How to Get Rid of Vitamin Smell in Pill Case: Tips on Cleaning Stinky Organizers

You have likely encountered an undesirable situation as part of taking daily vitamins or pills: the buildup of a less-than-pleasant smell over time. These odors can occur whether you keep your pills in bottles or use a pill organizer.

The smell develops due to the buildup of residues from the ingredients and oils within your supplements. Vitamin bottles can leave you stuck with the smell until your next order, but using a pill organizer offers you the opportunity to clean the case with the right techniques.

If you’re wondering how to get rid of vitamin smell in pill cases, we’ve got you covered. Our guide will be exploring everything you need to know about cleaning a pill organizer, from the cause of smells to how materials can change your approach.

Remembering to take pills is simple when using a metal pill box from Ikigai Cases. All of our cases are made of 100% aluminum which wicks away moisture and protects your pills from temperate changes. Thanks to our innovative technology, avoiding the buildup of abhorrent smells is easy.

Before you invest in a fresh new pill case, let’s set you up for success by exploring how to get rid of vitamin smell in pill cases.

Why Pill Organizers Start to Smell After a While

Before you learn how to get rid of vitamin smell in pill cases, it’s vital to explore the root causes. Do pills go bad in a pill case, therefore causing smells? Or is it due to storage conditions, extreme temperature changes, or decay from long-term use?

While ultimately your pills will remain safe in a case, figuring out the reasons for smells can help you maintain a sanitary environment for your supplements.

Understanding the Causes of Odors

Unpleasant odors emanating from your pill cases can be due to several reasons.

One of the most vital origins of foul odors comes from the interaction of residues and oils present in many supplements. When left in any compartment, pills can react after being exposed to sunlight, air, or excessive temperatures, causing the development of micro bacteria and other icky odors.

For example, if you’ve ever gone flying with pills, you may notice your travel pill boxes possess a harsher smell due to temperature changes.

Material Matters

Your choice of materials won’t just affect the cost of pill cases you’ll encounter while shopping. The ingredients that create vitamins also clash with pill case materials to cause unfavorable smells in some cases. 

Cheaper materials, such as plastics or those you would find in a DIY pill box, may absorb excess moisture and trap smells inside the case. On the other hand, durable pill organizers made of metal are often moisture-wicking, delaying the buildup of these odors.

Both external factors and the internal workings of your pill case contribute to the presence and strength of disagreeable smells. So if you do start encountering smells, how can you manage them? Let’s discuss that next.

The Challenges of Cleaning Stinky Pill Organizers: Balancing Safety With Cleanliness

Your first instinct when confronted with a smelly pill box will likely be to dump everything and dunk your case in a sink or dishwasher.

However, learning how to get rid of vitamin smell in pill boxes requires a few precautions to ensure your case or your pills are not compromised due to the cleaning process.

For example, most pill organizers are not dishwasher safe, requiring handwashing instead. Additionally, you want to ensure that your vitamin case isn’t exposed to any harsh cleaning chemicals that can ruin its structural integrity. Often, this requires you to only use warm water and an occasional mild hand soap.

Beyond the cleaning agents you use, you also want to ensure you properly dry your pill organizers. Filling a pill organizer faster than your case can dry can lead to the degradation of your pills when they interact with that excess moisture, ruining all of your hard work.

This gives another nod to moisture-wicking materials that can quickly dry, eliminating a potential headache in the cleaning process.

Speaking of cleaning, let’s shift gears and go through our step-by-step guide to help you eliminate those yucky odors from your case.

How to Get Rid of Vitamin Smell in Pill Case Safely: Step-by-Step Guide

Whether you are eradicating a lingering smell or refreshing your case before packing pills for travel, the cleaning process is simple. Just follow these steps, and your case should be as good as new in no time.

It is crucial to note that you should remove all pills and supplements from your pill organizer before introducing any cleaning agents to avoid any damage.

Basic Cleaning with Warm Water

A little bit of warm water can go a very long way in eliminating odors. Warm temperatures can easily remove most residues, and you will often find the problem smells are eliminated with water by itself.

Using Mild Hand Soap

However, sometimes stubborn stains can occur. A small amount of mild and fragrance-free hand soap can also be included with warm water. This can help add the extra power you need to remove tougher grease or oil stains that may develop inside your case over time.

