Sourdough Starter Smells Like Acetone: 5 Fixes + Recovery Timeline
Quick Answer: An acetone or nail polish remover smell means your starter is starving and producing stress metabolites — NOT dead. Fix it by discarding down to 20–50g and feeding at a 1:5:5 ratio (starter:flour:water) with lukewarm water (80–85°F). Most starters recover within 1–2 days of consistent feeding. The smell is not permanent — your […]