How to Get Rid of Odors from Metal

Download Article

Remove that gross metallic smell from jewelry, zippers, & kitchen items

Co-authored by Himesh Patel and Dan Hickey

Last Updated: March 20, 2025 Fact Checked

Download Article

• Kitchen Items
|
• Jewelry
|
• Zippers
|
• Restoring Tarnished Silver
|
• Expert Interview
|
• Tips

|Show more |Show less

We’ve all experienced it—that weird smell coming off a stainless steel coffee thermos or an odd odor from a jacket zipper. Whether it’s an offending piece of fashion jewelry or a much-loved kitchen pan, metal isn’t hard to clean and deodorize! In this article, we’ve put together the best and easiest ways to clean and freshen up your kitchen items, jewelry, zippers, and even fine silver with the help of metallurgic engineer and manager Himesh Patel. Read on to learn more!

Best Ways to Remove Metallic Smells

1. Wipe the item down with soapy water or a cleaning cloth.
2. Use lemon juice and salt to remove rust and lingering odors in the kitchen.
3. Soak costume jewelry in diluted vinegar for a few minutes, then rinse clean.
4. Coat jewelry in clear nail polish to block odors.
5. Launder zippered items or clean the smelly zipper with rubbing alcohol.

Steps

Section 1 of 4:

Tackling Items in the Kitchen

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Start by washing the offending item with warm water and dish detergent. Most metals can be cleaned and deodorized by simply washing them and removing what might be causing the odor, whether that’s built-up food, grime, or a layer of oxidation. Take your stainless steel, copper, or aluminum items and gently wipe them clean with a soft rag that has been dipped in soapy water.

   • Make sure to wipe down any creases or crevices, as those areas are more likely to accumulate grime and bacteria. If you need to, use a soft-bristled toothbrush to clean hard-to-reach areas.
   • According to Patel, “a lemon juice and dish detergent mixture” is also effective. Simply add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to your soapy water.
   • Patel adds that a water and white vinegar mixture will work, too. “Use 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar, or a 1:1 mixture.”
   • Rinse your metal item thoroughly to remove any remaining soap or vinegar.
2. 
   2
   Remove rust and its accompanying smell with lemon juice and table salt. Rust has a particular metallic odor that can be unpleasant, and knives, silverware, and even some pots and pans might start to develop rust over time. Take the rusted item and sprinkle the problem areas with table salt, then pour lemon juice on top. Leave it alone for 2 hours, then scrub the rust spots with either the rind from the lemon or with a steel wool pad before rinsing it off with water.

   • Make sure to dry the item off thoroughly afterward! Use a clean, soft dishtowel to remove excess water.
   • Lemon juice is acidic and table salt is abrasive. Combined, they’re great at removing rust and odors from metal.
   Advertisement
3. 
   3
   Rub metal food containers with a lemon rind to absorb bad odors. If you have metal containers or bowls that have started to smell, wash them like you normally would with soap and water. Let them dry, then take the rind of a lemon and rub it all over the interior. The rind should absorb lingering odors and leave the container smelling fresh.

   • For this to work, you need to use the rind from a lemon rather than lemon juice. If you were to just rub or pour lemon juice on the item, it would leave a sticky residue.
   • Alternatively, add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of lemon juice and bleach to the container and dilute it with water. Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes, then rinse completely to remove any odors (and their accompanying stains).
4. 
   4
   Deodorize pots, pans, and appliances with baking soda. Especially for items made of stainless steel or aluminum, baking soda can help get them clean while neutralizing bad odors at the same time. Get the object wet, then sprinkle it with a thin layer of baking soda—it’s okay if the surface area is still somewhat visible. Let it sit for a few minutes before scrubbing it clean with a dish towel or soft sponge.

   • This also works to clean smelly metal appliances, like a sink drain, garbage disposal, or microwave.
   • You could try spritzing the baking soda with white vinegar. White vinegar is an acid that bonds to smelly molecules, so it packs an even greater deodorizing punch when combined with baking soda.

