Now that you own a few pieces of Tupperware, you should know how to take care of your investment.
Here are few important tips regarding cleaning, storage and making sure your favorite things are always in good condition.
Use the yellow soft part of the spongeto clean your Tupperware.
As soon as you bring back your Tupperware home, give it a good rinse in lightly soapy solution. Rinse again with clean water and then wipe dry.
It is important to use only soft sponge to clean it.
You know that washing up sponges have two sides, right?
Use the side that is not abrasive ONLY to clean your precious Tupperware.
Strictly avoid the use of abrasive scrubbers and washing powders to prevent cuts and scratches.
Otherwise there will be unsightly scratches on your precious pieces.
Train your maid too about how to clean your Tupperware. I have heard too many horror stories about maids who use excessive cleaning agent and steel wire to clean the Tupperware.
Oily Tupperware from leftover food especially from curry and sauces? It is common that we leave our Tupperware together with oily plates or bowls in the kitchen sink. Separate them, ladies.
However, if the Tupperware containers themselves are oily, first get some hot water (not boiling hot, mind you) and pour it in the container with some washing up liquid. Shake it a little and throw the hot solution out. Only then clean with soft sponge and rinse with clean water. Hot water works best to clean the oily residue. It is also good if you wipe out the oily residue with kitchen towel before you pour the hot water so that less washing up liquid is needed.
Tips to clean stains from your Tupperware
Then, there is a matter of stains that will not come out. Tomato paste and curry are notorious for leaving their marks on our lovely Tupperware. So, how do we prevent this from happening?
You can either spray some non-stick oil before putting the sauces or curry inside the container OR use a pastry brush to lightly brush the sides of the container with vegetable oil before pouring in the stain making sauces. The principle behind this is, this thin layer of oil will prevent the sauces from sticking on the side of the container. Simple, isn’t it?
Few more tips for cleaning Tupperware stains which you will surely find very useful.
Baking soda – This is one of those products which can be used to remove the stains with very less effort. You just need to sprinkle the soda in the container and wipe it slowly with a moist cloth or towel. You will see the stains disappearing very soon.
Lemon juice – There are many stains which we refer to as ‘stubborn’, since we cannot get rid of them easily. Lemon juice works well to remove these stains. You just need to squeeze fresh lemon juice on the stained area of the container and then place it in the sun. You will notice that the stain is slowly dissolving in the juice. When you rinse it in warm water, you will find that the stain has completely disappeared from the Tupperware. Lemon juice helps to remove some undesirable odors too which might exist in the container.
White vinegar – This is one of the oldest methods to remove stains from containers. White vinegar is known to be one of the best stain removers and is considered to be safer than several commercial products. You can mix white vinegar with warm water and then leave it on the stain for around an hour. After one hour you can rinse the container. You will love to see the stain disappearing in no time. If you still find that the stain is not removed or has just lightened a bit, you can add some baking soda with white vinegar and try to remove the stains. You will surely be successful in not only removing the stains but in also getting rid of some unwanted odors.
Salt – You can also use milk powder with some iodized salt as a scrub to remove stains from Tupperware. You can dissolve the salt in some lukewarm water and then use a very soft cloth or a wipe and scrub it slowly on the stained area. It is best to keep the Tupperware soaked in the solution for an hour to get the maximum benefits. However, you have to remember that you don’t rub the Tupperware too harshly as it shall damage the container.
Smelly Containers:
Do you notice sometimes that if you’ve left something in a tupperware for days, or weeks, or even months (if you’ve frozen it), your tupperware will still smell like its previous contents even after they are gone? If you get some undesirable smellout of your containers, there are several ways to deal with them. Here are some effective methods:
Do you notice sometimes that if you’ve left something in a tupperware for days, or weeks, or even months (if you’ve frozen it), your tupperware will still smell like its previous contents even after they are gone? If you get some undesirable smellout of your containers, there are several ways to deal with them. Here are some effective methods:
- Wet some pieces of newspaper and store it overnight with the lids closed. The carbon in the newspaper print will absorb the smell.
- Shred some pandanus leaves and leave them in the container
- Wash with some real lime or lemon juice to get fresh fragrance
- To remove food odor from plastic storage containers , fill with warm water and add a little dry mustard (about 1/4 teaspoon per quart). Let soak for an hour or so, then wash.
Tips for Storing your Tupperware
When you store the unused container, do not seal the lid. Leave a little space in between so that air can circulate. The reason is because, stale air can leave unpleasant smell. Another reason is, if left too long in your pantry when the temperature fluctuates, the air trapped in the container (Tupperware containers are air-tight, so air cannot escape!) will cause the lid to break over time. So, always do not close the lids, make sure the lids and the bases are separated or at least leave a little space in between so that air can circulate as shown in the picture.
How to Clean Vintage Tupperware
Finally let us see how to clean our old Tupperware products. Generally Tupperware has a lifetime guarantee against chipping and cracking, but years of use will leave your vintage Tupperware tacky and stained, and it seems impossible to clean. Believe it or not, the solution is probably hiding in your cupboard, and before you know it, your vintage Tupperware can look like the day it was delivered.
Instructions
- Pour 2 cups of white vinegar into a bucket or shallow bowl.
- Place the lids to your vintage Tupperware in the vinegar to soak.
- Dip a sponge into the vinegar and wipe the entire surface of your Tupperware bowl or canister. The built-up grease and grime will wipe off.
- Wet the bristles of a soft brush with vinegar. Run the brush along any edges and under the lip of your Tupperware item to reach any hidden grime.
- Scrub the lids gently with the brush, taking care to reach the grooves and edges.
- Rinse all pieces and towel- or air-dry them. Your Tupperware will look like new.
