A smelly silicone ice tray can turn a simple freezer staple into something that makes every drink taste off.
When hot soapy water fails to address the issue, the question quickly becomes whether you can remove the odor cheaply, or whether the tray is done for.
Here's what to know
In a Reddit thread posted to the site's r/CleaningTips forum, the original poster wrote, "It's not disgusting but definitely affects the smell and taste of the ice cube it makes," adding that a "nice deep soak in hot soapy water" had not solved the problem.
Several commenters suggested using heat to deal with the problem. One commenter said, "Bake at 300-350 for about an hour empty. It will smell terrible but it's the smell burning off," and another user agreed, adding, "This is the only way I got mine good, soaking in vinegar, etc never worked."
A separate commenter said boiling silicone also works to "refresh it after it soaks up fridge/freezer/soap smell and taste."
Not every idea involved the oven or a pot of boiling water, though. Other commenters mentioned Milton sterilizing fluid or tablets for baby bottles, and one person said a day on a sunny windowsill helped pull odor out of silicone.
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More background
Silicone is popular because it is reusable, flexible, and easier to store than rigid trays. Several commenters argued those benefits can come with a downside in the freezer. One commenter put it bluntly: "Silicone absorbs freezer smell so fast and so strongly."
That means smells from bread or other frozen foods can transfer into trays, molds, and seals, creating strange flavors that may lead people to throw out items that are otherwise still usable.
To eliminate these smells, start with a thorough cleaning. After that, commenters said heat is the next thing worth a try.
And if repeated cleaning fails, another commenter offered the bluntest test of all: "If you bake it and it doesn't get rid of [the smell], the silicone is too poor quality and you should throw it out."
Where can I learn more?
• On TikTok, a home cook used a simple method to freshen stained, smelly cutting boards.
• A cleaning expert shared a quick tip for knocking stinky odors out of washing machines.
• One cleaner mixed a DIY oven cleaner that cuts grime without harsh store-bought chemicals.
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