why does some plastic tupperware type containers still look & feel greasy after washing even with name brand soap (dawn, ajax ect.)
In: Other
On a chemical/molecular level, plastics and oil/grease are very similar in structure and composition.
So when a grease molecule comes up next to a plastic molecule, long sections of it fit neatly and stick together. (Think like long Lego blocks snapping together)
Things like metal or ceramic are very different materials from grease, so the grease molecules only stick to the other surface on a few places here and there. This makes it easier for the surfaces to be separated when washed.
Fun fact: When professional pastry chefs make egg white meringues, for the best fluffiness results there should not be even a hint of fat/grease in the egg whites. Hence, they do not use plastic or plastic-coated utensils to whip the egg-whites, since the utensils likely harbour traces of fat on their surfaces.
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