How to Clean a Lunch Box + The Easiest Ways to Do It

It’s fulfilling to purchase lunch bags. On one hand, it enhances and meets a daily need and on the other hand, it brings responsibility. Many don’t like taking up “responsibility”, but they’re bound to do it, why? Because that’s the only way to make materialistic properties last. That’s why, when purchasing anything that is tangible such as a lunch box. The first thing that would come to anyone’s mind is how to clean a lunch box, right? Of course.

The major point of consideration before looking at how to clean a lunch box is by checking the construction. The kind of lunch bag that’s purchased, and ask rhetorical, “can this work for my lunch bag?” The reason why you’re obliged to check is that there are two kinds of lunch bags.

Lunch bag can be for keeping food either warm or cold. In fact, those that keep food warm can have the tendency to keep food cool also if an ice pack or gel pack is used. But the interesting thing is that some bags are mainly for keeping food cool as they have an inbuilt freezable gel.

As there are differences in their functions, also are there different methods in maintaining them. The bags that are made of freezable gel on their inside don’t need to be washed with machines and are not dishwashers either.

Today, we’ll be considering the lunch bag that is basically used for keeping food warm and cool without an inbuilt freezable gel. But it is insulated and well designed to prevent a large amount of thermal loss. Here are the tips that’ll help you.

8 Things to Consider about How to Clean a Lunch Box

1. Check the Instructions

Of course, everyone would be anxious for the first time. In fact, you’d want to tell your spouse, parent or friend that you’ve had something like it before and washing it at that point in time is not a big deal, right? Definitely yes! At least just to impress them.

But this being your first, wait!! Go back to the instruction and know if it’s machine washable or dishwasher. If it’s not, then you only have to do some minor cleaning. That is, you’d have to get a clean cloth with sudsy water to clean the inside and gently scrub the exterior with a little number of detergents, then rinse it and start using. But if the lunch bag is machine washable or dishwasher. You can then proceed with these methods.

2. Fill in the Compartments with Water

Now that you’ve got to know that it’s a dishwasher. Here are the tips that will guide you.

Put some water in your pot and boil it.

Detach the strap from the lunchbox.

Once it boils, pour it inside each of the compartments.

Make sure it covers the top of each compartment.

Wait for about 5 minutes.

Put your hand inside the water and check the walls of the compartment to see if you will find food particle that has cleaved to the wall.

Use your hand to check each section.

Wash the strap by scrubbing with both hands.

3. Add Detergents

Now that it’s done, reduce the amount of water to the barest minimum. Now, add minute amounts of detergent inside the water. This is to remove oily substances that cannot be removed with the ordinary use of hands and sponge. Gently scrub the interior part of the lunch bag.

You can decide to go vertically or horizontally. Be mindful of the seamed points, as you may see oily substance or food crumb cling to the wool used in weaving it. Once you are done, you’ll find out the water is oily/dirty. The next thing you’ll do is to pour it out, right?

4. Wring & Wipe out the Water

Definitely, before pouring out the water, you’ll notice that the water is now slightly warm right? Yes, it is. Here are the tips that will help you.

1. The next thing you’ll do is to shake it together for about two minutes.
2. Scrub it the second time
3. Wring out the water, not forcefully but carefully
4. Try to evaluate how clean it is.
5. Wipe out the water judiciously with your finger, sponge or cloth.
6. Pour water into the lunch bag (not warm water now, but cool water).
7. Close the bag now and shake the water inside it, by “wiggling” the lunch bag itself.
8. Once you’ve done that for another two minutes, wring out the water gently.

5. Repeat the Second Time

Now can you notice something here? We’re only referring to the interior and we seemed not to be concerned about washing the inside of the bag. Is it true that we’re not a concern? Of course, we are. The fact is that the washing of the exterior comes to play in this section.

Get a large container (if you don’t have, no problem).

Pour some water into it, it’s not warm water now but cool (not chill) water.

Add some detergent into the water in the large container.

Submerge your lunch bag inside it.

Then begin to scrub with a sponge.

And make sure that you’re turning the lunch bag from one side to another as you’re washing it. As this would help the whole part to be completely clean.

Wash the interior and the exterior sections altogether.

If you don’t have a large basin that you can submerge your lunge bag into. Pour some water into any container and make sure your sponge is foamy. Then use your feeble hand (the hand you rarely use) to hold the bag and the most functional hand to scrub it.

6. Rinse it

Now that you’re done washing it, you’ll find out that the water in the basin is a bit cleaner than the former. Then, wring out the water with ease. The next thing you’re to do is to get some clean water into the basin. But this time, the water is without any mixture whatsoever.

Then, you’ll submerge the lunch bag inside the container the last time. You’re not to use sponge again, but hand. And even though you prefer using a sponge, it must not be foamy and it must be exceedingly clean before using it to wipe off the foam off the lunchbox into the water.

7. Wipe Off the Water

Knowing fully well that the lunch bag is clean, you can remove it. Flap it four times so that the water particle may be removed and the bag may regain its shape. Now, get a clean cloth and wipe off the residue (water). Judiciously wipe off the water and make sure it’s clean. Now, you can dry it by exposing to air.

8. Enjoy the Use

Is it dried, and is it clean? If yes, then you can fix the attachable strap to it and polish it if there is a need to. Get your lunch arranged for it. And keep your food warm for a long period. With the consistent washing of the bag, you can be sure of long usage. This is how to clean a lunch box.

Final Verdict

With just a question, “how to clean a lunch box?” And now you’ve got eight systematic ways to clean your lunch bag, isn’t that awesome? Definitely, it is. The article covers the effective cleaning of all kinds of lunch boxes.

Though it buttresses more on the lunch bag that’s used for keeping food warm as to the fact that it has a lining on the inside and not freezable gel. The article is reliable to help readers in keeping their lunch bag consistently clean.