• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
go to homepage

Search by
Category
  • Cleaning Blog
  • Automotive
  • Bathroom Appliances and Fixtures
  • Carpets and Rugs
  • Cats
  • Closets and Organization
  • Dogs
  • Electronics
  • Fabrics
  • Floor & Carpet
  • Floors
  • Food
  • Furniture
  • General Housecleaning
  • House
  • Household Appliances and Fixtures
  • Jewelry
  • Kitchen Appliances and Fixtures
  • Kitchen and Bathroom Surfaces
  • Kitchenware
  • Metals
  • Outdoors
  • Other Pets, Animals and Pests
  • People
  • Stain Removal
  • Stuff
  • Surfaces
  • Things You Own
  • Tools and Techniques
  • Walls and Ceilings
  • Windows
  • Everything Else
  • Ask us your cleaning question

go to homepage

How To Clean Stuff.net

Search by
Category
  • Cleaning Blog
  • Automotive
  • Bathroom Appliances and Fixtures
  • Carpets and Rugs
  • Cats
  • Closets and Organization
  • Dogs
  • Electronics
  • Fabrics
  • Floor & Carpet
  • Floors
  • Food
  • Furniture
  • General Housecleaning
  • House
  • Household Appliances and Fixtures
  • Jewelry
  • Kitchen Appliances and Fixtures
  • Kitchen and Bathroom Surfaces
  • Kitchenware
  • Metals
  • Outdoors
  • Other Pets, Animals and Pests
  • People
  • Stain Removal
  • Stuff
  • Surfaces
  • Things You Own
  • Tools and Techniques
  • Walls and Ceilings
  • Windows
  • Everything Else
  • Ask us your cleaning question

Home / Cleaning Guides / Kitchen & Bath / Kitchenware / How to Clean Coffee & Tea Stains In Cup

How to Clean Coffee & Tea Stains In Cup

Table of Contents:
  1. Cleaning With Household Products
  2. Cleaning With Commercial Products
  3. Additonal Tips and Advice

If you’ve struggled to remove stubborn coffee or tea stains from your cups, you’ll be shocked at how easily those dark marks wipe clean with this easy trick!

Cleaning With Household Products

You Will Need:

  • Salt
  • Baking soda
  • White vinegar
  • Water
  • Soft cloths

Steps to Remove the Stain:

  1. Begin by washing the cup as usual to remove any surface liquid/stains that may be present.
  2. Next, mix up a paste using one of the following mixtures:
  3. Baking soda and water
  4. Equal parts of white vinegar and salt
  5. Make sure the stained areas of the cup are wet.
  6. Apply one of the above pastes using a soft cloth.
  7. Scrub the surface until the stain is removed.

Cleaning With Commercial Products

You Will Need:

  • Bar Keepers Friend
  • Cloth scouring pad
  • Water

Steps to Remove the Stain:

  1. Rinse the cup with water.
  2. Sprinkle enough Bar Keepers Friend powder over the surface to make a light paste.
  3. Go over the area with a cloth scouring pad to ensure the paste covers the stains.
  4. Wait about five minutes, but do not let the paste dry on the cup.
  5. Begin scrubbing in earnest with the cloth scouring pad.  If you use a new pad, it won’t take long.
  6. Add more Bar Keepers Friend directly to stains as needed.
  7. Once the stain is gone, rinse well under water.
  8. Discard the scouring pad, then wash the cup with your regular dish soap or run it through the dishwasher.

Additonal Tips and Advice

  • If you use Bar Keepers Friend Liquid, apply it directly to the cup. Wait up to five minutes, then scrub with the cloth scouring pad.
  • Always rinse well and wash cups before use.
  • Another common item is denture cleaner. Simply fill the cup with water and add a cleaning tablet. Allow the stains to soak until removed.

Cleaning Guides, Kitchenware

Was This Guide Helpful?

+74
-12
Rating: 87%. From 86 votes.
Please wait...

