How to Remove Red Stains From Plastic

Red wine, berries and tomato-based sauces can stain plastics.

Avoid using natural soaps when cleaning red-stained plastic; it only sets the stain further, making stain removal more difficult.

1. Set the plastic out in direct sun for an entire day. The sun will often bleach out the stain.

2. Sprinkle baking soda on the plastic. Add a little water to make a paste. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Scrub the baking soda on the red stains until they disappear. Wash as you normally would.

3. Fill the container with 1 part bleach and 3 parts water. Allow it to sit for about two hours. Rinse well.

4. Fill the plastic container with hot water. Drop in two denture tablets and allow it to sit overnight. Wash as usual.

5. Apply a cleaner made to clean coffee pots. These cleaners are formulated to remove stains from coffee pots and will remove red stains from plastic as well. Add about a tsp. of the cleaner to the container, fill with hot water and let sit overnight. Wash as usual the next morning.

Tip

To prevent red stains on plastic, spray the plastic with a nonstick cooking spray before placing food in it.