Tea Blog

by Guest Blogger Sarah Rosalind Roberts

Whether you are a frequent tea drinker or a one-a-day type of person, you will undoubtedly have come across unsightly tea staining on the inside of your cup.

This is caused by the tannin found in the tea leaves, leaving behind a brown residue in your mug. It’s a source of anguish for the avid tea drinker, but fear not, it’s nothing to worry about as tannin is a naturally occurring compound.

It’s worth a mention that the longer you brew your tea, the larger the amount of tannin that is produced. If like me living in London you live in areas with hard water, you’ll find this also affects the levels of tannin and consequently staining in your mug.

Regardless of where you live or how you drink your tea, follow these four simple steps to achieve a perfectly, pristine teacup:

1 Prevention

If you live in a hard water area, as mentioned above, invest in a water filter to give you a better quality cup of tea. This will help minimise staining, though it won’t get rid of it completely. Another top tip that helps in hard water areas is to make sure you get rid of the lime scale build up in your kettle – there’s no need for expensive cleaners as a white vinegar and warm water soak will work just fine.

2 Timing

Don’t be lazy! Clean your cup as soon as possible after drinking, allowing as little time as possible for the residue to settle. This small bit of effort will save a lot of effort in the long run.

3 Soaking

If you’re mug is particularly stained, to the extent that you’re questioning whether or not it was always brown on the inside, grab some leftover washing powder or washing tablets. While you’re there throw in your teaspoons as well, as I’m guessing they’re probably tea stained too, and leave to soak in warm water overnight. You’ll be blinded by how sparkly this leaves them!

4 The Old “1, 2”

Lastly, give it the salt ‘n’ vinegar treatment – mix these two ingredients into a paste and rub with a sponge scourer to get rid of those ghastly stains in no time.

It’s amazing that all the tools you need to eliminate tea stained mugs, are likely to be found in your cupboards, so don’t leave it too late!

See also:
Do You Really Need to Clean Tea Stains Out of Your Teapots?
5 Reasons You Should Clean Your Tea Cup or Mug Between Uses

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