ptquilts

Leave them out in the sun for a day, that will bleach out tomato stains from plastic.

paoberle

I don't worry about it, but I have heard that if you spray the container with cooking spray before putting in the sauce it will help.

coopah

Just an idea...try a paste of baking soda with water. It won't hurt anything or leave a residue. Freezing/storing the sauce in glass jars is probably the best idea for the future.

callen

When my utensils & plastic get stained from tomato sauce, I use Fantastic With Bleach. I let it soak for a while (sometimes I have to do it more than once) wash it & rinse it well & most of the time, the stains come out. Worth a try. I buy my Fantastic with Bleach at WalMart. Probably bleach diluted with a bit of hot water may do the same thing. I don't buy a lot of bleach so often times I don't have any.

tessagin

the chemicals in the non-stick sprays break down the plastic. I use Ziploc bags also. If you want to keep it from sticking just rub a little olive oil around the container. But if you're going to put different sauces in a plastic container just let it set out for a short time so it will loosen from the sides. I quit along time ago putting plastic/Tupperware/Rubbermaid containers in the microwave. Even if they are microwave safe. I just put them into a glass (Pyrex) to microwave.

tessagin

I would put a little oil in the bag and spread it around. I've gotten to where I hate using the cooking sprays too often because of the propellents.

DonnaC

Like Barb, my mom used to put the plastic containers on our windowsills in the sun to bleach out the sauce stains.

I've actually switched over to only using glass containers for leftovers. I find that the plastic containers take on a weird odor after a while, which I can't stand.

ptquilts

I would be nervous about using a bleach cleaner in plastic. Who knows what it might absorb. I like the idea about lining them with plastic bags.

slbram17

I can't stand the way a plastic container looks after something tomato based has stained it. I have tried bleach, etc but seems to be permanent. So I am slowly moving away from plastic to glass. I use Pyrex or Anchor Hocking containers, and use a piece of plastic wrap over the lip if I am putting something red in it.

Another reason is I used a container once to hold powder laundry detergent. No matter how many times I washed it, it always contaminated whatever I put in it with the taste and smell of laundry detergent.

jbj137

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*** Chasing Hawk that is a Super Smart idea.
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