How to Remove Stubborn Tomato Sauce Stains from Tupperware
- Lifestyle
- Exienent
- · Updated
To remove tomato sauce stains from a plastic container, add a squirt of dish soap, an inch or two of warm water, and a torn-up paper towel, seal the lid, and shake hard for 30 to 45 seconds. The paper towel scours the corners and soaks up the oily red pigment, so the orange ring can lift without any scrubbing.
You cooked an amazing spaghetti bolognese, you packed the leftovers in a plastic Tupperware container, and you felt like a responsible adult. But a few days later, when you finally wash that container, you are left with a greasy, orange-tinted ring that refuses to come off.
We all know the struggle. No matter how hard you scrub, how much dish soap you use, or how hot the water is, tomato sauce stains on plastic containers feel completely invincible. You eventually just give up and accept that this container is now forever orange. The fix below takes about 45 seconds and three things that are already sitting next to your sink.
How Does the Paper Towel Shaking Hack Work?
This hack went viral a few years ago, and it is surprising how many people haven't tried it yet. It works so well that it can feel like a magic trick.
1. Add Soap and Water
Take your stained, orange plastic container and add a quick squirt of your regular liquid dish soap. Next, add just a little bit of warm water. You don't want to fill it up—just add about an inch or two of water so there is plenty of room for it to slosh around.
2. The Secret Ingredient: A Paper Towel
Here is the trick. Take a single piece of paper towel, tear it into a few smaller pieces, and drop them directly into the soapy water inside the container.
3. Seal and Shake
Put the lid tightly back onto the container. Make sure it is sealed perfectly so water doesn't fly everywhere. Now, just shake the container vigorously for about 30 to 45 seconds. Shake it up and down, side to side, and let that soapy water and paper towel fly all around the inside.
4. Rinse and Reveal
Take the lid off, dump the soapy water and the paper towel into the trash (don't clog your sink!), and give the container a quick rinse under the tap.
The orange stain should be gone or much fainter, and the plastic can look clear again. A deeply set stain may need a second round.
Why Does Tomato Sauce Stain Plastic, and Why Does This Work?
Tomato sauce is notoriously oily, and plastic is a porous material. When you heat up tomato sauce in a plastic container (like in the microwave), the pores in the plastic expand, and those red, oily pigments seep right in and get trapped.
When you just scrub with a sponge, you are only cleaning the surface. However, when you use this hack, the paper towel acts as a gentle, flexible abrasive that reaches into all the corners and micro-scratches of the plastic. As you shake it, the paper towel vigorously agitates the soapy water, breaking down the oils and absorbing the red pigments directly into the paper before they can reattach to the plastic.
It is incredibly simple, requires zero elbow grease, and saves you from constantly throwing away "ruined" containers. Next time you have leftover chili or pasta, don't dread the cleanup. Just grab a paper towel and shake it off!
