If you love storing your tomato sauce in plastic containers, then learning how to remove tomato stains from plastic is essential. Luckily, you can remove the tomato stains with common household items such as vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, and lemon.
Tomato stains develop due to bright red pigment in tomatoes known as lycopene which is hydrophobic. The hydrophobic lycopene molecules compound together to reduce their contact with water, thus adhering to the plastic. Over time the pigment will discolor the plastic due to regular deposits.
As with any other stain, you can remove them if you put in the effort and embrace patience.
How to Remove Tomato Stains from Plastic
Distilled white vinegar and water will remove tomato stains from your plastic, e.g., food storage container. Fill the container with equal parts of water and white vinegar and let it soak for 12-24 hours. After soaking, wash the container with warm soapy water to remove the vinegar smell. Rinse and allow to dry.
Before we continue with other methods, let’s go through the precautions.
Tips and Precautions
Wear protective gear such as rubber gloves and a mask/respirator and ensure your workstation is well ventilated.
Do not rough scrub the plastic surfaces when removing the stains because it may leave your plastic surface scratched. If you must use rough scrubbers such as scouring pads or steel wool, be gentle enough.
Do not use vinegar and hydrogen peroxide together because they will form a toxic gas. You can use hydrogen peroxide to remove tomato stains if vinegar fails but remember to wash off vinegar thoroughly before soaking in hydrogen peroxide.
Wash the plastic surface or container 2-3 times if you opt for hydrogen peroxide as your cleaning solvent because ingesting hydrogen peroxide will cause serious health complications.
Now read through for other methods.
How to Remove Tomato Stains from Plastic with Liquid Dish Soap
Using a dishwasher will not remove slightly tough tomato stains. Liquid dish soap has degreasing properties that cut through the grease when handwashing the plasticware.
The Supplies You Will Need
- Liquid dish soap (Dawn)
- Sponge
- Water
- Dish drying rack
The Steps
Step 1: Handwash the plastic with concentrated liquid dish soap as you scrub with a sponge, just like you’d do with any other utensil.
Step 2: Put the plasticware on the dish drying rack and let it air dry.
Step 3: Once the plasticware has dried, move it to the windowsill or any other place it can access direct sunlight. The sun will lift off the stains over time.
Step 4: Check occasionally since the stains will take several hours to lift off.
Alternatively;
Step 1: Rinse the plasticware with hot water to remove excess oil from the tomato stains.
Step 2: Add four tablespoons of liquid dish soap into the plasticware.
Step 3: Add a few drops of hot water and scrub the stains with a sponge.
Step 4: After scrubbing, fill the plastic container with hot water and seal it up. For plasticware that cant hold water, soak them in another container.
Step 5: Let it sit for a few hours or overnight, depending on the toughness of the tomato stains.
Step 6: Once clean, rinse the plasticware and let it dry.
How to Remove Tomato Stains from Plastic with Lemon
Lemons are famous among the DIY community because of their degreasing and cleaning properties. Just some effort and patience and the tomato stains will be gone.
The Supplies You Will Need
- Liquid dish soap
- Sponge
- Water
- Lemon
The Steps
Step 1: Cut the lemon in half.
Step 2: Rub both halves of the lemon on the tomato stains. Squeeze out more lemon juice onto the stains as you rub back and forth across the affected area.
Step 3: Soak with hot water for a few hours to remove stubborn stains. The lemon and water solution will make the tomato stains lose their grip, making them easy to remove.
Step 4: Once clean, wash the plasticware with a sponge and liquid dish soap to remove lemon residues.
Step 5: Rinse with clean water and allow the plasticware to dry.
How to Remove Tomato Stains from Plastic with Baking Soda
Baking soda always comes in handy when removing tomato stains from plastic. It is an innate deodorizer that cleans the surface while also removing the tomato stains smell.
Baking soda leaves your plasticware stainless and fresh. Use this method, especially if your tomato stains have an odor.
The Supplies You Will Need
- Water
- Gloves
- Baking soda
- Liquid dish soap
- Dish
- Sponge
The Steps
Step 1: Mix water and baking soda to form a thick paste. Pour 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda into a dish, add water and stir until it forms a thick paste.
The amount of baking soda and water varies based on your plastic size. So make enough paste for your plasticware.
Step 2: Spread the paste inside or over the stained plastic. Be generous with the paste to cover the stains completely.
Step 3: Rub the paste into the tomato stains with a sponge. Rub hard to press the paste into the pores on the plasticware.
Avoid using abrasives such as scouring pads or steel wool because they will scratch the plastic.
Step 4: Let the paste sit on the surface for 5-10 minutes as the paste work on the stains.
If the stain is old or stubborn, let the baking soda sit on the surface for a few hours or, even better, overnight. You can also add hot water to the paste.
Step 5: Once the waiting period has elapsed, wash the plastic using liquid dish soap and water. The stains should be gone. Repeat the process if necessary.
Step 6: Rinse and allow to dry.
How to Remove Tomato Stains from Plastic with Vinegar and Baking Soda
A mixture of vinegar and baking soda works best on tougher tomato stains. Mix the two if you encounter tougher stains on your food container.
The Supplies You Will Need
- Gloves
- Baking soda
- White vinegar
- Sponge
- Water
The Steps
Step 1: Wear gloves to protect your skin.
Step 2: Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of baking soda into the stained container or over the stained plastic surface. On the baking soda, pour 1 cup of white vinegar. The two solvents will foam upon contact, so do the cleaning in a sink or a place you wouldn’t mind messing up.
