hmmmmmm this is 3rd party.... from the other forum where i asked the same question (SO glad i didn't get a lot of the same idiotic answers here! you gals were actually helpful! well..... ok.. SOME of the guys were helpful.... but some were... well.. idiotic! but i digress:

Polar has a web site and a customer service number. I called them once when someone on BF asked about hot drinks in a Polar insulated bottle. "No, no,no" they said, "Plastic not suitable for heat." So contact Polar and ask what they would do, who better? Maybe get a new bottle?
so if that's true... that answers the putting hot liquid in a polar bottle question (and of course... we already have polars answer on the odor.... so no need to recall them on that!)