If you've invested in a Yeti cooler than you are going to want to keep it clean after each adventure so that it doesn't start smelling or growing mould.
Cleaning your Yeti cooler doesn't have to be hard and even if you been outdoors and your Yeti cooler is completely filthy inside and out the following tips on how to clean a Yeti cooler will help you have your cooler looking and feeling brand-new in no time.
Use Sponges or Mildly Abrasive Rags
For all of the below suggestions I recommend using a sponge or a mildly abrasive rag in order to scrub and clean the cooler and to get rid of all of the dirt and grime.
I don't suggest using an extremely abrasive rag as this may potentially damage the plastic making it easier to get stains in the future.
If you have particularly hard to clean stains that are basic wash won't remove then click here to see my article on how to remove hard stains from a Yeti cooler.
1. Rinse It Well
If your cooler isn't very dirty, maybe you've just use it to hold ice and drinks at an afternoon barbecue, then a quick rinse of your cooler and leaving it out to dry can be enough to keep it clean.
This won't be enough if you've had raw meat or fish in the cooler and cooler smells but sometimes all you've had in the cooler is ice and closed cans of beer and so there's nothing to really wash out.
In this case a quick rinse with the hose or a wipe down with a wet cloth is all you need.
2. Use Warm Soapy Water
If your cooler is a bit dirtier than using detergent and warm water and giving your cooler a good scrub should help to remove the majority of dirt, grime or leftover food and sticky drinks that are in your cooler.
Once you've given it a good scrubbing tip out the warm soapy water and then rinse your cooler and leave it in the sun to dry.
3. Use Vinegar and Bicarb Soda
Some people prefer not to use detergent or not to use any cleaning chemicals on the yeti coolers and for these people vinegar and bicarb soda are a great cleaning ingredient.
Combine vinegar and bicarb soda and use a sponge or light abrasive cloth to rub the inside as well as the outside of your cooler.
You can then simply leave your cooler to dry or you can go ahead and rinse it out with water.
The vinegar and bicarb soda will also help to remove harder stains as well as remove some of the odors that can accumulate inside your cooler.
Click here to get some vinegar from Amazon
Click here to get some Bi-Carb Soda from Amazon
4. Use Bleach, Water and a Good Scrub
When my cooler starts to get really dirty or there has been mold growing inside because I left it too long before cleaning at then I do like to clean my Yeti cooler with bleach and water.
Mix bleach with water and a 1 to 6 ratio and use a sponge to apply the mixture all over the inside of the cooler giving it a good scrub as you do so.
Then leave the bleach to dry or if you want to be like me leave the bleach for about 30 minutes and then rinse and scrub the cooler.
Click here to get some bleach from Amazon
5. Hit It With a High Pressure Soap Spray (at a Local Car Wash)
This is probably the best way to clean a Yeti cooler quickly it also happens to be the easiest way to clean a Yeti cooler.
You can buy or higher a high-pressure hose for doing this at home or you can simply head down to your local self service car wash and they generally have high-pressure hoses that you can use for just a couple of dollars.
Apply the high-pressure hose to the cooler making sure to have the hose close to the cooler so you're getting maximum pressure to blow away any dirt or stains that have accumulated.
Make sure to take your time and get into any cracks in crevices as well as to clean the rubber gasket as well as the drainage plug.
For a really thorough clean I like to use a high-pressure soap spray and then give my cooler a scrub down followed by a high-pressure rinse to wash away the soap as well as clean the cooler further.
Make Sure You Leave It To Dry
Once you've cleaned your cooler always make sure to leave it to dry.
You can do this with the cooler standing up with the lid open but personally I like to put the cooler upside down with the lid open so water can drain out. This also means if I accidentally leave my cooler outside too long and it rains it won't fill up with water and get moldy all over again.
The sun is also great at neutralizing odors. If your cooler is a bit smelly even after cleaning then click here to learn how to remove bad smells from your Yeti cooler.
Use Clorex Anywhere Spray or a Sanitising Spray
Once you finish cleaning your cooler and tried it out you can use Clorox Anywhere Spray and then leave to dry to easily remove any bad odours or use a sanitising spray to keep the cooler clean and sanitary.
Can You Put Bleach In a Yeti Cooler?
Yes, you can use bleach in a hard sided cooler though it is advised to use bleach mixed with water rather than pouring bleach directly into your cooler. A 6 to 1 ratio of water to bleach generally works pretty well to clean your cooler and remove mold and stains.
Do not use bleach on a soft sided Yeti cooler as the bleach will take the color out of the fabric and also deteriorate the fabric.
