Funky Tupperware Containers?

Mold spores under the microscope
kinda pretty...no?
kinda pretty...no?
So we've all done it...forgot to bring the Tupperware lunch containers home from work (where they sat in the desk drawer for a week until you discovered them and finally remembered the panicked moment when the VP of Finance marched into your office looking for an update on that project...what? me snack at work? never...?)(I should tell you about the time he caught me napping...but I suppose that's not particularly related to Tupperware...still totally hilarious though.)
So life happens and sometimes we forget our Tupperware containers behind. The worst part is the mould...can you ever really get it out? is it time to try and convince the Tupperware Lady that mould should be a warranty replacement issue? or is there something you can do to sanitize?
Here's the good news, your Tupperware can be saved...
The Facts: Mould is a living organism and ordinary washing with warm water and soap/detergent will not destroy mould spores. (See that pretty picture...you don't wanna be eating those!)
The Solution: After washing the container and seal in warm soapy water, rinse it with a 1:2 solution of vinegar and cold water (1/2C vinegar to 1C water.) After this treatment, allow the container and seal to be exposed to sun and air, uncovered, for two to three hours.
The Good News: For minor mould growth, a sanitizing cycle through the dishwasher should be fine to kill most of the mould spores, but for those major growths that are taking over your containers, the above procedure will clean them out and ensure there are no lurking spores hanging around waiting to explode into fuzzy greenish blue blooms on your pasta salad.
So life happens and sometimes we forget our Tupperware containers behind. The worst part is the mould...can you ever really get it out? is it time to try and convince the Tupperware Lady that mould should be a warranty replacement issue? or is there something you can do to sanitize?
Here's the good news, your Tupperware can be saved...
The Facts: Mould is a living organism and ordinary washing with warm water and soap/detergent will not destroy mould spores. (See that pretty picture...you don't wanna be eating those!)
The Solution: After washing the container and seal in warm soapy water, rinse it with a 1:2 solution of vinegar and cold water (1/2C vinegar to 1C water.) After this treatment, allow the container and seal to be exposed to sun and air, uncovered, for two to three hours.
The Good News: For minor mould growth, a sanitizing cycle through the dishwasher should be fine to kill most of the mould spores, but for those major growths that are taking over your containers, the above procedure will clean them out and ensure there are no lurking spores hanging around waiting to explode into fuzzy greenish blue blooms on your pasta salad.