Washed Old Avon Perfume Bottle in Dishwasher, Can't Get Smell Out!

Updated on April 18, 2017
J.C. asks from Florissant, MO
11 answers

THE DISHWASHER stinks to high heaven like OLD Vintage AVON PERFUME! I have tried several more cycles, washed it down with vinegar, baking soda, Windex, Clorox Spray cleaner. I had to throw away several porous Tupperware pieces that are now STINKY PERFUMEY TOO. ANYONE EVER HAVE THIS PROBLEM? IS MY DISHWASHER RUINED? HELP PLEASE./ THANK YOU!

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So What Happened?

hi, thanks for the quick response to the perfume situation in my dishwasher. ACTUALLY the dishwasher is all stainless steel. The racks and silverware basket unfortunately are probably holding the perfume oils as they are coated with a plastic/rubbery material. It's a bit better after 3 days of air and vinegar/baking soda treatments. But the REASON for washing it in there........we go to antique, estate and junk auctions. I have a little antique booth here in our area.......the bottle itself was adorable with little pearly accents and thought it would wash up very nicely. NOPE.......threw that and the matching trinket dish in the trash. But the dishwasher is OK.

Featured Answers

D.D.

answers from Boston on

I'd probably try to drag the racks and silverware basket outside and let the sunlight and fresh air work on them.

I have a couple bottles of old vintage avon that haven't been opened in years. After reading this I'll probably just toss them and call it a day.

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W.W.

answers from Washington DC on

Welcome to mamapedia!

You have a plastic liner in your dishwasher, right? Sorry. There's nothing you can do but replace it.

May I ask WHY you would put a perfume bottle in the dish washer? I put a ceramic hand soap bottle in my dishwasher - I almost ruined my kitchen with the water and bubbles.

NO. I've NEVER put a perfume bottle in the dishwasher.

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B.C.

answers from Norfolk on

I really would have thought that baking soda and vinegar should have helped.
Plastic might have bonded with the perfume - put it outside in the sun (the Tupperware) and see if that helps.
Maybe you can wipe some things down with rubbing alcohol (in a well ventilated area)?
My dishwasher is stainless steel on the inside but the racks are plastic coated.
If you can take your racks out, maybe some sunshine will help those.

http://www.howtocleanstuff.net/how-to-remove-odors-from-p...

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/food-52/cleaning-tupperware...

Additional:
If the dishwasher racks are the problem - try replacing them.
Some Avon bottles are quite collectible.
But you have to be careful - something that looks like a pattern on/in glass might be a plastic coating - and that definitely won't clean up in a dishwasher - you'd have to hand wash it.
I've got quite a few that my Mom has given me over the years and while I don't collect everything, the ones I have are attractive to me!

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L.!.

answers from Santa Fe on

Edited:
Try to do a cycle without the baskets. Totaly empty and see if the smell got less inside the machine.

If so you could replace all the baskets. It would be more economical.

Good luck!

---------
Likely the interior of it is in plastic.

However, the perfume has bonded with the plastic in the pipes, the interior walls as well as with the baskets.
After using a DW over years the plastic becomes porous similar you described the Tupperware plastic.

One of the reason perfumes are in glass bottles. Perfume will deteriorate plastic.

Look for a new DW on sale. Preferable with the interior in stainless steel.

Not much you can do after all!

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J.S.

answers from St. Louis on

My ex washed the bingo ashtrays in our dishwasher, because it was not stainless steel we had to replace it. Just can't get it out. I am really not sure it would come out of my stainless steel just because there are plastic parts as well. Then again I could replace them fairly easily.

So yeah, you killed it.

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M.C.

answers from Chicago on

Wow, you have tried a lot of things I would have suggested. Did you try the dishwasher cleaner tablets (usually sold in packets of two) or bottles of liquid? They seem to work well. Also, I have heard people using a packet of unsweetened lemon koolaid. The lemon takes out a lot of odors. Good luck!

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J.P.

answers from Orlando on

Try a large bowl of baking soda in the dishwasher, do not run the dishwasher and leave the door closed. It should absorb the odor, but you may have to do it a few times with fresh baking soda.

I would also spray the inside with white vinegar close the door and not rinse it right away.

They only other way would be to let it air out for a few days.

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M.S.

answers from Washington DC on

Could you try spraying it down with vinegar and just letting it sit as long as possible? Other thought is the pet enzymatic spray. It works on cat urine. Just spray and leave on as long as possible. Maybe you could just replace the racks if this doesn't work.

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M.R.

answers from Washington DC on

Contact the dishwasher manufacturer. They likely have heard similar issues before and can help. But I would expect to buy new racks etc. You might be able to buy them only from the manufacturer. If the model is not fairly new, unfortunately, you might not be able to purchase new racks and baskets. In that case, I would try as suggested below and put the racks etc. in the sun, alternating that with baking soda or vinegar soaks. But if the stink persists you might have to replace the washer. Sorry this happened-- I'm sensitive to scents and this would make me nuts, so I feel for you.

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J.K.

answers from Wausau on

Bizarre as this may sound...get a big bottle of cheap, basic Vodka. Put some in a spray bottle and completely saturate the inside of your dishwasher. I mean absolutely dripping wet, including racks and ceiling. Close the door and let it sit for awhile. Spray a second time, let sit. Then put a couple cups of vodka in a heavy bowl on the top rack, face up so it will overflow. Fill the soap cups with vodka too. Pour a cup in the bottom. Run a cycle on as hot temp as possible.

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M.L.

answers from Cleveland on

Only two things I can think of..would be to leave it open to air out... and call dishwasher company.

Seems crazy that vinegar and baking soda haven't worked. Lol that Avon is powerful stuff

Updated

Only two things I can think of..would be to leave it open to air out... and call dishwasher company.

Seems crazy that vinegar and baking soda haven't worked. Lol that Avon is powerful stuff

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