First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Scrape off as much residue as you can.
- Start with mild soap and warm water.
- Stop if the plastic clouds, softens or feels tacky.
Tar on plastic is greasy, so rubbing it at the start only smears it wider across the surface. Fresh tar usually lifts with a gentle scrape and a wash, but a mark that has set is much harder to shift. Keep heat away from the plastic at all times, since it's one of the things plastic can't take.
Removing tar stains from plastic goes better once you know the type, since lids, containers and acrylic each react differently. Go gently on silicone phone cases and plastic toilet seats too, and avoid anything harsh on acrylic. If the mark has set, an adhesive remover sold for stickers can help, but test a hidden corner first.
Before you start
What plastic & tupperware can take
Safe to use1
- Water
Use with care2
- Hot water
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
Avoid2
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
4 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Blunt, non-metal toolLifts the bulk of the tar off the surface.
- Mild soapCuts the greasy film when mixed into warm water. (opens Amazon)
- Soft, lint-free clothsWipe without scratching or leaving fibers behind. (opens Amazon)
- Plastic or nylon padFor stubborn spots, a soft nylon pad and soapy water. (opens Amazon)
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5 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 52 minutes
Scrape off the loose tar
Lift off as much of the tar as you can with a blunt edge, working from the outside of the spot toward the middle so you don't spread it. Keep the pressure light, because the goal is to remove the bulk before any liquid touches the stain.
Careful. Use a blunt edge when scraping, never something sharp, or the plastic will gouge.
Step 2 of 55 minutes
Wash with mild soap and warm water
Mix a little mild soap into warm water and work it over the tar with a soft, slightly damp lint-free cloth. Wipe in small circles and rinse the cloth often, so the greasy film lifts off rather than smearing back onto the plastic.
Tip. Turn the cloth to a clean side every few passes.
Step 3 of 53 minutes
Scrub stubborn spots gently
If tar is still visible, go over just those spots with a plastic or nylon pad and the same soapy water, using light, small circles. Stop as soon as the mark lifts, and don't press harder to speed things up.
Step 4 of 52 minutes
Rinse the area with warm water
Wipe the whole area with a cloth dampened in clean warm water to remove the soap film and loose tar. Rinse the cloth often so it isn't just moving the residue around.
Step 5 of 52 minutes
Dry and check the surface
Dry the plastic with a clean soft cloth, then look at it in good light. If a dull shadow or film remains, go back to the soap wash rather than trying anything stronger.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for tar on plastic & tupperware
Choose a tar remover made for vehicle exteriors, and use it only on car paint, chrome, glass and exterior plastic or metal, never on household plastic.
Goo Gone Goo & Adhesive Remover Spray Gel
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on plastic & tupperware, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The spot is gone when the plastic looks even and feels smooth under a fingertip, with no tacky film left behind. If the area looks dull or hazy once it dries, rinse it again with warm water, since leftover soap can leave a mark.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your plastic & tupperware
Plastic lids and food containers
Lids and food containers can't take heat, so keep them away from a flame, stovetop, broiler or oven. Hand-wash them in warm soapy water, and vent or offset lids before microwaving so they don't warp.
Skip hot water unless the maker says the piece can take it, since heat can set the stain further. If an oily or tomato-based mark has already left a dull shadow, the set-in section explains what's realistic.
Plastic toilet seats
Use only mild soap and warm water on the seat, and keep nail polish, aftershave and abrasive chemicals well away, since they damage the finish. Wipe with a soft cloth and dry it fully so no soap film dulls the surface.
If tar has been sitting for a while, go over it with a plastic or nylon pad rather than anything harder, and keep the pressure light. Rinse with clean water and dry it before anyone sits down.
Acrylic
Acrylic can't take solvents or abrasive cleansers, so stick with mild soap and warm water only. Wipe with a soft cloth and dry it with light, straight strokes.
Acrylic scratches easily, so skip the pad even on stubborn spots. If the tar won't lift with soap and water alone, stop there and read the set-in section before you try anything else.
Silicone phone cases
Silicone can't take window cleaners, household cleaners, aerosol sprays, solvents, ammonia or abrasives, so use only mild soap and warm water on a soft cloth. Work gently around the edges, since the case can tear at a seam.
Rinse off the soap with clean water, then pat the case dry and let it air-dry fully before you put it back on the phone. Tar that doesn't come off with soap and water is best left alone rather than pushed with anything stronger.
Old, dried or set-in stains
Old tar that has been on plastic for days or weeks is harder to shift, and it may leave a faint shadow even after a good clean. That's normal, and it doesn't mean the cleaning went wrong.
If it's dried on, let the soapy cloth rest on the spot to soften it before you go any further, since rubbing dry tar only grinds it in. Then repeat the soap wash with a plastic or nylon pad on the stubborn part, lifting in light passes.
If it's still there after that, stop. There's no proven home method for plastic beyond this, and heat or harsher cleaners would do more harm than good.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on tar on plastic & tupperware?
Many home remedies were written for fabric or stone, so they don't carry over to plastic. Some are fine on plastic and others can damage it, and the reason for each is spelled out.
Skip5Avoid1
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use heat to loosen the tar.
No flame, stovetop, broiler, oven or direct heat, since plastic can warp and blister under it. Warm water is as hot as you should go, even though greasy tar makes the job feel like it needs more.
Don't use abrasive cleansers or scrub pads.
They scratch plastic and leave a dull patch that holds dirt more easily next time. If scouring is needed, use only a plastic or nylon pad and keep the pressure light.
Don't use gasoline or lighter fluid.
Neither is a safe spot remover, and both are flammable, so they don't belong anywhere near plastic. Stick with the soap wash and the light pad described above.
Don't rub dry tar.
Rubbing dry tar grinds it into the surface and spreads the mark across more plastic. Let the soapy cloth soften it first, then lift it off in small passes.
When to call a professional
Beyond soap, water and a light pad, there's no home method I'd trust for tar on plastic. If the mark stays, or the piece is valuable or can't be moved, a cleaner who works with plastic is the safer call.
Questions
Can tar come off plastic completely?
Fresh tar usually comes off completely with the soap wash and a light pad. Old tar can leave a faint shadow, and the set-in section explains what's realistic.
What if I can't tell what kind of plastic it is?
Then use only mild soap and warm water, with no pad. Look for a recycling number or maker's mark on the underside first, and if there's nothing there, treat it as the most delicate option.
Can I put the plastic item in the dishwasher?
Only if the maker says the piece is dishwasher-safe. If there's no label, hand-wash it in warm soapy water instead, since heat can set the stain.
What if the plastic looks cloudy after cleaning?
Stop using the pad on that spot, rinse it with warm water and dry it with a soft cloth. If the haze stays, the finish is likely damaged, and no home fix is safe to try.
Can I use something stronger than soap and water?
No. Anything stronger goes beyond what household plastic can take, and it can cloud or craze the finish for good. The set-in section explains what's realistic when soap and a light pad aren't enough.
Does this method work on a car's plastic trim?
Not this method, because it's written for household plastic only. Vehicle exterior plastic and metal need the car-specific steps, including what's safe on paint, in the Car Paint & Exterior guide.
Tar on other materials
Other stains on plastic & tupperware
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.