How Do You Get the Smell Out of a Glass Jar?
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Short answer: glass is non-porous and cannot hold a smell. If a clean jar still smells, the odour is in the lid — specifically the plastic liner or silicone gasket, both of which absorb readily. Replace or deep-clean the lid and the problem usually disappears.
If the glass itself smells, it's a thin film of residue rather than the glass. Baking soda removes it.
Start with the lid, not the jar
Most people scrub the jar for ten minutes, refill it, and find the smell is back the next day. That's the lid re-scenting the contents.
- Plastic-lined metal lids absorb garlic, fermented foods and anything oily, and hold it permanently.
- Silicone gaskets on swing-top and clamp jars are the worst offenders — silicone is famously good at taking on odours.
- Wooden lids are porous by nature. Never soak them; wipe with a damp cloth and dry immediately.
Soak lids and gaskets separately in a baking soda solution overnight. If a silicone gasket still smells after that, replace it — they're consumable.
The baking soda method (works on almost everything)
- Add 2 tablespoons of baking soda to the jar.
- Fill with warm water, close, and shake to dissolve.
- Leave to stand overnight — 8 hours minimum.
- Rinse thoroughly and air dry upside down.
Baking soda neutralises odour compounds rather than masking them, which is why it beats detergent here.
Stubborn smells, by type
| Smell | What works |
|---|---|
| Garlic, onion, kimchi | Baking soda overnight, then a lemon-juice rinse |
| Sour milk or dairy | 1:3 white vinegar and water, 1 hour, then baking soda |
| Coffee or tea | Baking soda paste, scrubbed with a soft brush |
| Fermented (kombucha, kraut) | Vinegar soak, then leave the jar in direct sun for a day |
| Musty or mouldy | Vinegar soak, then dry fully — damp storage caused it |
Sunlight is underrated
After washing, stand the open jar in direct sunlight for a few hours. UV breaks down many of the organic compounds that cause lingering odour, and it costs nothing. This is the standard trick for fermentation jars and it works better than most people expect.
What not to do
- Don't use bleach. It leaves its own smell, which is harder to remove than the original.
- Don't pour boiling water into a cold jar. Thermal shock cracks glass — warm water is enough.
- Don't store a jar sealed while damp. That's how the musty smell starts. Always dry fully, and store with the lid off if you can.
Sometimes the lid is just done. If a gasket has taken on a smell permanently, a fresh jar and lid is often cheaper than the time spent on it. Free US shipping over $15, ships in one business day from Lakewood, NJ.
Shop Mason Jars →Why glass beats plastic here
This is the whole argument for glass storage in one sentence: a glass jar can be restored to neutral, and a plastic container cannot. Plastic is porous at a microscopic level, so tomato sauce, garlic and curry permanently stain and scent it. Glass gives you a container that's genuinely blank again after a wash.