simplest approach: thorough washing, rinsing and drying.

If you're considering using any additional cleaning product or treatment, make sure it is suitable for food-contact silicone and compatible with your Elephant Box product.

Should I stop putting my Prep & Store containers in the dishwasher?

No.

The Elephant Box Prep & Store range is designed to be dishwasher safe, making it much easier to clean your containers after everyday use.

The occasional lingering smell on the silicone seal doesn't mean that you need to stop using your dishwasher.

If detergent odour is becoming an issue, however, you may want to experiment with a milder or less fragranced detergent, as well as giving the silicone seal a thorough rinse after washing.

The bottom line

If your Elephant Box Prep & Store silicone seal smells of dishwasher detergent after a cycle, you're not alone – and it doesn't necessarily mean there's anything wrong with your container.

Silicone is excellent for creating a secure, flexible seal, but one of its characteristics is that it can retain strong odours more readily than stainless steel or glass.

That smell might come from the food you've stored in the container, or it might come from the detergent you've used to clean it.

If you're concerned about the smell, remove the silicone seal, wash it thoroughly, rinse it well and let it dry completely. If the problem persists, consider trying a milder or fragrance-free dishwasher detergent.

And if you've ever opened your freshly washed Prep & Store container and thought, “Why does my lunchbox smell like my dishwasher?”, now you know.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my Elephant Box silicone lid smell of dishwasher detergent?

Silicone can retain odours more readily than stainless steel and glass. Strongly fragranced dishwasher detergents can therefore leave a noticeable smell on the silicone seal even after the container has been thoroughly washed.

Is it safe to use my container if the silicone smells of dishwasher detergent?

A lingering detergent smell does not necessarily mean that the silicone is dirty or that the container has been damaged. Wash and rinse the silicone seal thoroughly and allow it to dry completely before using it again.

How do I get dishwasher detergent smell out of silicone?

Remove the silicone seal and wash it thoroughly with hot water and washing-up liquid. Rinse it very well under clean running water and allow it to dry completely. Particularly strong smells may require more than one wash.

Why does my silicone lid smell but the stainless steel doesn't?

Silicone can retain odours more readily than materials such as stainless steel and glass. This means smells from both food and cleaning products can be more noticeable around the silicone seal.

Can I put my Elephant Box Prep & Store containers in the dishwasher?

Yes. Elephant Box Prep & Store containers are dishwasher safe. However, silicone can retain some smells from food or dishwasher detergent even after a dishwasher cycle.

Will changing dishwasher detergent help?

It may. If you're regularly noticing a strong detergent smell on your silicone seal, trying a milder or less fragranced dishwasher detergent may reduce the amount of odour that remains.

Why does my silicone seal smell like food?

Strongly flavoured foods such as garlic, curry and soups can leave lingering odours on silicone. This doesn't necessarily mean the seal is dirty; silicone can retain food aromas even after washing.