Rinsing and Drying Techniques

Remember, excessive moisture trapped in your case is one of the primary root causes of foul odors. This makes rinsing and drying a critical part of the cleaning process. You’ll want to use multiple cloths or towels to help soak up moisture throughout the process.

Once cleaning is done, you’ll want to leave your case to air dry in a space away from sunlight to ensure the organizer remains sanitary and microbe-free.

What Not to Do to Get Rid of the Vitamin Smell in Your Pill Organizer

Since you ingest your pills, creating a safe environment within your pill case is paramount. There are a few mistakes that can be easily made while attempting to clean your pill organizer that will only end up spelling disaster.

You must avoid stronger cleaning agents and scented soaps, such as dish soap. While they may be able to mask odors, these harsher chemicals can eradicate plastics, damage metals, and disrupt the chemistry of your supplements.

Additionally, avoid placing your pill organizers in a dishwasher or otherwise exposing them to extreme temperatures. Failure to do so can compromise the structural integrity of your case.

With the cleaning process finished you likely want to take all the steps possible to avoid foul smells from developing again. Let’s discuss a few tips to delay or eliminate potential odors.

Can You Prevent the Vitamin Smell in Your Pill Case Altogether?

With enough practice, keeping your daily pill organizers smelling fresh is simple. You’ll need to inspect and maintain your case regularly and ensure storage and temperature conditions are optimal for the best possible results.

Routine Maintenance

Cleaning your pill organizer as often as you can is a vital step toward preventing the buildup of odors. We recommend cleaning once a week before refilling your case with new pills. This can be especially convenient if you are filling up a 7 day pill case since incorporating cleaning as part of your refilling routine is simple.

Proper Storage Practices

When you aren’t using your pill case, you want to ensure you are storing it in a safe location. We recommend keeping your pill organizer in a space that is away from light, excessive temperatures, and moisture, as those three factors are key causes of smelly odors.

Figuring out how to travel with supplements while keeping up with proper storage practices can also be tricky. We recommend designating a separate, smaller case for travel to allow for easier cleaning. Extra weight should be given to cases with moisture and temperature protection, as there is a bigger risk of encountering those conditions in transit.

Choosing the Right Materials

The materials that make up your pill case also play a crucial part in amplifying or avoiding odors.

Cheap plastics stand no chance against even mildly harsh temperatures and small amounts of moisture. Cases made with plastic are prone to smells because of this.

On the other hand, metal pill cases are moisture-wicking and provide extra layers of airtight security to keep your pills isolated from external factors that can disrupt their chemistry.

Now that you know how to clean pill cases and the steps you need to avoid smells in the first place, all that is left is for you to figure out where to get pill organizers. Thankfully, you’re already in the right place!

If You Need a Fresh Pill Case, Look No Further Than Ikigai Cases!

Prevention is more effective than a cure, and the same is true for avoiding smelly vitamin cases. Investing in a rock-solid 100% metal pill case can ensure you never have to subject your nose to the unpalatable smell of old pill residue.

The world’s #1 home for pill organizers is right here at Ikigai Cases. We carry a diverse selection of 100% metal pill boxes, from convenient travel-sized cases to twice a day pill organizers for complex regimens.

We crafted our cases using Aluminum 6061-T6, the same durable material found in Apple products. Our cases come with an innovative latch technology, allowing even those with mobility impairments to access their medicine with ease.

Ikigai Cases are also stylish, with anodized exteriors in several colors offering a discreet way to travel with pills. We even offer pill organizer decoration through metal engraving.

We are proud to have a compassionate and helpful customer support team that can assist you with any questions, whether you need a recommendation on a specific case size or need help with shipping. No matter the needs of your medicine regimen, we are here to help!

Parting Thoughts on How to Get Rid of Vitamin Smell in Pill Case

The last thing you want to experience when opening your pill is a pungent smell that discourages you from even taking your supplements in the first place. While foul odors can be disheartening, learning how to get rid of vitamin smell in pill cases is simple.

Just wash your case with warm water, and introduce a mild soap only if necessary. You’ll also want to ensure you maintain cleaning routines whenever you refill your pill box.

Of course, keeping a fresh-smelling pill case all begins with investing in the right materials. The only way to guarantee a moisture-wicking, temperature-resistant case is by using a 100% metal case.

Our inventory here at Ikigai Cases is perfect for the job. So whether you are picking up your first-ever pill organizer or just need a change from an old plastic case that has seen better days (and smells), Ikigai Cases is here to help. Browse our inventory or reach out to our team to get started.