Plastic is omnipresent, especially in your home, but also in your car. From Tupperware to remote controls, plastic generally has a long lifespan. It doesn't corrode easily, it's light and inexpensive, and it helps preserve our food by keeping it fresh for days in the fridge. While plastic has many benefits, it also tends to absorb strong odors and stains. We'll tell you below how you can clean plastic!
Clean yellowed plastic with chlorine bleach or vinegar
Stains penetrate white plastic, especially when you reheat food in the microwave. This is a good stain removal recipe: 1 tablespoon of chlorine bleach in 250 ml of water. Pour the water just above the stain or place the solution in a container large enough to hold the plastic item. Allow the solution to sit for 30 minutes or until the stain is gone. Then rinse the plastic part with warm, soapy water.
If you prefer a natural way to clean your yellowed plastic, you'll need white vinegar as a stain remover. For example, fill the dirty plastic container with 1 part water and 1 part vinegar. Let the vinegar sit overnight or until the stain has faded.
The best tip: If you store pasta with red sauce in a plastic container, remove it to a non-plastic plate first before reheating it in the microwave.
Plastic container stinks: use baking soda
You can remove odors like garlic by making a thick paste of baking soda and water. Rub the paste into the plastic to absorb odors. A baking soda paste can also help if your stain removal solution isn't enough. Work the paste into the stain using a small microfiber cloth or soft-bristled brush.
Note the following:If a plastic part is warped, bent, or misshapen, it's time to discard it. Of course you should recycle the parts. You can also reuse food containers, perhaps in the garage to store small items or in your office as a paper clip holder.
Clean and refresh sticky plastic with home remedies
You need:
- Baking soda
- Water
- Soft towels
Steps to remove stickiness:
- Mix baking soda and water in a small bowl to form a paste.
- Rub the paste over the surface of the plastic with a soft cloth. The baking soda acts like a mild abrasive and cleans the sticky plastic.
- Wipe the item with a damp cloth.
Clean and polish plastic in the car
A cheap but effective method for cleaning plastic trim and car dashboards is a homemade solution of equal parts vinegar and water in a spray bottle. This combination canalso for cleaningof vinyl can be used in car interiors.
Be careful not to spray too much and damage electronics from excessive moisture. To avoid this, apply the solution to a microfiber cloth and wipe the affected areas with the cloth until the stains disappear. To spot clean textured plastic, use a soft brush or toothbrush to thoroughly scrub the grooves. When an area is finally stain-free, take another microfiber cloth and wipe it dry.
Another step if you want to keep your vehicle looking new is polishing the interior plastic. If you have olive oil in your pantry, you can use it to polish plastic surfaces.
Plastic cleaning: get the remote control shining again
To clean plastic remote controls, you can use a squirt of rubbing alcohol. Do not oversaturate the remote or allow liquid to seep between the buttons. Alcohol dries very quickly so this shouldn't be a problem. Do not put the solution directly on the remote control, but apply it with a cloth or cotton ball.
- Remove the batteries from the remote control.
- Dip a cotton ball or cloth in rubbing alcohol. Squeeze out the excess liquid.
- Wipe the entire surface of the remote control.
- Use a cotton swab soaked in alcohol to gently clean the keys.
- Allow the remote control to air dry.
You can use rubbing alcohol to get sticky plastic anywhereclean at home!
Clean plastic sinks with denture cleaner tablets
Denture cleaner tablets react with stains and cause an effervescent reaction, making yellow stains on white plastic easy to wipe away. They also contain brighteners that will make your plastic or acrylic sink sparkling clean again.
Insert the stopper and fill the sink with water. Now you can start the cleaning process by dropping 5 to 10 denture cleaner tabs into it. Once they start hissing, let the solution sit for an hour or two, or even overnight. Keep checking the sink during rest periods. Once the bubbling stops, you can pull out the stopper and drain the sink.
Finally, take a wet sponge and wipe off any remnants of the tablets left at the bottom of the plastic sink. This should be done before the remains dry or crust over. You can also use the sponge to wipe away the loosened stains. Swipe fora thorough cleaningWash the sides and bottom of the sink with dish soap. Then rinse and dry the sink.
Get plastic window frames white again
The best way to clean plastic window frames is as follows:
- Issue a solutionwhite vinegar and warm waterin a spray bottle: Use 250 ml vinegar with 1 liter warm water to clean the frames.
- Allow the solution to sit for 10 minutes before wiping the frames with a soft cloth.
