Removing odours from silicone bowls and plates can be done in a number of simple ways. Strong flavours / scents, such as garlic and fragranced detergent, can occasionally mix with food oils and sit on the surface of silicone flatware which a quick wash alone may not shift.
Nana’s Manners bowls and plates are made from natural, FDA approved, 100% food-grade silicone. Besides glass, silicone is probably the most natural material for use with tableware for children (you can read more about this here). Silicone does not smell before first use, but after some time you may notice an odour. This is actually the results of food oils and washing detergents clinging to each other on the surface of the product and not the silicone itself. This is because no chemicals are added to the silicone to make it rigid. There are several simple methods to remove any smell it may have picked up.
1) Soak your bowl / plate in a 50-50 mixture of white vinegar and water for an hour or so. Wash and ta-da!
2) Baking soda is another effective product to use. It is great at absorbing the food oils and grease that are causing the smell. Mix with hot water and leave to soak for some time before rinsing. Alternatively sprinkle the baking soda over the bowl/plate, leave overnight then wash off with hot water in the morning.
3) Lemon juice also works – you can soak it in hot lemon water or rub a lemon over, leave for 20 minutes then soak in hot water (the hotter the better).
4) Boiling! You can put your bowl in a saucepan of boiling water for 5-10 minutes to eliminate the smell. Maybe not so ideal for plates but if you have a saucepan big enough then why not?!
5) Again using heat – you can put your (clean and empty) bowl/plate in the oven for 1- 2 hours at 180 degrees C.
Nana’s Manners Stage 1 Bowls and Stage 2 Plates are dishwasher safe, though hand-washing is great! We recommend using detergent that does not contain fragrances or additives, as this can also help reduce the incidence of smells.
With a little love and care your bowls and plates will remain a firm favourite in your kitchen and last for years to come!
(Our bowls and plates are made from 100% FDA approved food-grade silicone.)