Related Posts

  • How to Clean Fresh Pet Stains
  • How to Clean a Coffee Grinder
  • How to Clean Hard Water Stains
  • How to Clean Stains from Hands/Skin
  • How to Clean Grass Stains Off Siding
  • How to Clean Guacamole and Avocado Stains

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, conse ctetuer adipiscing elit, sed diam.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetuer adipiscing elit sed diam.


Thank you for subscribing!

Reader Interactions

About the Author

Avatar photo

Mark

Mark is the founder and lead content planner here at HowToCleanStuff.net. He spent 4 years as a professional carpet cleaner followed by a career providing professional cleaning services to businesses and residential homes.

Leave a reply Cancel reply

Helpful comments include feedback on the recipe or changes you made.

show comments +

Comments

  1. Neil says

    October 13, 2007 at 12:08 pm

    When those pesky little coffee and/or tea stains start to show up in your favorite cups, try using a mixture of vinegar and baking soda.

    Reply
  2. Helen says

    October 18, 2007 at 11:59 pm

    A Greenie scratch pad cleans your cups and glassware with hardly no scrubbing. I use them on everything – and they don’t scratch your dishes.

    Reply
  3. Donna says

    November 8, 2007 at 3:15 am

    Tip for tea or coffee-stained cups: Magic Eraser!

    You can use it on the finest of china! I use it on my china tea cups when they get stained.

    Reply
  4. Maggie says

    November 28, 2007 at 11:08 pm

    Pour bleach (Javex, Old Dutch, etc.) into the stained cup. Swirl it around til the stain disappears. Pour bleach into a clean jar and cap it tightly. It can be used quite a few times, kept handy beside dish-washing soap. Wash the bleached cup well with hot soapy water, then rinse well. A little effort is required.

    Reply
  5. Barbara says

    February 2, 2008 at 2:01 pm

    Drop-in a denture cleaner and leave over night. Rinse clean or wipe with a sponge. Done.

    Reply
  6. Lori says

    May 17, 2008 at 1:32 pm

    I had once read that using plain white Colgate toothpaste would clean my white porcelain crock pot. Worked like charm. Tried it today on coffee stained coffee cups. Worked great. Non-abrasive like salt. Non-toxic like bleach. Also does not leave the taste of salt or vinegar in the cup.

    Reply
  7. Shiela says

    May 24, 2008 at 5:55 pm

    I didn’t have white Colgate so I tried Crest Pro-Health. Worked so great I was amazed!!! Try it, you’ll love it!

    Reply
  8. Lon says

    August 26, 2008 at 12:32 am

    I use an S.O.S pad to clean a coffee cup. When I see a little stain in the cup, I take a wet S.O.S pad and clean the inside of the cup. It works great and is fast too.

    Reply
  9. Monica says

    September 4, 2008 at 5:18 pm

    I don’t think it’s a good idea to use bleach on the dishes that you may eat or drink from.

    Reply
    • Lou says

      March 5, 2019 at 9:18 pm

      Doctors have said before a capful or two to dish water to disinfect during the cold, flu season.

      Reply
  10. Jorge says

    November 2, 2008 at 12:50 pm

    Crest pro-health worked like a charm for me. I had a white china cup that has been stained for quite a while and whenever cleaned, it would take lots of scrubbing. I used the toothpaste mentioned before and it was so easy!

    Reply
  11. Ann says

    June 24, 2009 at 1:16 pm

    I would like to add my support to the toothpaste solution. I had previously tried vinegar and baking soda, but did not get the results I wanted. After searching, I came upon this thread. I just used what I had handy, which was Aquafresh whitening, but it didn’t seem to matter. Toothpaste really works!

    Reply
  12. Kim says

    October 7, 2009 at 6:51 am

    I have always used bleach to clean my stained tea cups. It doesn’t take much and the cup looks like new. Make sure you always rinse well afterward. It also works on tea pots, finish with hot soapy water and rinse well. I use a strainer in my tea pot for loose tea, a little bleach and hot water makes it look like new as well. I am going to try toothpaste on some of my older tea cups. Thanks for all the tips.

