How to Remove Odors from a Protein Shaker

Co-authored by Susan Stocker

Last Updated: March 28, 2023 References

It’s totally normal to forget to wash out your protein shaker after you finish your shake. The problem is that the next time you open the lid for your next shake, you’ll be hit with a rancid smell from old protein. What now? Luckily, there’s still hope before you buy a new one! A thorough cleaning usually helps. If not, then a few home tips can zap the old odor and give your shaker a fresh new smell.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Cleaning the Shaker

1
Fill the shaker with warm water and dish soap. Sometimes all your shaker needs is a thorough cleaning to get rid of smells. Start by filling up the shaker with warm water and squeeze in a few drops of dish soap. Cover the shaker and shake it slightly to make the water sudsy.^{[1]
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- Some tips online say to use hot or even boiling water to soak the shaker and lid, but manufacturers don’t recommend this. The plastic bottles aren’t designed for hot liquids and could melt.^{[2]
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- Another option is to fill it with water and vinegar, close the lid and shake it to get the mix into every space of the shaker.
2
Soak the shaker lid in a bowl with warm water and soap. Old protein residue can get trapped in the lid and mouthpiece, so don’t forget to clean this as well. Fill a bowl with warm water and squeeze in some dish soap. Then, put the lid in the bowl to soak. Make sure the mouthpiece is open so the water soaks through it.^{[3]
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- Protein residue can get stuck in the lid and mouthpiece, and these are tough to clean. That's why soaking is important.
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3
Leave the shaker and lid in the soapy water for 10-15 minutes. Both pieces probably have a lot of old protein powder built-up, especially if you forgot to clean it. Let the pieces soak for at least 10 minutes to soften up any stubborn residue.^{[4]
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4
Wash the shaker with soap and water and let it air-dry. Dump the old water out and wash it as you normally would with warm water, dish soap, and a clean sponge. Scrub the inside of the shaker well to get rid of any stuck protein powder. Rinse the shaker to flush out all the suds and place it on a towel to air-dry.^{[5]
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- If there is still protein residue inside the shaker, you can try rubbing it off with a steel sponge.
5
Scrape the lid with a pipe cleaner to get rid of stubborn residue. The lid is a little trickier to clean. Work around the mouthpiece and grooves with a pipe cleaner to get any leftover residue out and prevent more smells from building up. Then, rinse the lid a final time to flush out any remnants. Put it on a towel and let it air-dry.^{[6]
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- Make sure the mouthpiece is open so you can reach under it with the pipe cleaner. Leave the mouthpiece open while you rinse the lid.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Deodorizing the Shaker

1
Soak the shaker overnight with vinegar and water. Distilled white vinegar naturally absorbs smells. Fill the shaker with a half vinegar-half water mixture. Then, let it sit overnight so the vinegar deodorizes the shaker.^{[7]
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- Using pure vinegar might damage the inside of the bottle because it’s very acidic, so be sure to dilute it with the water.
- You can also soak the shaker lid in a bowl with the same mixture.
- You can also add a little bit of lemon juice to the mixture for even better results.
2
Fill the shaker with a vinegar and baking soda mixture and let it soak. Fill your shaker about halfway with undiluted vinegar. Take 1 tsp (5 g) of baking soda and pour it into the shaker. This will bubble up a bit, so be ready for that. Then, gently shake or stir the mixture together. Let the mixture sit until all the bubbles are gone.^{[8]
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- Do this over a sink or towel just in case the foam spills out of the shaker.
- If you have the lid on the shaker, keep it open so the pressure doesn’t build up.
3
Rinse your shaker out with mouthwash to kill smelly bacteria. Fill the shaker about 1/3 to 1/2 to the top with standard mouthwash. Then, seal the shaker and swish the mouthwash around. Dump the mouthwash out and rinse the shaker thoroughly with plain water.^{[9]
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- Mouthwash residue can get sticky so be sure to rinse out the shaker well.
- Soak the lid in mouthwash to get rid of smells around the mouthpiece.
4
Leave moist coffee grounds in the shaker overnight to absorb odors. This might sound weird, but coffee grounds are great for absorbing odors. Try taking some leftover coffee grounds after you make your morning coffee and leaving them in your shaker. Put the lid on the shaker to seal it up and rinse the grounds out the next day to see if the odor is gone.^{[10]
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- Remember to wash the shaker out well so you don’t drink old coffee grounds in your next shake!
5
Mask the smell with paper towels soaked with vanilla extract. Sprinkle a few drops of vanilla extract onto a paper towel and put it into the shaker. Seal it up and leave the paper towel there overnight. When you take the towel out, the shaker should have a fresh new smell.^{[11]
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- This probably won't get rid of odors completely.
6
Wash out the shaker with soap and water after deodorizing it. Whatever method you use to deodorize your shaker, give it a thorough cleaning when you're done. Dump everything out, then wash the shaker and lid with warm water, dish soap, and a clean sponge. Rinse thoroughly and check later to see if the odor is gone.^{[12]
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