How to Clean a Rotomolded Cooler in 4 Easy Steps
Rotomolded coolers are a common sight in outdoor activities. The resulting dirt, grime, smell, and debris are inevitable. The equipment is left outside without the comfort of your care. It has to fend for itself and after some time it will require cleaning. So how do you clean a rotomolded cooler?
Here are 4 Steps to Clean a Cooler
- Rinse it using a hose
- Wipe it with a mixture of dish soap and water
- Rinse it
- Let it dry upside down with an open lid
Ahead, we will discuss the importance of cleaning a cooler, and walk through all the steps in detail.
Why is it important to clean your cooler?
It is important to clean your coolers to avoid the build-up of molds and bacteria which can cause serious health concerns if they contaminate your food.
Coolers are used in a variety of ways. But most use it to store and keep cool drinks, meat, and all kinds of ingredients.
The problem is, when you take out all the stuff and when the ice is gone, the residue from the raw meat and other ingredients will leave a residue that could cause bacterial build up.
So without cleaning your cooler after every use, you risk contaminating your next batch of food.
How Often Should You Clean Your Rotomolded Cooler?
It is highly recommended to clean your rotomolded cooler after every use. Especially if you store raw meat and other biodegradable ingredients in it.
It might take you 30 minutes or more to clean one. But skipping the cleaning process might save you a few days at the hospital.
Risks of Not Cleaning Your Cooler
Not cleaning the cooler is not the problem. However, the bacterial build-up that resulted from not cleaning your cooler will give you more problems in the future.
Here are some risks of not cleaning your cooler after use:
- Upset stomach
- Food poisoning
- lingering foul odor inside the cooler
- Diarrhea
- Abdominal cramps
So, still want to skip cleaning coolers after each use? I bet you don’t. Here’s how you can effectively eliminate bacteria and clean your cooler.
3 Steps of Cleaning Your Cooler
Step 1: Rinse it inside out
Remove loose dirt, mud and other residues by hosing the cooler down inside out. It is best if you use a pressurized hose like the ones used to clean cars. But if you don’t have access to one, a high-pressure garden hose like these from Amazon will work just fine.
Don’t worry, using a pressurized hose won’t damage your rotomolded cooler. It’s made to withstand even harsh environments.
Step 2: Wipe it down with soap and water
After rinsing it with water and removing loose dirt and other soft residues, it’s time to remove tough stains.
Mix 3-5 drops of regular dish soap in a gallon of warm water and mix it well. Dump a piece of cloth or a sponge into the mixture and start wiping down the rotomolded cooler inside and out.
Take note that it is always better to start inside and end outside the cooler. This is to avoid bringing more bacteria inside where your food is stored.
Dip your sponge/cloth into the mixture regularly. Do this until all stains are removed and you’ve wiped down the entire cooler.
Step 3: Rinse it
Remove the soap by rinsing it with water. Be sure that you washed out all residues and excess soap. You’ll know when you’ve done a good job in removing all residues if it’s squeaky clean. If not, go back to step two.
Step 4: Let it dry
Of course, cleaning your cooler will not be complete if you don’t let it dry.
The best way to go about doing this is to leave it upside down with the lid left open. This is to ensure there will be no moisture on the inside of the cooler that could cause bacterial build-up.
Why not wipe them? You can. But it will be much more efficient to let them air dry upside down than to wipe everything again with a cloth.
Getting Rid of The Foul Odor From The Cooler
A fishing trip with your old man sounds like a wonderful time. You’re storing all your bait and salt here. Then you go to play tug of war with nature. You’ll get some great catches and store them in your trustworthy rotomolded cooler. What happens afterward? What happens when you can’t quite get rid of the smell?
If you’re in that situation, don’t worry, there’s a surefire way of eliminating the odor.
Step 1: Clean the interior of the cooler. Use a hose or a bucket of water.
Step 2: Scrub everything down with soap and water. Rinse it all out.
Step 3: Don’t underestimate this. Mix some baking soda with water. Use the solution to clean the interior of the cooler. Leave it aside for a day or two and rinse later.
Step 4: This is the best bit! Squeeze out some lemon juice and soak a towel in it. Use it to clean the inside again.
Step 5: Clean your rotomolded cooler once again. We recommend using a hose for this one as it’s the final one.
Step 6: Clean it with a towel or let it air dry. Voila! You’re good to go.
If you don’t have access to those, try using a mixture of bleach and water. Wipe down the inside of the cooler with the mixture and let it sit there for 10-15 mins. That should remove the foul odor.
Removing The Tough Stains From The Cooler
Removing stains is as easy as wiping down a mixture of baking soda paste (baking soda + water) directly to the stain and letting it sit there for 10 mins. After you rinse it, the stain should wash off with it.
If it does not go off, try using a bathroom cleaner like RMR-86 Instant Mold and Mildew Stain Remover Spray.
The Wrap Up
Nothing is more off-putting than a dirty rotomolded cooler. We hope all these tricks on how to clean a rotomolded cooler help you! It requires a little time but it works. You don’t want to end up with a moldy, smelly cooler. How will you make your best dishes for the family parties otherwise? Follow these steps and get a clean cooler in no time!
