How to Remove Yellow Stains from Plastic

Yellow stains often appear on plastic caused by food, sunlight or chemical reactions. There are many ways you can try to remove these stains, such as soaking the plastic in bleach, rubbing alcohol, or hydrogen peroxide. If you’d rather scrub than soak, try using lemon juice, salt, or baking soda to remove yellow stains from plastic.

Table of Contents

Soak plastic items

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Use rubbing alcohol to dissolve yellow stains. If it’s plastic containers, you can pour alcohol into them and let the alcohol soak for a few minutes. If the plastic item does not hold liquid, you can pour alcohol into another container and soak the plastic in it. ^{[1] X Research Source}

Wash plastic items with soap and water after pouring alcohol on them.
If alcohol is not available, you can also use hand sanitizer instead of alcohol.

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Dissolve the denture soak in hot water to remove stains. Buy denture soak tablets at the drugstore or major department store and dissolve 2 tablets in hot water. Pour the mixture on or over the stained plastic and wait until the stains disappear. Clean plastic surfaces with soap and water. ^{[2] X Research Source}

You can also use alka seltzer as an alternative to denture soaks because they work similarly.

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Use bleach to make a strong bleaching product. Mix 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of bleach per cup (240 ml) of water. Soak the plastic item in the bleach solution and wait 1-2 hours for it to soak. Wash plastic surfaces with soap and water after the bleach has been removed. ^{[3] X Research Sources}

Try applying bleach to a small portion of the plastic before soaking the entire item to make sure the bleach doesn’t damage the plastic.

Susan Stocker

Hygienist

Susan Stocker operates and owns Susan’s Green Cleaning, a leading green cleaning company in Seattle. She is locally known for her model of outstanding customer service – winner of the Better Business Torch Award 2017 for Ethics & Integrity – and is a strong advocate of fair pay, employee benefits and corporate governance. green sanitation.

Susan Stocker
Hygienist

Expert opinion: For really stubborn stains, mix equal parts water and bleach and soak overnight. Wash plastic items thoroughly, then leave them to dry in the sun for 2 days. This way, the bleach smell will go away and the sun will continue to remove the stain.

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Use vinegar if you’re afraid to use bleach. White vinegar works just as great on plastic as bleach without causing harm. Mix 1 part white vinegar with 1 part water before pouring the mixture into or on top of plastic. Soak the resin in white vinegar for several hours before washing it off with soap and water. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

If you’re trying to remove stains from plastic that won’t hold liquids, pour the white vinegar solution into a container and let the plastic soak in.
The vinegar smell will go away when you wash the plastic and let it dry.

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Soak in hydrogen peroxide to remove the yellow color on plastic. Hydrogen peroxide works well on yellowed plastic surfaces instead of just a stain. Pour enough hydrogen peroxide into the plastic bag to cover the plastic surface. Put the plastic item in a bag of hydrogen peroxide and let it dry in the sun. Leave for 3-4 hours before rinsing with water. ^{[5] X Research Sources}

You can buy hydrogen peroxide at drugstores.
If you handle plastic machinery, be sure to remove all non-plastic parts before immersing in hydrogen peroxide.
If you want, you can also use an old toothbrush to scrub the hydrogen peroxide on the plastic.

Scrub off stains

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Rub the salt onto the stain with a damp cloth. Dampen a rag or towel with warm water. Sprinkle salt on a towel, or sprinkle it directly on a plastic surface. Use a cloth to rub salt on the plastic surface to clean the stain. Continue scrubbing until the stain is gone. ^{[6] X Research Source}

Rinse the plastic off with water when you’re done scrubbing.

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Mix baking soda to remove yellow stains. Pour some baking soda into a small cup or similar object. Pour in the water slowly and mix until it becomes a paste. You can spread baking soda on the plastic surface and let it sit for a few hours. Use a sponge or paper towel to rub the mixture into the stain before rinsing it off. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

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Rub lemon juice on the plastic and leave it in the sun to remove stains. Use a knife to cut a fresh lemon in half and rub the lemon over the plastic surface to cover the stain. Take the plastic item outside to dry in the sun for a few hours or all day. Sunlight will help remove stains. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Remember to rub the lemon juice into the nooks and crannies of plastic items like the yellow streaks on a cutting board.

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Try store-bought cleaning products to see what works. Some cleaning products bought at the department store also work to remove yellow stains. Look for products specifically designed to remove stains from your plastic to see what works. Use as directed, usually with a rag or paper towel to rub the product over the stain. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Magic erasers can sometimes remove yellow stains, similar to many cleaning powders.

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Rinse plastic surfaces thoroughly to remove scouring agents. If desired, you can use soap and water to wash off cleaning solutions and/or mixtures. If the stain is not clean after the first time, you can repeat the process and scrub again.

Advice

If a method doesn’t work the first time, you can repeat the same process and try again.

Warning

Stains on plastic items caused by cooking tomato-based foods in the microwave are not usually removed.
Avoid using abrasive materials such as steel rods or scouring pads when removing stains, as they can cause scratches.

Steps

Soak plastic items

Scrub off stains

Advice

Warning

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