The versatility of plastic has resulted in its being used in so many items that we use everyday that we just seem to take plastic for granted.

To clean plastic, it is best to be prepared and organized so that the process goes quickly and smoothly.

The size of the item will determine where to clean your plastic items. For smaller items, the laundry sink may be appropriate but for larger items it is best to clean them outside. If the items are larger, it is also best not to wear good clothes when doing this.

Prepare a bucket (if you are not using the laundry sink), washing agent, a soft cloth, some dry towels, an old toothbrush (for those hard to reach places), rubber gloves, and a garden hose (if outside, of course).

Cleaning Solution

There are many agents you can use for cleaning plastic –

Baking soda (dip wet cloth into baking soda and rub gently);

Washing soda (1 part washing soda to 10 parts water);

OxiClean (1 part OxiClean with 4 parts water);

Automatic dish washing soap (1 part detergent to 4 parts water);

Bleach and water (a 50/50 solution);

Or even WD-40, to name a few.

But the only ones we at Keter would recommend are:

Vinegar – apple cider (directly without mixing) or white (2 cups vinegar and 2 tablespoons of liquid dish washing solution into a bucket of warm water);

Or acetic acid – 1 cup white vinegar (5% Acetic acid) with 5-7 litres of water – excellent for polypropylene outdoor furniture.

Get to It

First clean the item by washing off exterior dirt two or three times with a hose or under the tap. If washing in the sink, you can allow the item to soak for 5-10 minutes in the water and detergent mixture and then scrub gently with the soft cloth, rinse off peripheral solution and dry. If the item has small nooks and crannies, use the toothbrush to clean these tricky areas.

It is always important to dry the item thoroughly as soon as you have finished cleaning it as plastic is prone to stubborn water marks. Also, never use abrasive cleaning materials such as steel wool when cleaning plastic as they will permanently destroy the look and feel of the plastic.