I should've taken a "before" photo. I've had this pot for about 25 years. It's had indoor as well as outdoor plants in it. For the last 7 or 8 years, it's been a outdoor pot and really took a beating in our damp weather. The pot was stained by mildew and looked very dingy. It was actually looking kind of gray instead of its original almond/beige.
I needed a large pot for 1 tomato plant to gift to my son and daughter-in-law for their porch. I thought I'd be able to scrub the plastic clean. When that didn't work, I decided to soak it in my oversized sink with bleach and water. After about a 2-hour soak (with me turning it over periodically to get all sides bleached), the pot came out very clean. It's now presentable enough to offer to someone else.
I was just really thrilled with this and wanted to share. After the fact, I looked up removing mildew stains from plastic outdoor furniture, and sure enough, bleach and water is one of the recommended methods. Garden Axis recommends a mixture of half bleach/half water in a pump spray bottle. Spray the furniture piece, wipe with the scrubby side of a sponge or a rag, and then rinse well with the hose. I'll be trying this on our plastic patio chairs this weekend.
