There is nothing better than a cup of tea, but an unfortunate consequence of this warm beverage is that it often causes unsightly stains in mugs that are impossible to scrub off.
Teacup stains are caused by tannins, a plant compound found not just in tea bags but in many foods and drinks such as coffee, wine and chocolate.
While tannins will not affect the taste of your drink, they will leave dirty brown rings and splotches in mugs that will not budge no matter how many times you wash them.
However, Wendy Graham, a cleaning enthusiast and sustainability expert from Moral Fibres, has shared there is a quick way to remove tea stains naturally without having to use harsh chemicals.
She said: “I am partial to a cup of tea – particularly plastic-free tea. And I’ve found that no matter how well – and how often – you wash your cups and mugs, they do often develop these tannin stains. Thankfully, over the years I’ve found the best ways to remove tea stains from cups, cheaply, naturally and easily in just 30 minutes.”
How to get rid of tea stains on mugs
To remove stains from cups and mugs all you need is some soda crystals, also known as washing soda, which can be bought for £2 at Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and most supermarkets.
Soda crystals are alkaline, meaning they have high pH levels which can quickly break down stains while its gritty texture helps loosen marks to make them easier to clean.
Wendy said: “Soda crystals are used in the soap, textile, and glass industries, and are made by combining salt water with limestone.
“The resulting chemical reaction causes soda crystals to form – producing a simple and non-toxic yet effective cleaning agent.”
All you have to do is add one teaspoon of soda crystals to a cup, fill it with boiling water straight from the kettle and leave it to sit for at least 30 minutes.
After the time is up, simply pour the solution down the sink and wash the mug normally using warm water and washing up liquid, and it will look brand new and sparkling once again.
You can also use a white vinegar or a citric acid solution to remove mug stains, but both can leave a strong aftertaste which will need to be washed away before you can make a cup of tea again which can leave you with more work.
Wendy said: “For particularly stubborn stains, try soaking your cups overnight. Then scrub and wash them as before to shift these stains.
“It’s such a simple and non-toxic way to remove stains, that I don’t recommend any other method. Nothing else I’ve found is as effective as soda crystals.”
