I Tried This TikTok Hack for Deodorizing Reusable Snack Bags, and It’s a Total Game-Changer

All of us could benefit from limiting single-use plastic in our homes — which is why I recently started using Stasher, a brand of reusable bags that makes it easy to store and pack everything from pantry ingredients and snacks to toiletries and kids’ art supplies. Rather than tossing a plastic or paper bag, you can easily wash the durable silicone (the bags can even go in the dishwasher!). 

As with any other food storage container, though, just washing isn’t always enough. You sometimes need a special method to work out stains and stave off smells. In my experience, Stasher bags don’t hold on to scents the way my old plastic food storage containers do, but over time (and depending on what you’re using), they don’t smell as fresh. So when I came across a TikTok suggesting an ingenious-but-easy way to nix unwanted scents in my bags, I knew I had to try it. 

In the viral TikTok video, Stasher recommends baking your bags on a baking sheet at 375°F for eight minutes. Apparently, the heat cuts through odors in the bags, restoring them to their pure silicone glory. (Note: Don’t try this trick with just any reusable bag. According to Stasher, the bags are made of food-grade silicone that can withstand extreme temperatures.)

I grabbed a few of my smelliest bags — ones I usually use to store kids’ snacks and dog food — and washed them with soapy water in the sink, as a Stasher rep recommended in the comments of the TikTok. The brand also suggests soaking your bags in a water-vinegar solution for a while before baking if they smell extra bad, but I skipped that step because the scents in my bags were pretty mild. 

Then, I put the bags on a baking sheet in my pre-heated oven and set a timer. After allowing the bags to cool, I took a whiff, and wow — they definitely smelled much better than if I had just washed them alone. I also noticed some of the white residue on my bags from mineral deposits was gone. It felt like I had brand-new bags, which is a major game-changer!

Moral of the story: If your Stashers have seen better days, don’t be quick to toss them — and stop putting off that deep clean. A quick spa treatment in the sink followed by an easy oven treatment could do the trick to increase their longevity, and keep unnecessary plastic out of your kitchen. Happy baking!