How Do You Get Stains Out of Plastic?

Employing the necessary tools and techniques makes removing plastic stains straightforward. A little elbow grease, some household supplies and some sunlight should do just the trick to return your plastic to its former glory.

Baking soda and white vinegar make excellent cleaning solutions for plastic containers. Simply mix these together, rub onto any stains to scrub away dirt, and rinse clean afterwards.

Hard Water Stains

Water stains may make plastic chairs or bowls look worn, but they’re harmless and easily removable. Hard water contains dissolved magnesium and calcium that create unsightly water spots; over time this issue worsens, leaving behind gritty residue on showerheads, sinks, bathtubs, faucets or even dishes and glass shower doors.

To remove unsightly plastic stains, combine equal parts distilled white vinegar and water in a container large enough to hold the stained piece of plastic. Dip a sponge or soft bristled brush in this solution and scrub gently over discolorations; rinse in warm soapy water when finished and repeat this procedure until the stain has vanished completely.

If the stains are more severe, try using a commercial product designed to eliminate hard water deposits, like Dawn Power Dissolver and Cascade Plastic Booster. Both can be applied outside the dishwasher as well as directly on plastic items to eliminate stubborn stains. Soak these solutions for thirty to sixty minutes before scrubbing and rinsing as usual.

For stubborn plastic stains that haven’t been regularly cleaned, try using solvents such as acetone or oxalic acid to dissolve them. Oxalic acid comes as a powder you mix with water; it is safe for vinyl, PVC and ABS plastics; while Acetone should only be used on acetates as its strength may damage them.

Salt and vinegar can also help remove stubborn stains effectively. Just mix one tablespoon of salt per gallon of water and soak plastic surfaces in it for 30-60 minutes before rinsing off and drying with a clean towel. You could also try using powdered cleaners such as Comet or Ajax with bleach to scrub stains away; for optimal results use a toothbrush to get into corners and edges of metal trim trim.

Food Stains

Food stains are an integral part of eating well and playing with food, but when they show up on plastic containers or dishes they can become quite annoying. With promptness (the longer stains sit the harder they become to remove) and pre-treat/soaking solutions designed specifically to address such stains you can have them vanished quickly.

Oily stains from tomato sauce or bolognese can be extremely stubborn to get rid of. A US woman shared an effective tip on TikTok that only requires washing up liquid, warm water and an old piece of paper towel to do the trick! She stated this ‘trick has saved so many of my containers!’ in the video description.

To effectively address these stains, the key to successful removal lies in not using cold water as this could spread them further and become harder to get off. Instead, sprinkle flour, talcum powder or cornstarch onto the spot in question and allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes before applying any mild detergent and washing them off in warm, soapy water.

If none of these solutions are on hand, a mixture of vinegar and lemon juice may also do the trick – this combination works particularly well at dissolving greasy stains such as those caused by eggs or oil. You could also try applying liquid dish soap designed to cut grease before rinsing with cold water afterwards.

If these treatments fail to remove stains, Forte suggests using a solution made up of one tablespoon chlorine bleach mixed with one cup water. Pour this solution directly onto the stain or place in a container large enough to hold your plastic item and allow to soak for 30 minutes. If that fails too, try using solvents such as acetone or oxalic acid which are available as liquid mixes that you mix with water; these solutions should work eventually but may take more time and longer soak times before showing results.

Blood Stains

Blood stains can be one of the hardest types of stains to remove from clothing. To be effective at treating them quickly and successfully, they must not dry out; otherwise it will become increasingly challenging. For a fresh blood stain, flush it away by running cold water over it (if available, under running cold tap in sink) while gently rubbing at stain as it flushes off with gentle pressure; alternatively soak fabric in cold water, rubbing and dunking as necessary until stain is gone; for large bloodstains turn fabric inside out and scrub it using soap and water; this helps attack it from behind and push it out through fabric to the fabric’s fabric surface and allows more effective removal from within fabric itself.

Soaking fabric in cold water and using enzyme-based laundry detergent or pretreatment products designed specifically to remove blood stains may also help; such products often come in spray bottles and contain chemicals designed to breakdown proteins in blood stains. If these cannot be found, hydrogen peroxide works just as effectively – simply pour a drop over each stain, gently blotting until no trace remains of blood is visible anymore.

Baking soda is an effective solution for stain removal. Combine it with water to form a paste, then apply directly over stained areas. Alternatively, soak fabric stained by unseasoned meat tenderizer dissolved in cold water or soak with hydrogen peroxide and cold water solution before treating with ammonia for old, dried stains.

Another effective method for cleaning blood stains from plastic surfaces is rubbing them with white vinegar, especially on dark fabrics, as the acetic acid in vinegar helps lighten stains. For stubborn stains, you could also try commercial stain removers marketed as “food safe”, which often do the trick for everything from blood to fruit and beverage stains.

Oil Stains

Plastic is a hardy material, yet still gets dirty over time. Household or commercial cleaners can help make plastic items appear brand new again by washing away dirt. All it takes to restore them is using the right cleaner with some elbow grease; although some stubborn stains may require special attention – cleaning supplies usually suffice in such instances.

Oil stains on plastic surfaces can be hard to get rid of, but there are various approaches you can try in order to do just that. A mild cleanser, such as tub/tile/sink cleaner or all-purpose cleaner may work, as will using vinegar with liquid detergent as an all-in-one cleanser or mixing the two together for even faster results. For stubborn spots you could rub on some isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol before applying some baking soda or an old toothbrush to scrub.

Another effective method for cleaning plastic surfaces of oil stains is soaking them in an equal mixture of vinegar and water, since vinegar contains natural acids that can break down mineral deposits while simultaneously eliminating odors. For optimal results, soak your item for 15 minutes prior to scrubbing it clean.

Use bleach to eliminate stubborn plastic stains with ease. Powdered oxygen bleach works great and won’t harm most plastics, simply mix it with water in a bucket before dipping a sponge or soft bristled brush in it before wiping down furniture with it and targeting areas with particularly stubborn stains – scrub until all traces of stain have vanished before thoroughly rinsing off afterwards.

Dish soap is an ideal solution for washing plastic dishes, toys and other plastic objects. As an effective degreaser, dish soap can easily cut through layers of dirt and grime to reveal clean surfaces underneath. For tough stains or stubborn dirt patches, add baking soda to the solution for an additional cleaning boost – using either a sponge or an old toothbrush as needed to scrub at it until all spots have been eliminated!