How to clean a Bento lunch box and an insulated lunch bag?

We send our children to school every day with their lunch neatly packed and every item wrapped.

Definitely, over time the contents leak, spill and leave a nasty surprise inside when the lunch bag comes home. Over time, these spills, and leaks can leave an odor in the lunch bag.

We got frequently these following questions about cleaning the lunch items for kids, and are happy to share with you our experience.

1- Can you wash your lunch bag in the washing machine?
2- How to clean an insulated lunch box?
3- Machine washable lunch bag?
4- Can you put lunch boxes in the dishwasher?
5- How to clean stained lunch box?
6- How to clean a lunch bag?


1- Can you wash your lunch bag in the washing machine?

It varies with each type of lunch bag. While some can tolerate the hustle and bustle of the washing machine, others can literally fall apart from all the brutal actions of the washing machine, as an example the bamboo lunch bag can be damaged or/and damage your washing machine.

Typically, higher quality lunch bags can tolerate the washing machine and come out clean and undamaged.

If you are unsure, try to wash it by hand first. It is best to use cold water, as warm or hot water could weaken the seams or plastic parts.

All our lunch bags can be placed in the washing machine. It is important to choose the right cycle: Delicate, Cold, and express.

2- How to clean insulated lunchbox?

You can first use a Q-tip to clean hard to reach areas and corners. Then dip a sponge in with soap and gently wipe everything down. After washing, disinfect your lunch box with antibacterial wipes.

Make sure everything is completely dry before you store food inside.

3- Machine washable lunch bag?

Lunch bags made from neoprene, canvas, and other fabrics can be washed in the washing machine.
Just make sure to use a delicate cycle, cold water, and a mild detergent.

4- Can you put lunch boxes in the dishwasher?

You can put a platter (Inner tray of the bento lunch box) on the top rack of your dishwasher without any problem.


5- How to clean stained lunch box?

We are aware that cleaning a stained plastic lunch box, instead of the metallic ones, may not be easy sometimes. Therefore, we have these tips for you:

In one cup of lukewarm water, add two teaspoons of vinegar. After cleaning your box with lukewarm water and soap solution, wash it all over with the vinegar solution.

Make a thick paste of baking soda and lukewarm water and apply it all over the container or where the stain is stubborn.

Then all you have to do is to leave them in the sun to dry off. The sun rays help banish the stains and make the box become discolored.

6- How to clean a lunch bag?

By packing the lunch each day to your kids in their containers, things tend to spill in the lunch bag. Here we have two easy methods to clean your kid’s lunch bag:

Hand wash: Fill the sink with lukewarm water and a small amount of detergent, use a sponge, immerse it in the soapy water to clean the inside and outside. As for the drying step, air drying may be the best.

Machine wash: First you need to remove all waste from the food, toss the lunch bag into the wash on a delicate cycle with cold water and mild detergent. Don't miss out on air drying.