Back in the days when I toted my lunch to school, Grandma Putt relied on vinegar to keep my lunch box and thermos bottle odor-free — and this trick works just as well today. Here’s what you need to do:
Lunch box. Saturate either a clean sponge or a slice of bread in white vinegar, tuck it into the box, snap the lid shut, and leave it overnight. Come morning, rinse the box out and dry it thoroughly.
Thermos bottle. Pour ¼ cup of vinegar into the bottle, and fill ’er up the rest of the way with hot tap water. Then whisk the inside with a bottle brush, and rinse with clear water.
Bingo — in both cases you’ll have no telltale reminders of yesterday’s (or last week’s) lunch!