Transparent plastic is being used in virtually every industry and this is because of its capacity to allow you see through and its ease of cleaning. In the same light, clear plastic mold can be used to make more transparent plastic parts. However, due to the fact that plastic just like other materials gets stained and dirty, you have to find a way to clean it.
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So, in this post, we will be revealing to you how to clean transparent plastic and keep them free of dirt, stains, etc. The bitter truth is that you can’t prevent your clear plastic from getting cloudy or discolored, but the good news is that it’s very easy to clean.
What are the Methods of Cleaning Transparent Plastic?
The methods used to clean transparent plastic have been grouped into two. They are:
- Household or commercial cleaners: This involves the use of cleaning agents and a clean cloth.
- Wet-sanding: This involves the use of cleaning agents and sandpaper.
Not all cleaning agents are compatible with every transparent injection molding plastic part, so you have to check the plastic injection moulding manufacturers’ instructions for the most preferred cleaning agent for your plastic. Some manufacturers specify the use of some brand’s products and if you use otherwise, you might be losing your warranty privilege or causing permanent damage to the plastic.
Cleaning Instructions
For each method used to clean clear plastic, these are the instructions to follow.
Household or Commercial Cleaners Method
The materials you will need are:
- Dish soap
- Clean cloth
- Clean water
- Customized spray
- Plain white toothpaste/vinegar and baking soda
- Woven scouring pad
There are different severity of stains, which in turn, warrant different measures and tenacity of cleaning. Some stains are mild while others are not. The options below are guides ranging from mild to severe stains cleaning.
Option 1
- Surface-clean the plastic with a clean, soft cloth, and dish soap. Form a soapy solution with the dish soap and water, and then wet your cloth with it.
- Now, gently clean the surface of the item. Ensure you don’t use a hard or abrasive cloth.
- Then, rinse the plastic with clean water.
- Dry it with a clean and soft cloth.
Option 2
- Surface-clean the plastic with a customized spray cleaner and a clean, soft cloth. Spray the cleaner on the item, then wipe it off with a dry, clean and soft cloth using a circular motion.
- Then, rinse the plastic with clean water and dry with a clean and soft cloth.
- If you can’t get your hands on a customized cleaner, you can make yours at home with a combination of vinegar and clean water.
Option 3
- For deeper cleaning, just surface-cleaning the plastic might not be effective. You will have to use more coarse materials.
- You either use plain white toothpaste or form a solution with vinegar and baking soda.
- Put the toothpaste or formed solution on the item.
- Clean in a circular motion with a thick cloth or a woven scouring pad.
- Then, rinse the plastic with clean water and dry with a clean, soft cloth.
Wet-sanding Method
Wet-sanding smoothens the cloudy plastic by scrubbing off any form of stain, wear and tear with some level of abrasion. This method is very useful when you are dealing with a severe stain. You will need to be a little bit aggressive in your cleaning for the stain to be completely wiped off.
The materials you will need are:
- Dish soap
- Clean cloth
- Clean water
- Tape
- Sandpaper
Step-by-Step Guide
- Make a solution with the dish soap and water.
- Wet the clean cloth with the soapy solution and surface-clean the plastic with it.
- Use the tape to cover any part of the plastic that’s not stained because this method has the probability of roughing the plastic.
- Soak the sandpaper into clean water.
- Scrub the plastic with the sandpaper. Put more pressure as necessary for the stain or cloudiness to be removed.
- When finished, thoroughly rinse the plastic with clean water and dry with a clean, soft cloth.
To have an even and smooth plastic layer, apply a commercial polishing compound on the area you scrubbed. Follow the product’s instructions and systematically rub the compound on the plastic.
How to Whiten a Clear Plastic that is Dull
Clear plastic is usually produced to be transparent and have optical capacity. For example, it’s used to produce eyeglass lenses, car headlamp covers, wristwatches, etc. This biodegradable transparent plastic can get blurry, scratched, and dull with time, making it hard to see through.
However, simple cleaning chemicals and simple home materials can be used to polish your plastic items to restore their clarity and luster.
Things You Will Need
- Clean and soft cloth
- Toothpaste/baking soda and water
- Clean water
- Etching compound
Step-by-Step Guide
- Put some of the toothpaste on a clean and soft cloth. Other than toothpaste, you can use a solution of baking soda and water.
- In a circular motion, run the cloth on the dull area of the plastic.
- Thoroughly clean your plastic by rinsing it with clean water and drying it with a dry, soft cloth.
- After this, if your plastic is still dull, you will have to resort to using an etching compound.
- Apply a thick layer of etching compound to both sides of your plastic. The acidity will affect the plastic surface, as well as any scratch or defect.
- Leave the etching compound for a few minutes, then clean it by rinsing it with clean water and drying it with a dry, soft cloth.
Conclusion
Cleaning transparent plastic is very simple. All you need is some basic cleaning agent to help you get your plastic back to the stain-free state it was when you first bought it.
You can either use the homemade/commercial cleaners method or wet-sanding method. The former works for mild to severe stains, while the latter, which involves some aggressiveness is more preferred for tough stains. Whichever method your plastic stain warrants, ensure it is done with care so that it won’t get damaged.
As for injection molded products, RYDtooling will use the gentlest method to clean the finished products, ensuring customers could get the clean injection molding products.