   Keep your metal trash can smelling fresh with baking soda. If your trash can is made of some kind of metal, you can help keep nasty odors at bay by wrapping a handful of baking soda in a coffee filter and placing it at the bottom of the can.
5. 
   5
   Restore your coffee thermos by soaking it in water and baking soda. One of the most common metal items that will start to smell over time is your coffee thermos. Metal can absorb odors, so it may start to smell like old coffee, tea, or even like the sponge you’ve been using to clean it with. Put 1 teaspoon (4.8 grams) of baking soda into the thermos and fill it with warm water. Let it sit for 15-20 minutes, then rinse it out.

   • Baking soda neutralizes bad odors. It’s a multi-faceted ingredient that can be used in baking as well as in many cleaning and deodorizing tasks.
   • Alternatively, pour ½ cup (118 mL) of vinegar and 1 tablespoon (21 grams) of baking soda into the thermos, then fill the rest up with hot water. Let it sit for 10 minutes, scrub, and rinse.
Advertisement

Section 2 of 4:

Getting Metallic Smells Out of Jewelry

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Try wiping the jewelry with a cleaning cloth. Deodorizing metal jewelry is fairly simple—Patel advises that just “rubbing it down with a cleaning cloth” may remove metallic odors. These cloths remove surface debris and oils from your skin that may be trapping odors. However, they’re not specifically designed to remove odors, so there may still be a lingering scent.

   • If the cloth alone isn’t enough to deodorize stinky jewelry, try another option below.
2. 
   2
   Soak the jewelry in diluted vinegar for a few minutes, then rinse. Use Patel’s recommended mixture of 2 parts water to 1 part white vinegar and combine your ingredients in a bowl. Add your jewelry pieces to the bowl (making sure they’re entirely submerged) and let them sit for a few minutes. Rinse them thoroughly to remove the vinegar and voila! Your jewelry should be rid of its funky metallic odor.

   • Don’t use a stronger concentration of vinegar, as it can corrode soft gems and plated metals with strong or repeated exposure. This method is best suited for cheap costume jewelry.
   • This is a popular deodorizing hack for costume jewelry you may have seen on TikTok.
3. 
   3
   Coat the jewelry in a layer of clear nail polish. Originally a trick to prevent tarnishing and protect sensitive skin from reacting to cheap metal, many swear by coating your fashion jewelry in clear nail polish to “trap” the odor underneath and prevent the oils in your skin from building up and causing more smells. Just wipe down your jewelry with a cleaning cloth, then paint on a thin layer of any clear nail polish or top coat. Let the jewelry dry fully before wearing.

   • You may need to occasionally add a new layer of polish to keep future smells at bay.
4. 
   4
   Neutralize metallic odors with baking soda. Baking soda is a natural deodorizer and an abrasive cleaner, so it can remove smelly debris and tarnish. Line a dish or pan with aluminum foil (shiny side up) and lay your jewelry on it. Mix 1 tablespoon (17 g) of salt, 1 tablespoon (14 g) of salt, and 1 cup (237 mL) of warm water together in a separate bowl, then pour the mixture over the jewelry. The mix will react with the aluminum in the foil and begin bubbling to clean the jewelry.

   • Rinse thoroughly with cool water and buff dry with a clean cloth.
   • Baking soda is too abrasive for very valuable, old, or fine jewelry, so save this for your fun fashion pieces (not your family heirlooms).
Advertisement

Section 3 of 4:

Deodorizing Zippers

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Launder clothing items to clean smelly zippers. Over time, your items with zippers might start to smell, and sometimes that smell might even transfer to your hands or other objects. The first step to try and get rid of the smell is to simply wash it and dry it just like you normally would. If you’re unsure of how to clean a particular item, check the care tag to see if it can go in the washing machine or if it should be hand washed.

   • Many zippered items, like jackets or jeans, don’t get washed very often. The zipper can get a buildup of skin cells and oils, which react with the metal and cause it to oxidize.
   • Alternatively, use a mix of dish soap and water to scrub the zipper by hand.
2. 
   2
   Scrub the zipper with rubbing alcohol to clean between the grooves. Chances are that there are skin cells and oxidation down in the little grooves of the zipper that are causing the bad smell. Use a soft-bristled brush or cotton swab dipped in rubbing alcohol to gently scrub the zipper. Take your time and make sure to get into all the small crevices.

