Grandma's simple trick to remove stains from plastic containers is a big hit on the internet

Plastic containers, especially those storing any kind of sauce or highly pigmented food items, are difficult to clean, more so because they end up with stubborn stains that withstand washing. If you, too, have a tough time dealing with cleaning such containers, then you might need to hear Ariganja (@ariganja) speak. In 2023, she shared a video on TikTok, talking about a hack she learned from her friend's grandma, and it's something all homemakers must try!

"So I am going to teach you something that my friend's grandma taught me a long time ago, and it has to do with containers that look like this," Ariganja spoke, showing a discolored receptacle. First, Ariganja cleaned the container, but even after a thorough wash, the spots were clearly visible. To get rid of those hard-to-remove stains, Ariganja took a paper towel, ripped it to get a couple of pieces, kept them aside, and filled the dirty container with hot water. "Then you take a little bit of soap and put a little bit there," she said, adding paper towels to the container with hot water and soap. Next, Ariganja put on the lid of the box and kept shaking it for a couple of minutes. Surprisingly, this time, when she opened the lid and poured out the water inside, she saw that the container was completely clean and free of any visible food stains. "Best hack I was ever taught," Ariganja wrote in the caption. 

Almost everyone knows about the harmful effects of plastic, yet it's easily the go-to choice for kitchen storage in many households. If we can't avoid plastic, at least we must work towards recycling it. But how often do we really see people taking steps towards recycling plastic? As shocking as it may sound, 40 million tons of plastic waste were generated in the United States in 2022, and among them, only 5 to 6% was recycled, according to Smithsonian magazine, citing a report by report, conducted by the environmental groups Beyond Plastics and The Last Beach Cleanup.

Considering the current scenario, Ariganja's hack can stop people from throwing away their plastic containers only after a few uses, because of the stains. So, next time, you have a plastic container with adamant stains, you know exactly what you can do to get rid of them.

Reacting to Ariganja's kitchen hack, @rebgoe commented, "I kept watching this thinking it was a joke... waiting for her to say 'and then throw it away,' but the actual result of it actually cleaning is better." On the other hand, @joe said, "If the food is leaching into the plastic, then the plastic is leaching into the food. Quit using it."

Similarly, a user who goes by @chick__norris on TikTok suggested, "Also spraying the container with Pam before you put the food in will prevent the orange!" Another user on the platform, @mommafangs, said, "To prevent that in the first place, spray them both with nonstick spray before you put food in them." @justagirlfromcolorado commented, "Set them out in the sun for the day; nothing in it too. The sun bleaches it back to clear!"

You can follow Ariganja (@ariganja) on TikTok for lifestyle content.