My mom taught me this trick to get red stains out of plastic containers with 0 effort. Here’s how it works.

That’s a classic mom trick 😄 — and it really does feel like magic.

Here’s how it works:

🧴 The Zero-Effort Red Stain Trick (Great for Tomato Sauce Stains)

You’ll need:

• Dish soap
• Paper towel
• Warm water
• The stained plastic container (usually from tomato sauce, chili, curry, etc.)

Steps:

1. Add a few drops of dish soap to the stained container.
2. Add warm water (just enough to cover the stained area — don’t fill it completely).
3. Tear off a piece of paper towel and place it inside.
4. Put the lid on tightly.
5. Shake vigorously for 10–20 seconds.

Open it up and — boom — the red stains are basically gone.

---

✨ Why It Works

Tomato-based stains contain oils and pigments (like lycopene).

• The dish soap breaks down the oils.
• The paper towel acts like a gentle scrubber, rubbing the surface as you shake.
• The warm water helps loosen everything.

No scrubbing with a sponge. No baking soda paste. No soaking overnight.

---

If you want, I can also share the microwave method that works surprisingly well too.