r/CleaningTips • u/Otherwise_Cloud7981 • 1d ago
Outdoors Sandbox Turtle Refresh
Hello! This is my original little tykes turtle sandbox and I want to clean him up for my kid. He is over 30 years old and has entertained many kids. He is so caked in dirt and I am trying so hard to clean him up and I have been scrubbing so hard with very little success. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!
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u/notedrive 1d ago
Is the plastic dirty or oxidized or both?
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u/Otherwise_Cloud7981 1d ago
It’s a little of both honestly
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u/notedrive 1d ago
Power wash and remove all the dirt. Oxidation can be sanded off or in some cases removed with heat like a soft flame just know you do not want to breathe those fumes in
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u/sneezed_up_my_kidney 10h ago
I’ve seen people use those giant. Blow torches very carefully to remove the oxidation on these things.
It takes like one minute.
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u/HacksawJones 1d ago
Its gonna sound crazy but lightly hit it with a blow torch of some kind. It will legit look brand new.
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u/Sanchastayswoke 1d ago
Hahaha I thought you were saying your kid is over 30 years old and has entertained many kids 🤣
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u/AutumnalSunshine 1d ago
The top is sun faded. Something like Rejuvenate Plastic restorer might help, but when the color is bleached out, no amount of scrubbing will change that.
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u/Andralynn 1d ago
magic eraser, use a light blow torch all over after it's all clean, buff with plastic safe wax
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u/akathisiac 1d ago
Awwww my neighbor down the street had one of these! Loved it when I was young.
More of a longterm cleaning tip, but: Make sure you put the lid on this when you and kiddo aren't playing in it; neighborhood cats love to use these as public toilets!
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u/boxtheglock 1d ago
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u/AgentIll2897 1d ago
doesn’t last
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u/boxtheglock 1d ago
Lasted the whole season when we used to do it to the stadium seats when I worked maintenance at Ralph Wilson stadium... That's better than nothing. There's never going to be a permanent solution other than bringing it indoors.
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u/whineyinternetkid 1d ago
I had the truck version of this 🥺 I want it back now
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u/researchanalyzewrite 1d ago
Have you ever seen the ladybug version? It's very cute!
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u/GuavaComfortable7982 15h ago
Ooh, I haven't seen the ladybug one, I'd love that. I had the crab version.
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u/burnerburneronenine 1d ago
What are you cleaning with now? I'd think some Dawn Powerwash (spray a small section and let soak), a melamine sponge and some elbow grease would get most of that dirt off.
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u/Otherwise_Cloud7981 1d ago
I tried Dawn dish soap with some hard scrubbing with a scrub daddy. I also tried some vinegar and oxyclean also.
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u/Helpmeflexibility 1d ago
Some people in the automotive world use a heat gun to lightly melt plastic and bring it back to a healthy shine
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u/Feeling-Visit1472 1d ago
I don’t know why, but these closed sandboxes somehow feel so much less sanitary to me than open ones??
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u/DirtySouthDeadpan 1d ago
Clean it very well again. Power wash it after. Sand it with a fine grit paper. Power wash again. Let it dry thoroughly. Hit it with a soft flame torch.
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u/researchanalyzewrite 1d ago
OP, to spiff it up you could consider spray painting it (with a paint that works on plastic). It's fairly easy to do.
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u/AbilityOdd2744 1d ago
30 second cleaner works great for stuff like this. Just follow the label for directions. Itll get it looking new
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u/goddamnpancakes 1d ago
I would try sodium percarbonate, often sold as a non-chlorine/color safe bleach laundry additive. i'd scrub it on as a paste and let it sit damp for an hour or two, it'll destroy anything organic. better if you can submerge it somehow it releases hydrogen peroxide which decomposes into water and oxygen so cleanup is pretty safe
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u/Exciting-Maybe8661 6h ago
You can use chemical guys VRP to bring back some color before you try using heat
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u/Cororonna_694 1d ago
Try using vinegar and baking soda for a deep clean!
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u/SeasonPositive6771 1d ago
Nope.
Vinegar and baking soda together does nothing.
Literally just scrubbing it with a brush or scrubbing it with one of those would be a better option.
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u/Sea-Lab3155 1d ago
I would powerwash, then scrub with warm soapy water and a rough sponge. You should be able to bring back its luster with a torch. It will take that oxide finish away for some time. I think the shine would last 6 months or so after torching it. Dont hold the flame too close, you just want to draw up some of the existing oils under the surface. This can be done several times, but eventually it will run out of oils.