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Plastic refers to a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic amorphous solid materials first intended to manufacture industrial products. Plastics are typically made up of polymers of high molecular mass, and may contain other substances to improve performance and/or reduce costs.

And because of their relatively low cost, ease of manufacture, versatility, and immunity to water and other liquids, plastics are used in an enormous and expanding range of products, from paper clips to spaceships. They have already replaced many traditional materials, such as wood, leather, paper, metal, glass, and ceramic, in most of their former uses.

Plastics nowadays have found its way to many homes for domestic use. You can find plastic-based house wares in almost every home. The most common ones include food containers, cooking utensils, dinnerware, among others. Examples are listed below:

• Plastic dishware, pitcher, cups, spoon, fork, and other utensils
• Plastic bathroom sets and accessories
• Plastic storage wares and cabinets
• Plastic house decors
• Laundry baskets
• Plastic soap holder
• Plastic dustbins, drums, water dipper, pail
• Plastic cook wares, pots, casserole
• Plastic trolleys, table, stools, racks, closets and drawers, chests, crates
• Bins, tubs and basins
• Plastic trays
• Plastic flower pots and gardening tools

However, plastic house wares, like any other home furniture, is also susceptible to degradation over time due to everyday wear and tear. Therefore, it needs regular maintenance through proper cleaning. Just follow these easy steps:

1. Use a soft cloth or sponge immersed in a solution of warm water no higher than 135 °F and a dissolved mild detergent powder. As an alternative, you can also use a mixture of one part bleach with two parts lukewarm water into your plastic house ware, allow it to sit for 10 to 20 minutes.
2. Avoid using strong chemicals as well as highly abrasive cleaners or scouring pads since they have a tendency to weaken plastics and damage its surfaces. This is especially true for plastics made of polycarbonate.
3. After cleaning, the items must be completely rinsed with tap water to make sure no detergents remain. Then rinse with distilled water and air dry.
4. Remove excess salts and residue that build up over time by wiping them off with soft cotton-made cloth.
5. To remove grease and odor, you can use citrus fruits like lemon. Its natural disinfecting properties also help protect the plastic and keep its natural shade.
6. Keep the use of organic solvents like acetone or alcohol to a minimum. Extended exposure to these solvents may cause certain types of plastic ware to deform. Do not use organic solvents with ingredients such as acrylic.

Since plastics are non-biodegradable, we should know how to recycle it and re-recycle it. If needed, dispose it properly so that it can be reprocessed by recycling plants that are capable of transforming it into another usable object.