How to get rid of stains in tea cups

Remove tea stains from tea cups using household items like baking soda, salt, or dishwashing detergent. Tea contains tannin, which gives it its color. Tannin works as an agent for many dyes in making ink, hence it leaves a brown stain on the cups. When the water is soft, sometimes there is no problem with tea staining the cup, as long as it contains milk. Below are ways to remove stains. Choose the easiest, most convenient, and most effective one. 

List of things that you may need to use:

• Dish soap
• Sponge
• Baking soda
• Vinegar

Step By Step Process

Before you follow the tips below, test on a hidden place like the bottom of the cup to ensure it will not cause any damage to the surface. After removing the stains, always wash the tea cup thoroughly before using it for drinking.

1. Rub the lemon wedge on the inside of your mug. Lemon is a natural cleaning component.  Its acidic qualities help remove stains from fabrics and hard surfaces. Cover the walls of your cups with lemon juice, and press the wedge lightly while you rub. Squirt the wedge inside the mug and use a silicone cooking brush to make sure you cover the surface.
2. Start by soaking with soap and scrub. Use dish soap to lift stains (Parkavenuecleaning.com). That is your first line of defense to get coffee stains out of mugs. Use a little soap as you drop it into the mug, add enough warm water to cover the stain, and swish the mixture around. Let the mug sit for a few minutes or more if the stain is set in. Allow the dish soap to penetrate the stain. Once the soap has worked, scrub the stain with a sponge.
3. Scrub with baking soda. Sprinkle about 1 tsp baking soda on the stain, add water to make a paste, and scrub the stain with a damp, soft sponge. Soda is gentle and abrasive enough to lift coffee or tea stains from the surface. When scrubbing, rinse the mug to remove any remaining baking soda. Not only does baking soda remove stains but also odors. Baking soda neutralizes both acidic and basic odors. Acids break down difficult stains like rust or mineral deposits because of their chemical properties. When using soda, you are creating a scrub. Baking soda is a mild abrasive but should not scratch your cup. It is abrasive enough to get rid of the stains, but not ruin the surface of your mug (Sciencedirect.com). If you are concerned about scratches, test a small section first.
4. Soak in vinegar and scrub. Fill your mug halfway with distilled white vinegar and fill to the top with hot water. Allow the mixture to sit for 10 minutes to give the vinegar time to work. After soaking, scrub the stains using dish soap and a soft sponge, then rinse.

Other methods

Magic eraser.

Dampen the magic eraser and scrub at the stains until they disappear.

Sugar scrub.

Mix sugar with baking soda to form a paste and scrub well as directed.

Toothpaste.

Use toothpaste and a hard brush to remove surface tea stains from cups.

Denture tablets.

Drop one denture tablet into the cup with warm water and leave to stand until all the stains disappear.

CIF cream

Sprinkle the barkeeper’s friend into a wet cup and scrub until all the stains disappear.

OxiClean.

Add a teaspoon of Oxi Clean to hot water and allow to stand. Rub with a cloth or paper towel until the stains disappear.

Washing up liquid.

Use strong, soapy water with a stainless steel scrubber to remove the tea stain. Test on a small space before using the scrubber.

Sterilizing tablets

Drop one tablet into the cup with warm water and leave until all the stains disappear.

Soaking overnight

You could try soaking your cups overnight in boiling water with a mixture of vinegar, baking soda, or bleach. Leave overnight, then clean. Never mix bleach and vinegar, as the fumes can cause toxic fumes. 

Bleach

When using Milton, bleach, hydrogen peroxide, and sterilizing tablets, these only discolor the tea and coffee stains rather than remove them. Cups with scratches are more prone to staining than newer cups and mugs.

How long does it take

The mixture has to sit for at least 10 minutes to give the vinegar time to work.

Expected Results

Tea stains are sometimes easy to remove, but others require extra work, depending on the material of the mug and how long the stain has been set. White is popular for dishes, but it makes stains stick out more.

Things to look out for

The longer a stain is on a teacup, the bigger the stain it will get. If the brown marks are not removed, they grow and grow over time, until you have more stains than a cup.

Choose the right tools as you invest in a bottle brush that will adequately reach the bottom. Using Denture tablets, their effervescent action can do the same for mugs. Follow the package instructions and add enough water to cover the coffee or tea stain. When the tablet has removed the stain, rinse and wash the mug well with dish soap.

If you give your mug a quick rinse after you finish drinking your tea, tea stains will not have a chance to form. If you cannot wash the mug, rinsing will remove any lingering drops of tea. W these marks are gone, chances are low that stains will form. 

When you have finished your drink, rinse the mug with water to avoid a permanent stain. A brown ring around the top of the mug requires a scrub under the tap, using a sponge and a dishwashing detergent, to prevent brown marks from forming and continuing to grow.

Watch out for surface stains, which sit on the cup when the tea is left to go cold, and the cup has not been washed. These stains are easy to remove but are off-putting since they show that the cup has not been washed.

Conclusion

There are multiple ways to use it when it comes to stain removal in tea cups. Pick one that does not cost much and takes much of your time. You might have to consider what is close to you. Baking soda is one of the components you may find in almost every household, just like vinegar. Make use of what is easier for you.