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Scrubbing grease and old caked-on food out of plastic food containers can be tough, but molded food containers pose a unique challenge. You definitely need to make sure you get mold out of plastic food containers completely so that they remain safe to use. Plus, you need to get rid of the moldy odor so that it will not contaminate the smell and taste of your food.

So how can you remove mold from plastic food containers? It is a relatively fast and easy process if you have the right supplies on hand.

You will need:
• Bleach
• Non-ammonia detergent
• Water
• A sponge or cloth

Here are the steps to clean mold from plastic containers:

1. Start by using just the non-ammonia detergent. Wash the mold which you can see away using the detergent. Be as thorough as you can with this step. Why do you need to steer clear of ammonia? The reason has to do with the bleach which you will apply next. If any ammonia and bleach were to come into contact with each other, they would react, and the fumes would be toxic.

2. Rinse the non-ammonia detergent out of the container.

3. Next, get your bleach and dilute it. Use about a gallon of water for every half cup of bleach. If needed, you can double the amount of bleach in the mixture. Make sure that you are working in an area which is well-ventilated (you could even do this step outside). You may want to wear a pair of rubber gloves while you are working.

4. Submerge the plastic container in the bleach solution.

5. Wait for fifteen minutes or more while the bleach does its work.

6. Pull the container out of the bleach and rinse it away completely.

7. Follow up with another round of non-ammonia detergent. Scrub thoroughly, and rinse again.

8. Now, you just have to wait for the plastic container to dry off. Once it does, it should be mold-free and ready to use again.

Another thing you can do while you are waiting for the container to dry is set it outside in direct sunlight. By this point, the container should be thoroughly clean of mold, but sunlight kills mold, so it doesn’t hurt to follow up with this. Plus, it will dry the plastic container faster so you can use it again sooner.

Don’t want to use bleach to clean mold from your plastic food bins? The next best option is white vinegar, which is a natural and a lot less harsh. It may take extra time and effort to get rid of the mold this way, but it is a good choice if you want something which is gentler on your containers and your hands.

Getting mold out of plastic food containers can take some serious scrubbing and soaking, but if you put in the effort, you can get your containers sparkling clean and mold-free once again. Properly cared for, they can last you many years!