How to Get Rid of Smells & Stains Out of Plastic Containers

Plastic container products can be used to store numerous types of food and liquid items and keep these items fresh. When food items are left in containers for long periods of time, however, stains and foul odors can accumulate on the surface of the container. These stains and odors may not be removed when you run the container in a dishwasher. By soaking the container in the right cleaning products before washing the container, you can remove smells and stains.

Things You'll Need

• Liquid bleach
• Water
• Sink
• White vinegar

Instructions

White/clear Containers

1. Fill your sink with warm water and 1 to 2 cups of liquid bleach. How much bleach you add will be determined by the amount of containers you are cleaning and the size of the containers.

2. Soak the Containers in the sink for 30 minutes.

3. Remove the containers from the solution and empty the sink.

4. Rinse the containers thoroughly with lukewarm water. Be sure to rinse all of the containers in order to remove the bleach.

5. Wash and dry the containers as you would normally wash dishes (via dishwasher, scrubbing the containers, etc.).

Non-white/clear Containers

1. Fill your sink with warm water and 2 cups white distilled vinegar.

2. Soak the containers in the cleaning solution for 30 minutes to an hour.

3. Remove the containers from your sink and empty the sink.

4. Rinse off the containers with lukewarm water in order to fully remove the white vinegar.

5. Wash and dry the containers products as you would normally wash everyday dishes to complete the cleaning process.

References

• How to Clean Plastic Containers
• Vinegartips.com: Cleaning with Vinegar