The dark brown stain in your mug or cup is brought about by tannins. Tannins are plant compounds found in tea and coffee (and some other foods and drinks) and are what give these hot drinks and beverages their distinctive, slightly bitter flavour.
Depending on your dishware and the length of time the stain has been there, they can be tricky to remove.
Tannin stains show up and remain longer on white or light-coloured ceramic mugs. If you’re a lover of hot drinks, this unpleasant sight might leave you frustrated wondering just how to remove tea and coffee stains from mugs.
One option is to choose glass, double-walled mugs instead. Read on for ways to remove tannin stains.
How to prevent stains on your dishware
Before we look at methods, let’s talk about stain prevention.
To keep your mugs looking cute, avoid leaving them sitting in the sink or reusing them often without washing them.
Always aim to rinse them with water immediately after finishing your drink. If you notice any stains, give them a quick once over with a cloth and detergent if you notice any stains.
As more and more stains accumulate on a mug over time, they become harder to remove.
How to recover your mugs and cups from tannin stains
There’s no need to go out and find expensive cleaning products. These two tried-and-tested kitchen cupboard staples are just as effective as removing stains.
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Baking soda
Baking soda is a champion household cleaning product. The compound has long been hailed as an excellent stain remover. It’s abrasive, but only mildly so, so it works away stains without damaging your cute mug.
How to use baking soda to remove mug and cup stains
- Wet the inside of your mug and sprinkle a layer of baking soda so that it completely covers all the stains.
- Leave the baking soda to fizz and then let it settle for five minutes.
- With a damp cloth or sponge wipe it away and give the stain a scrub.
- It should come away fairly easily. Then wash your mug with washing detergent as usual.
Vinegar
Vinegar is made up of acetic acid which helps dissolve grime and lift stains. In fact, vinegar is a main ingredient in many commercial cleaning solutions.
How to use vinegar to remove mug and cup stains
- Fill your mug or cup with equal parts vinegar and hot water.
- Diluting vinegar with water before cleaning avoids the strong smell it can sometimes leave and weakens the acidity preventing damage to your mug.
- Let the mixture soak in the mug for around 10 minutes or until the water’s cooled.
- Then using a cloth and detergent scrub the stains, which should come away more easily than before.
- Rinse and wash again if you’re worried about a lingering vinegar scent.