How to clean plastic food containers

Do you want to know how to clean your plastic food containers so they look brand new? Tomato stains will never get the better of you again. Discover our tips!

Plastic food containers are an essential item in any Spanish kitchen. Nowadays we use this object for everything; to store any food that is left over from cooking; to freeze food; store a wedge of cheese in the fridge so it doesn’t dry out; to prepare our batch cooking and to take food or lunch to work and, of course, to transport homemade food that our parents make at home that we love so much, like paella or croquettes! Plastic food containers are something we use every day, but it’s up to us to keep them in perfect condition. Below, we tell you how to clean plastic food containers and remove the most stubborn stains. 

Tips for cleaning plastic food containers

Although there are various types of food containers, plastic ones are the most widely used thanks to their convenience and robustness. Despite this being such a useful product, lots of people shun them because they think they get dirty more easily and that certain stains caused at home, like tomato, or food colouring, are difficult to treat. If you think the same, then you’ll be interested in the tips we offer you below!

How to remove grease from a plastic food container

• Concentrated washing-up liquid: To remove grease or oil residue from plastic food containers, you normally just need to use a good concentrated washing-up liquid, but if the stains are particularly stubborn, there are a few tips that may help.
• Lemon juice and hot water: when cleaning the food container, pour a little lemon juice with hot water and leave to activate for a while. After that time, pour out the contents and clean the food container as normal.
• Kitchen paper, washing-up liquid and hot water: fill your food container with hot water, pour some concentrated washing-up liquid in and then a piece of kitchen paper. Cover and leave for as long as necessary, normally 5 or 10 minutes. After that time, pour out the contents and clean as normal with a scouring sponge.
• Cleaning vinegar, hot water and scouring sponge: pour half a cup of hot water and half a cup of cleaning vinegar into the container. Keep the mixture in the container for 15 minutes, rinse with water and clean your food container as normal.
• Grease removal products: nowadays there are various  degreaserproducts, that are suitable for combating dirt residues from any surface and ensuring it looks like new. Pour the degreaser into the plastic food container and leave it to activate for 5 minutes. After that time, rinse the food container with hot water and clean with a scouring sponge and your usual washing-up liquid. Goodbye grease! 

How to remove tomato and food colouring stains from a plastic food container

• Bicarbonate of soda, white vinegar, hot water, scouring sponge and washing-up liquid: Soak a sponge or sourer with white vinegar, sprinkle the bicarbonate of soda inside the container and scrub the entire container. Leave to work for 5 or 10 minutes and rinse with plenty of hot water. Then, clean the container as normal with your preferred washing-up liquid. Say goodbye to impossible stains!