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This is particularly important for food hygiene, and will prevent the risk of bacteria.
But, how do you know when its time to recycle them?
Stained plastic food container
Here are the telltale signs that you oughta throw out old plastic food containers right now!
But if you cant remove stubborn stains after every wash, then its time to ditch these.
In addition, who wants to put food in a stained container anyway?
Stained plastic food container
Apply the paste to the stained areas and let it sit for a few hours.
Then clean with a damp cloth or sponge and wash it thoroughly before drying.
Again, baking soda has natural deodorizing properties and can absorb and remove odors.
Fresh tomatoes in plastic food container
So if you have any malfunctioning lids that wont close properly, get rid of these right now.
Time to refresh your containers?
This set from Rubbermaid is BPA-free and comes with 7 containers in assorted sizes with secure clip-safe lids.
Women putting a green lid on top of a plastic food container
Ideal for meal prepping.
Any plastic containers or lids should be thrown out at any signs of damage.
But besides looking outdated, there is an important reason why you should throw these out.
In past decades, many container-makers worked with plastics that includedbisphenol A, or BPA.
This is a harmful chemical that can leak into food and potentially cause serious health conditions.
Nowadays, manufacturers have removed these chemicals from their products and use all food-grade, BPA-free materials.
Such hot water/heat conditions could weaken the plastics, leave scratches or compromise the structure.
More from Tom’s Guide
Plastic food containers
