What is being used to get rid of the heavy new plastic smell when setting up a new cooler? I'm sure is has been posted in here before, just can't find it.

Help please
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I sprinkle baking soda inside, then scrub with a few damp paper towels. Rinse. Then let it dry completely. Pretty easy :-)
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I wash with dawn dish soap, rinse really well and then let sit outside for about a week. The sun will take care of that smell easy.
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My problem with baking soda is that it will scratch the soft plastic, these small scratches may provide a little better place for mold to grow, I know I am probably being overly anal here, but with all the pictures and talk of mold recently I thought it prudent to mention.
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Depends on how hard you scrub, I suppose. I'm pretty sure that baking soda is a very mild abrasive. Also, using a paper towel or regular sponge should alleviate any of that issue. I could see it being an issue if you were using it with a scotch-brite or something. Secondly, I think the sides of the cooler would still harbor less mold than something like porous spanish cedar, ya know?

Anyways, the baking soda process can also be ready to load up with sticks in as little as 10 minutes. Just put it in front of a fan to dry.
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Washed Mine Out With Dawn Soap & Paper Towels, Left It Open In The Sun For A Day. Put Some Cedar Strips In It & "Plastic" Smell Was Gone In 48H!:-)
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I have 2 120 qt coolers. I washed em out back in 2004 with baking soda and water, same as Peter did. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. Have never had a mold issue Bro.:-)
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Yeah, I am,sure you guys are right. I am as I said just being overly protective.
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Baking soda is fine and will not hurt your cooler. As Greg noted leaving the cooler out in the sun will also help alot.
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Best thing about coolers is that you don't have to sweat it. I wiped it down with some papers towels and some distilled water (because that's what was closest at the time), let it air out a day or two, and then threw a couple of empty cigar boxes in. Done and done.
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If you throw some Newspaper in there and let it sit over night, the carbon in the paper will eliminate the smell :-)
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Big Mahalo all :-)
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