How to Clean Plastic Cups

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Things You'll Need

  • Bleach

  • Scouring pad

  • Bottle brush

  • Cotton swap

  • Denture tablet

  • Baking soda

Plastic cups

Plastic cups have become part of every kitchen and are used by everyone from adults to children. They can bought in different sizes, shapes and colors. They are essential to have when giving drinks to children since they are unbreakable. Unfortunately, they can also hold stains and odors after excessive use and begin to look soiled and dirty. Before tossing them, be assured that there are several different methods that can be followed to make them look and smell clean. Read the following steps and discover different ways on how to clean plastic cups so that they look new again.

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Step 1

Close the kitchen sink drain and fill it half way with hot water. Add 1 cup of bleach to the water. Place all plastic cups into the bleach water and allow them to soak for approximately 2 hours. After 2 hours, let the water out of the sink and wash the cups with soap and water. Rinse thoroughly and allow to dry.

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Step 2

If the plastic cup, such as a child's cup, has a top or straw attached to it, use a bottle brush to scrub hard to reach areas. For attached straws, use a wet cotton swab to clean the interior of the straw. Finish by washing with soap and water and rinsing thoroughly. Allow to dry.

Step 3

Fill the kitchen sink halfway with water and add a denture cleaning tablet. When the denture cleaning tablet has dissolved, stir the water to mix the solution. Add the plastic cups to the solution and allow to soak for 2 hours. Drain the sink and wash the cups with soap and water. Rinse and allow to dry.

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Step 4

Make a paste of baking soda and water. Rub this paste all around the interior of the plastic cup including the bottom. Using a scouring pad, scrub the interior and exterior of the plastic cup. Rinse the cup with water and allow to dry. This method also removes remaining odors from plastic cups.

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Step 5

Wash the plastic cups with dishwashing liquid and water followed by rinsing thoroughly. Place all of the plastic cups outdoors in the sun. Leave them in the sun for several hours. The sun will naturally bleach away any stains.

Tip

Wash with vinegar and water to remove odors from plastic cups. Use the smaller end of a baby bottle brush to clean straws that are a part of plastic cup tops.

Warning

Do not mix anything with bleach except water. Make sure dishwashing liquid is thoroughly rinsed from plastic cups.

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