Can anyone tell me the best way to clean plastic containers that have been used to store plasticene? Detergent and hot water aren't doing the job!
//EDITED by admin. Reason: make topic subject more descriptive.
Cleaning Plasticene containers
Plasticine
I advertise in the school newsletters just prior to each school holiday and ask parents to save, wash and send in plastic containers, plastic bags, cardboard inserts from papertowels, aluminium cans, 1.25l drink bottles, and all the other stuff I need. I store the plasticine in flat take-away food containers and just throw them away when they get too bad.
A little off your exact topic here but I use playdough instead of plasticene in many instances. It is more pleasant to work with, a lot cheaper to replace and can last a long time in the fridge. The recipe I use is quite easy and I jsut make up a batch every so often when the stock in the fridge is getting low and I dont have any other more urgent work to attend do. Let me know if you would like the recipe 
Re: Plasticine Dear Nikki, Yes I would like to have the reci
coxy wrote:I advertise in the school newsletters just prior to each school holiday and ask parents to save, wash and send in plastic containers, plastic bags, cardboard inserts from papertowels, aluminium cans, 1.25l drink bottles, and all the other stuff I need. I store the plasticine in flat take-away food containers and just throw them away when they get too bad.
Problems with Cleaning Plastic Containers
Plastic containers are usually made from a High Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE) as you may know it. This form of plastic, like all plastic material, has a permeable surfarce which means that an oily substance, in this case Plasticine, can absorb this oil.
This leads to the container smelling for a considerable amount of time. Molecular spacing between the bonds in this plastic allows oil molecules to sit inside the plastic molecular spaces wonderfully.
When you wash the container, particularly in hot water, what is happening is the oil is reaching the temperature where the vapour of the oil is being emitted, this you can more promenently detect as the smell or odor of plasticine.
Although you may keep washing the containers they will over time keep doing this. The best alternative I can give you is that you leave the containers out in the sun. UV light will break down the oil within the plastic without affecting the plastic container itself.
Try to leave them on the ground with the container being supported. This allows adequate airflow and to allow the oil vapour to escape without absorbing back into the plastic, hence defeating what we set out to acheive.
Over time this will eradicate the smell. Considering there are warm sunny days ahead.
This leads to the container smelling for a considerable amount of time. Molecular spacing between the bonds in this plastic allows oil molecules to sit inside the plastic molecular spaces wonderfully.
When you wash the container, particularly in hot water, what is happening is the oil is reaching the temperature where the vapour of the oil is being emitted, this you can more promenently detect as the smell or odor of plasticine.
Although you may keep washing the containers they will over time keep doing this. The best alternative I can give you is that you leave the containers out in the sun. UV light will break down the oil within the plastic without affecting the plastic container itself.
Try to leave them on the ground with the container being supported. This allows adequate airflow and to allow the oil vapour to escape without absorbing back into the plastic, hence defeating what we set out to acheive.
Over time this will eradicate the smell. Considering there are warm sunny days ahead.
Dr Robert Crosdale. MRACI. NSS. NSSA. NASA.
Ph.D (Chem), Post Grad Ph.D (Physics), M.Ed, B.Sc (Hons), Dip. Appl. Sc. (Chem)
Lake Munmorah High School.
University of New England.
University of New South Wales.
University of Newcastle.
To understand the Universe from our perspective, we need to look towards our own backyard first for answers.
** AD ASTRA PER ASPERA - SEMPER EXPLORO **
Ph.D (Chem), Post Grad Ph.D (Physics), M.Ed, B.Sc (Hons), Dip. Appl. Sc. (Chem)
Lake Munmorah High School.
University of New England.
University of New South Wales.
University of Newcastle.
To understand the Universe from our perspective, we need to look towards our own backyard first for answers.
** AD ASTRA PER ASPERA - SEMPER EXPLORO **
Recipe for playdough as requested
1 cup cooking salt
2 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
2 cups of boiling water
1 desert spoon cooking oil
Food colouring added to water
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add boiling water. Knead mixture and add 1 desert spoon cooking oil while kneading. Store in refreigerator wrapped in gladwrap.
I usually make double batches each time and this is quite easy to handle and a good size for storage.
1 cup cooking salt
2 cups plain flour
1 tablespoon cream of tartar
2 cups of boiling water
1 desert spoon cooking oil
Food colouring added to water
Combine dry ingredients in a bowl. Add boiling water. Knead mixture and add 1 desert spoon cooking oil while kneading. Store in refreigerator wrapped in gladwrap.
I usually make double batches each time and this is quite easy to handle and a good size for storage.
