How to Get Difficult Sauce Stains Off Plastic Food Containers

Plastic being the porous substance that it is, it's not uncommon for stains to occur after storing leftovers for any amount of time. Certain foods, such as those that are tomato based, tend to leave behind stubborn stains long after the food is gone. In the interest of not having plasticware that looks perpetually dirty, removing these stains is a must. Armed with a little knowledge and a few materials, your plasticware can once again look brand new.

Things You'll Need

• Bleach
• Dish soap
• Clean cloth or sponge
• Lemon
• Baking soda
• Denture tablets

Instructions

Several Simple Suggestions

1. Fill the container with bleach and allow it to soak for 2-3 hours. Pour the bleach out and wash the container with warm soapy water. Rinse the container with clean warm water to make sure that all of the bleach is gone. Repeat if needed.

2. Cut a lemon in half and rub it all over the stain. Set the container outside in the sun until the stain is gone.

3. Make a paste of baking soda and water, and scrub it into the stain with a clean cloth or sponge. Leave the paste on the stain and allow it to dry until hard. Wash away the paste with warm soapy water and dry the plastic container with a clean, dry cloth.

4. Set the container outside on a sunny day and allow the sun to bleach out the stain for you. Leave it outside all day before bringing it back in.

5. Fill the plastic container with hot water and drop in 2-3 denture cleaning tablets. Wash the container when the stain is gone.

Tips & Warnings

• To avoid stubborn stains in the future, spray the plasticware with cooking spray before putting the leftovers into it.

• White vinegar is a good alternative for bleach.

References

• Yucky Stains
• Cleaning Tomato Sauce Stains from Plasticware