Baking soda in water. I just got rid of pickle smells in a large plastic jar with it.

I know vinegar is recommended for cleaning coffee makers, so it's probably ok.

And this evidence is empirial, but not based on human research: My hummingbird feeder recommended cleaning with vinegar. I did so yesterday, but was kind of lackadaisical on the rinsing (though I did rinse it) before refilling it with sugar water. The hummingbirds have been coming by just as much, if not more, and since they seem to be not at all afraid of voicing their displeasure -- the feeder's up on a second-story window where the cat hangs out, and they'll often hover and squawk at her -- I'm guessing the vinegar taste didn't seep into the sugar taste.

This is assuming hummingbirds have any sense of "taste" at all, and that I haven't actually poisoned the entire neighborhood population of hummingbirds without realizing it.

On preview: I have also used baking soda to good effect with pots used in fishy culinary adventures.

Thanks, y'all. I think I'm going to use the baking soda on the mug and vinegar on the hummingbird feeder. Everyone wins.

I think you should put *both* baking soda and vinegar in the mug, then have the hummingbirds fly around the resulting volcano pretending to be pterodactyls.

Because I really think that if I were a hummingbird, it'd be hella fun to pretend to be a pterodactyl.

I am very sad that no one's taking me up on the hummingbird pterodactyl retreat. I think there's money to be made.

If the baking soda/ vinegar doesn't work
I once read that toothpaste will take any scent out of your hands.(onions,cigarettes,etc.)
So, I tried it and it worked.(onions, on my hands)
I wonder if it will work on your mug.........

occhiblu, I am so down with the hummingbird pterodactyl thing. I think I'll try it tomorrow. I even have a red insulated mug to attract them!

Woo hoo!

I have visions of teeny tiny theme parks all over the continent! Dinosaur camp is just the beginning. The next step: hummingbird dude ranches where they can ride seahorses and lasso jellyfish!

Perhaps not uncoincidentally, I had a dream last night I was being chased by a bear that turned into a giant woolly mammoth. Scale is a weird thing.