I would rerun it through the dishwasher with the Cascade Plastic Booster (that's what its called). You should be able to find it right near the dishsoaps, it's in a squeeze tube. Or if you can't find that, try powdered Tang, I've heard that also works in the dishwasher for stains.

Did you try that Mr. Clean Eraser on it?

Try Clorox Soft Scrub, the one with bleach.

Soak overnight with bleach and water, otherwise try a paste of Baking soda.
Judy Good

Hi - I tried all of the above except the Mr. Clean eraser and the tang. Believe it or not I have been searching for that Cascade plastic booster and cannot find it very easily. Anyone know if it's sold on the East coast yet? I even had a coupon for it and never found it.

I will look again but in the meantime - Tang it is. Thanks, Debbie

I purposely looked for it the last time I was at the store to make sure they still sell it, at Kroger and at WalMart it is near the rinse-aids like Jet Dry for your automatic dishwashers. I don't have a dishwasher in this house so I haven't looked there in a long time, but they do still sell it. I would think you would have it where you live, if not, just ask the store to order it for you. They should be glad to. Or send me an e-mail and I will send you some!! :)

I have no idea of this works on all plastics, but I had several tupper/other-type containers that were severely stained and nothing tried removed the stains. One day I put a couple drops of handsoap (sofsoap's aloe) in a container and filled it with water to soak. I got interrupted and it soaked for several hours. When I finally washed it out -- the tomato stains were all gone! I've since tried it on all the other containers including one that had been stained for 20 years; the 20 year stain still has a nearly invisible yellowish tint, but all the other containers look like new. It does seem best to let it soak overnight.

If anyone else tries the sofsoap soak, please let me know if it works that well for you; our area has medium-hard water which might affect the outcome.

One way to keep tomato sauce from staining the plastic is to spray the plastic container interior with Pam before putting the sauce in. The stain is caused by heating the container with the sauce in it.

I have found that spraying Fantastic on rubbermaid containers removes all tomatoe stains. Then I wash with dishwashing liquid.

Thanks for the soaking soft plastic in hand soap overnight tip! I've had luck with very inexpensive, store brands of liquid soap using this hint. I have a blender with a white, soft plastic top. Lately, we've been making our own tomato sauce and the stains from fresh tomatoes looked completely gruesome. Soaking overnight works for 90% of the stains; tougher ones can be completely eradicated by sitting the plastic in the sun for a few hours after soaking.

Spray with... Clorox Clean Up Spray ...and let stand for a while, the stain will be reduced. Repeat as necessary to get all the stain out.

I was at a Tupperware party 20 years ago, and that question was asked. The answer was, soak them in warm water with bleach, and keep the tomato sauce out of it in the future.

Have you tried soaking them with automatic dishwasher soap instead of regular dish soap? I've had good luck with that if I use it right away on something. I don't know if it works on old stains though. I only use glass bowls for storing anything greasy, or with tomatoe, but my spatulas get stained badly, and they don't make glass spatulas. LOL.

There's a product at most dollar stores called LA Awesome. I didn't believe, but this stuff is remarkable at removing stains. I've used it on plastic for tomato, coffee pot lid for the brown gunk that builds up, my white coffee pot basket, juice stains on old white formica. I go looking around for stains and stuff just to see what it won't take off.

I wonder about sunlight.

I was reading somewhere that the ancients used food as coloring for a lot of things but sunlight bleached them out so archaeologist can't just look at something and determine what color it might have been. It wasn't apparent in the article how long the exposure must have been to produce the bleaching affect.

I tossed all my tomato sauce on plastic last time I moved or I would test it and report.

I'd just like to add that the Rubbermaid Premier plastic containers are very stain-resistent. They're also expensive, compared to other brands, and hard to find. (I bought mine at Target.) They really do hold up better to tomato sauce than other plastic containers, so I think the extra cost is worth it, in the long run.

It's not much help with your set-in stains, but I've found that drizzling liquid dish soap (I prefer Dawn) into the container and rubbing it thoroughly into ALL the sauce BEFORE using any water, removes all the sauce and leaves no stains.

Once water hits the sauce it seems to fuse with the plastic.

I heard it is very toxic to heat in plastic, dixon. I heat my food in glass just in case. lol Atleast it keeps the plastic cleaner.