When it comes to owning a home, you will always experience issues during your time as an owner.

One of the most confusing issues that can happen is the appearance of black residue. Especially across some of the white plastic surfaces in your home.
While this black residue can come from regular household objects, like candles, or gas fireplaces . While this might seem harmless, this residue can be more harmful than you might think.
The black residue found on white plastics is usually a result of soot. This comes from incomplete carbon combustion. Which includes things like burning candles, furnaces, or fire damage.
What Is Black Residue?
So, what is this black residue that’s causing all these marks on your white plastic surfaces?
This residue is likely black soot, which comes as a result when the combustion of fueled carbon is incomplete.
When carbon is burnt completely, there is very little, almost no residue leftover. Yet, if the combustion is incomplete, then the flakey residue remains, which is what we know as soot.
You can usually spot when combustion is complete or incomplete, and it’s all down to the flame. Complete combustion is characterized by a blue flame, while incomplete combustion has a yellow flame.
What’s The Difference Between Mold And Soot?
When trying to identify the residue found on your white plastic, some people think that it’s mold that has grown on the plastic. While this might be the case, it’s much more likely to be black soot.
Both soot and mold can cause valid concerns for homeowners, since they come out of nowhere.
Thankfully, it’s easy to tell soot and mold apart from each other. Soot is caused by incomplete combustion. While mold is a type of fungus that grows because of excess moisture in the air.
Mold can take on many different colors, including green, blue, white, or orange.
Mold grows over time, but while black soot can appear overnight. This means that you’re more likely to notice mold before it spreads too much.
Why Is There Black Residue In My House?

When carbon fuel is burnt incompletely, black soot is the result, and it usually comes from burning things such as clothes or plastics.
But, there are some unsuspecting items in your home that can cause this residue.
Candles, more specifically, scented candles, are the biggest culprit for black residue around the home.
These candles aren’t especially efficient at burning their fuel (which is the scented oil), so when they are burnt, it can cause black soot.
Candles aren’t the only culprits though, as furnaces can also be a cause of black residue found around your home.
Gas furnaces can be especially bad for producing black soot, but if you notice that your furnace is causing black soot, then it needs maintenance!
The final thing that causes the appearance of some black residue in your home is a fire. Although you’ll likely be aware if this has happened.
Severe fire damage cases might need a professional cleaning service to help rid your home of any black soot.
Is Black Soot Dangerous?
It might seem like harmless dust, but black soot can be dangerous if you’re exposed to it for a prolonged period of time.
Amongst other air pollutants, soot is also a cause of 40,000 deaths in the U.S. alone each year. While also causing a high number of asthma attacks too.
It’s fair to say then that soot is quite dangerous then. So not only will we provide you with the information on how to clean up the soot, but also how to prevent it too!
How To Clean Black Residue On Plastics In Your House
Cleaning this black residue off of the plastics in your home can be much more difficult than you imagined. But this is why it’s important to ensure that you do it properly.
Thankfully, with our method, you will be able to have your white plastics looking brand new again.
For this cleaning process, you will need:
- Rubber gloves
- Bleach
- Sponges
- Paper towels
- Water
- Bucket
- Brush with soft bristles
- Soft cloth
Now, let’s begin:
Step 1 – First put on the rubber gloves to help protect your hands. Then fill your bucket half of the way up with warm water, before adding in your bleach, and then mix
Step 2 – Use your dry paper towels to try and remove as much of the residue as possible. Before soaking your cloth in the mixture, and then scrubbing at the residue using strong strokes
Step 3 – If there’s any residue left, then use your brush to try and get rid of any remaining residue
Step 4 – The key to getting rid of residue is to scrub slowly and firmly, so don’t worry if it doesn’t come off immediately
With enough time and effort, you should be able to rid your plastic surfaces of this residue easily!
Preventing Residue
The easiest way to prevent soot accumulation in your home is to choose higher quality, single-wicked candles in the future.
Final Thoughts
We hope that this guide has helped you to understand more about the black residue is, and where it comes from.
With the help of our guide, you’ll now know how to clean it, and how to prevent it. Good luck!
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