   • Clean both sides of the zipper for the best results.
   • Wiping the zipper with rubbing alcohol or another cleaner is great for items that can’t be put in the washer, like tents or purses.
   • Test a drop of alcohol on an inconspicuous part of the garment or item to make sure it won’t discolor the fabric around the zipper.
3. 
   3
   Wipe down the smelly zipper with diluted white vinegar to neutralize smells. If you don’t have rubbing alcohol, diluted white vinegar would work just as well to clean and deodorize your zipper. Use a soft-bristled brush dipped in white vinegar to clean between the grooves on both sides of the zipper, then rinse.

   • Patel recommends “2 parts water and 1 part vinegar, or a 1:1 mixture.”
   • You may need to treat your zippers every month or so. Whenever you notice them starting to smell, take 5 minutes to clean them and keep your clothing and accessories smelling fresh.
   • If your zipper is extra smelly or dirty, consider using zipper cleaner to remove debris and lubricate the teeth.
Advertisement

Section 4 of 4:

Restoring Tarnished Silver

Download Article

1. 
   1
   Wash the silver item with warm soapy water to remove any grime. Built-up grime can cause odors on its own. Starting with a clean base will help you more effectively neutralize bad smells. You can wash the item by hand or use a soft-bristled brush.

   • Overtime, silver gets tarnished because it attracts sulfur. The sulfur leaves behind a strange smell, but luckily, it is pretty easy to remove!
2. 
   2
   Line the inside of a pot with aluminum foil. For this deodorizing method to work, the silver items have to come into contact with the foil, so line both the bottom and the sides so that the entire surface of the pot is covered. It’s okay if the foil hangs over the side of the pot a little bit.

   • Make sure the pot you’re using is large enough to fully submerge the silver item. You can also put in more than one item at a time if they’ll all fit.
3. 
   3
   Fill the pot with water and 2–3 tablespoons (28–42 g) of baking soda. Leave some space at the top of the pot so the water won’t overflow once you add the silver. The baking soda is going to help remove the sulfur from the silver and will also tackle any odors.

   • Using more baking soda won’t hurt anything, so it’s okay if you don’t measure out exactly the right amount.
   • If you’re using a very large pot, add about 1 cup (250 g) of baking soda for every gallon (3.8 L) of water.
4. 
   4
   Bring the water to a boil, then remove it from the heat. Turn the burner on high and keep an eye on the pot. Once the water begins to boil, turn off the burner and move the pot to a heat-safe surface. Consider placing it in the sink to prevent splashes and spills.

   • Be careful to not burn yourself on the side of the pot! Use oven mitts or hot pads to protect your hands.
5. 
   5
   Add the silver items to the pot, stirring them around for about 10 minutes. Gently drop the silver items into the pot. If you need to, use a ladle or tongs to lower them in so that you don’t get splashed with hot water. Use a long wooden spoon or something similar to occasionally move the items around.

   • You should notice flakes coming away from the silver and floating in the water. These flakes are bits of sulfur coming off of the silver.
   • The tarnish will start to disappear almost immediately. Heavily tarnished items may need to be treated several times.
6. 
   6
   Dry the items with a soft, clean dish towel before putting them away. Once the silver items start to look shiny and clean again, carefully remove them from the pot. Dry them completely before storing them. If you notice remaining tarnished spots, you may be able to simply rub them off with the dish towel.

   • You may want to use tongs or a ladle to remove the items from the pot.
   • This method can be used for all kinds of silver items, including jewelry.
Advertisement

Expert Q&A

Search

Add New Question

Ask a Question

200 characters left

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

Advertisement

Tips

• Always test a new cleaning product on an inconspicuous area to make sure it doesn’t react with the metal.
  Thanks

  Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Some metals are quite soft and scratch easily. Use soft-bristled brushes or microfiber cloths to clean metal to keep it in pristine condition.
  Thanks

  Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Avoid using an old sponge to clean out metal containers. Any smells on the sponge might transfer to the container, making it smell worse than it did before.
  Thanks

  Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Submit a Tip

All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published

Name

Please provide your name and last initial

Submit

Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

Advertisement