7 Easy Tricks to Remove Odors from Your Shaker

If you are strong enough to train, you are also strong enough to clean your shaker.

2 min

A meal replacement is prepared with a powder in a cup.

ⒸRachata Teyparsit / EyeEm

By Ignacio Heredia
November 18, 2022

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You’re at home getting ready to work out. You open your gym bag to put your stuff in and find it. There’s your shaker from the day before. You open it and…gross! It absolutely stinks. The smell it gives off could bring a dead man back to life! We’re sure you’re familiar with this scenario. Yes, cleaning your shaker is a chore, but if you have the strength to bench press 100kg, we’re sure you can also find the strength to give it a wash. And if you don’t know how, because no matter what you do you can’t get rid of that terrible smell, then pay attention. We’ve compiled a list of home-made tips to help you. But if you still can’t get rid of the bad smell from your shaker, maybe it’s time to get a new one.

#1Very hot water and soap: Let’s start with the basics. Fill your shaker with very hot, almost boiling water and washing-up liquid. Shake the shaker and let it sit for at least 5 minutes before emptying. Then, finish by scrubbing with a sponge and water and rinse before leaving it to dry.

#2Pay attention to the lid: When cleaning our shakers, the lid can be particularly frustrating. By leaving a jar too long without cleaning, protein may have gotten between the grooves surrounding the lid and cap. Soak the lid and stopper in hot water for at least 10 minutes. Once the residue has softened, it will be easier to clean.

#3Water and vinegar: A classic home cleaner. Fill the shaker with hot water and a little white vinegar, shake and let it sit. Then rinse and give it a final wash with soap to make sure the smell’s gone.

#4Baking powder: This is another classic household trick, kept by cleaning experts as a fail-safe secret weapon. Baking powder is excellent for neutralizing odors, especially those affecting plastic. Just add water and baking powder to your shaker, shake, let it sit and rinse. Voilà! The odor disappears like magic.

#5Give it a bath with herbal tea: Choose a tea that you like, with a refreshing, pleasant smell, probably better if it has a fruity flavor. After washing your shaker with soap and water, fill it with hot (but not boiling) water and let a tea bag sit in the shaker overnight. The next morning your shaker will be ready to use and will add a nice touch of tea to your smoothies.

#6Mouthwash: Mouthwash kills bacteria and eliminates odors. And it works in your shaker too. Just fill a third of your jar with mouthwash and shake vigorously. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

#7A touch of vanilla: Soak some office paper with a few drops of vanilla extract. Place it inside your shaker, close it and let it sit for 24 hours, and it will help eliminate unpleasant odors.

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