Step 3: Scrub the plastic with a sponge until you lift off all the stains. Avoid using abrasives sponges because they will leave your plastic scratched.
Step 4: Wash the machine with soapy water to remove the vinegar-baking soda solution residues. You can also wash in the dishwasher.
Step 5: Rinse with clean water and let it dry.
How to Remove Tomato Stains from Plastic with Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide lifts off extremely tough tomato stains from plastic because it is more abrasive compared to other solutions discussed in this guide.
When mixed, vinegar and hydrogen peroxide form toxic gas, so avoid cleaning with hydrogen peroxide if you recently cleaned with vinegar and haven’t washed the plastic to the required standards.
The Supplies You Will Need
- Bowl
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Water
- Dish soap
- Sponge
- Gloves
The Steps
Step 1: Grab a large bowl and put the stained plastics inside.
Step 2: Fill the bowl with hydrogen peroxide enough to submerge the stained plasticware. Spray hydrogen peroxide on the surface for plastics that you cannot soak.
Step 3: Let it sit for 6-24 hours as hydrogen peroxide weakens loosens the tomato stain grips. The waiting period depends on how tough the stains are, so check the progress occasionally.
Step 4: Once the stain is gone, wash the surface with a warm soapy water solution and a sponge to remove hydrogen peroxide residues.
Most tomato stains are found in food containers, so wash them thoroughly because consuming hydrogen peroxide can cause health complications. I recommend 2-3 times.
Step 5: Rinse the surface and allow it to dry. Repeat the process if necessary.
How to Remove Oily Tomato Residues from Plastic Food Container
You will need;
- Ice cubes
- Granulated sugar
- Water
- Dish soap
The estimates here are for smaller food containers. If you have a large one, be free to double or triple what I have recommended.
The Steps
Step 1: Sprinkle ⅕ cup of sugar into the container. The sugar will soak up the grease. Use granulated sugar for this process. Avoid confectioner or brown sugar.
Step 2: Add 1-2 tablespoons of liquid dish soap over the sugar. The soap should be unscented.
Step 3: Put ½ a dozen ice cubes on the dish soap and sugar. Pour a handful if you have small or crushed ice cubes.
The ice cubes help detach oil and tomato so that the sugar can absorb the oil easily.
Step 4: Fill the container with cool water. Ensure the water is slightly above the stain level. If the whole container is stained, fill it to the brim.
Sugar, ice, and water will bubble, showing that the container is cleaning up.
Step 5: Let the solution sit for 5-10 minutes as the sugar and soap remove oil and grease from the container.
The solution needs time to work effectively, but do not wait too long because the sugar may dissolve, setting back the oil to the container.
Do not wait for more than 30 minutes.
Step 6: Once clean, pour out the solution and wash the container as you normally wash the utensils.
How to Prevent Tomato Stains
Cleaning tomato stains from your food container is a project in itself. Don’t want to do it again? Here is what you should do.
Cooking spray: Spray the interior of your food container with cooking spray. The oil in the cooking spray will prevent the tomato stains from attaching to the porous surface of the plastic. Cooking spray is normally canola or vegetable oil-based.
Plastic wrap: Before adding tomato sauce to the plastic food container, line the inside of the container with a plastic wrap to keep the stains away from the plastic surface. When it’s time to clean, remove the wrap, drop it in the trashcan, and wash the plastic normally as with other utensils.
Butter: Rub the container with butter before adding your tomato sauce. Like cooking spray, butter contains oil that bars the sauce from adhering to the plastic. Wash with liquid dish soap once the sauce is gone.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you get spaghetti sauce stains out of Tupperware?
You’ll need;
- Dish soap
- Water
- Paper towels
Step 1: Add a few drops of liquid dish soap into the Tupperware.
Step 2: Add some warm water to the dish soap.
Step 3: Drop some ripped pieces of paper towel in the solution and seal up the Tupperware.
Step 4: Shake the Tupperware vigorously for 30 seconds to 1 minute. The stains should lift off.
Step 5: Once clean, rinse with warm water and allow it to dry.
How do you remove tomato stains from a plastic cutting board?
You’ll need;
- Baking powder
- White vinegar
- Dish soap
- Sponge
- Water
Step 1: Pour a cup of baking powder on the plastic cutting board.
Step 2: Pour a cup of white vinegar onto the entire cutting board.
Step 3: Let the solution work on the stains for a few minutes. You can wait for 5-10 minutes.
Step 4: Wash the surface with liquid dish soap, water, and a sponge to remove baking powder and vinegar residues.
Step 5: Rinse with warm water and allow it to dry.
How do you get tomato stains out of silicone?
Use hydrogen peroxide because it’s a bleaching agent.
You’ll need;
- Bowl
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Warm water
Step 1: Put the stained silicon in a bowl.
Step 2: Add hydrogen peroxide to the bowl. Ensure the silicon is submerged.
Step 3: Soak the stains for 24 hours as hydrogen peroxide works on the stains.
Step 4: Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
Bottom Line
Tomato sauce stains leave behind those unsightly reddish stains that won’t lift off through normal utensil cleaning. The alternatives are regular household cleaning products such as vinegar, baking soda, lemon, and dish soap. These products will lift off tomato stains from plastic with the right procedure.
You can prevent tomato sauce from adhering to your plastics by applying cooking spray or butter or lining the surface with a plastic wrap before adding the sauce to the container.
Now you know what to do if tomato stains get to your plastics. Remember safety first; observe the precautions.