Day 5 of 12 Days of Back-to-School Prep: Wash the Lunchboxes
Posted on September 7, 2026
Hi ladies! Welcome back to Day 5 of our 12 Days of Back-to-School Prep series. We’ve covered the fridge, my yearly refresh list, my drop-off-to-gym outfit, and make-ahead breakfast burritos — today we’re tackling something small but honestly kind of important: washing the lunchboxes!
Day 5 of 12 Days of Back-to-School Prep: Wash the Lunchboxes
I’ll be the first to admit this one isn’t glamorous. But I have to ask — when’s the last time you actually washed the lunchbox? Not wiped it out, not shaken the crumbs loose, but actually gave it a real clean? For us, it’s not a weekly thing. It’s more of an infrequent reset, a couple times a year, and back-to-school is always one of those moments!
Why This Makes the List
Lunchboxes go through a lot over the course of a school year. Spills, crumbs, that one forgotten juice box in the bottom pocket — they take a beating. And because we’re not washing them every week, giving them a real reset before the new year starts means the kids are heading back to school with something that’s actually clean, not just something that looks fine from the outside!
How I Wash Ours
Here’s the trick I use every time:
Toss the lunchboxes right in the washing machine
Add your regular detergent pod
Add about a half cup of white vinegar (this is what helps disinfect and knock out any lingering odors, without needing anything harsh)
Run on cold [I do a gentle or delicate cycle]
That’s it!
A couple of quick notes if you’re trying this yourself: if your lunchbox is heavily insulated, it’s worth double-checking the care tag first, since some insulated styles do better hand-washed than machine-washed. But for most standard lunchboxes, the washing machine plus a splash of vinegar gets the job done beautifully
One Less Thing to Think About
This is genuinely one of those five-minute tasks that makes a bigger difference than you’d expect. A fresh, clean lunchbox before day one just feels like a good reset — for the kids and honestly for me too. It’s one more thing checked off the list before the busier season starts, and I never have to think about it again until it’s time for the next reset.
Shop What I Use
Click on any of the thumbnail images in the gallery below to shop the ingredients we use to wash as well as our favorite icepacks!
This is Day 5 of our 12 Days of Back-to-School Prep series! Follow along @thisisourbliss for the rest of the series, plus everyday boy mom life, style, and family adventures.
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