    Reply
  13. Roma says

    October 22, 2009 at 3:06 pm

    I have used bleach, dental tabs, vinegar and baking soda, various scrubbers and always followed with soap and water. All have worked to clean my tea cups. My problem is that the following stains are darker and more difficult to clean. It appears that the inner finish of the cups has been damaged. I have several cups that are fine bone china and nothing I’ve tried works to remove all staining. Please help!

    Reply
  14. Ethan says

    March 21, 2010 at 9:33 am

    I believe the reason toothpaste works is because it contains diatomaceous earth, a very mild abrasive. This stuff is actually tiny fossilized remains of hard-shelled algae. The shells are comprised mainly of silica or glass. So it’s similar to using Turtle Wax rubbing or polishing compound, but much safer of course.

    Reply
  15. Ed says

    January 24, 2011 at 12:12 pm

    Hot cocoa does the trick! When my tea mug needs cleaning, I make a cup of hot cocoa with two packets of cocoa powder, enjoy it, and when I wipe it out, the tea stains are already gone or significantly softened and easy to remove!

    I would guess it is either the acidity of the cocoa, the grittiness, or both that facilitate cleaning. The best part of this method is that you get hot cocoa AND a clean mug.

    Reply
  16. Paul says

    November 3, 2011 at 7:51 am

    I tried soda, vinegar and lemon juice, but have not found them ideal.
    I find that soaking with a small amount of biological washing detergent works well.

    Reply
  17. Phil says

    December 8, 2011 at 12:09 pm

    I use bleach; it seems to remove all sorts of stains, and cleans flasks as well. Just wash with soppy water and dry afterwards.

    Reply
  18. Jim says

    April 11, 2013 at 10:52 am

    Vinegar and baking soda do not work because vinegar is an acid and baking soda is a base. You just end up with a neutral solution.

    Reply
    • Verity says

      April 7, 2019 at 12:42 pm

      It was vinegar and SALT or baking soda and WATER.

      Reply
  19. Fran says

    May 26, 2013 at 11:41 am

    The toothpaste is amazing! I even used it to clean out the dishwasher – fabulous!

    Reply
  20. Janet says

    November 18, 2013 at 12:33 pm

    I just tried vinegar and salt. It really worked!

    Reply
  21. Barbara says

    December 13, 2013 at 6:23 pm

    I work in a retirement home in Tennessee. The coffee cups are stained inside all the time. Can the dish person use a bucket of bleach-soapy water to soak them and then run them through our dishwasher?

    Thank you!!

    Reply
  22. Larrybud says

    January 20, 2014 at 9:28 am

    Any abrasive will just make it worse for the stains the next time around.

    Simple Green will take those stains right away with just a wipe of a rag after sitting there for a couple of minutes.

    Reply
  23. Meghann says

    April 9, 2014 at 9:01 pm

    Wow, the toothpaste really worked!!

    Reply
  24. Mary says

    August 11, 2014 at 8:16 am

    I’ve used weak bleach on my lovely white china mugs for about four years. The glaze on the insides of the mugs is worn away. Definitely never used any kind of scouring pad/cloth/salt or bicarbonate. Now going to try toothpaste on my new mugs.

    Reply
  25. Hugh says

    September 20, 2014 at 5:10 pm

    Toothpaste is the best solution for coffee and tea residue on cups; quick and easy.

    Reply
  26. Rose says

    October 2, 2014 at 4:51 am

    I use soda crystals. Average price is 68p for a kilo. I use a dessert spoon per mug, fill with hot water and leave to stand for a couple of hours. Rinse afterwards. Leaves no smell and perfect stain removal.

    Reply
  27. Lesley says

    December 17, 2014 at 12:01 am

    Thanks so much! The baking soda worked perfectly. My china looks like new.

    Reply
  28. Shaun says

    June 28, 2015 at 11:39 pm

    Put two spoonfuls of washing powder into the cup, top it up with boiling water, leave it to stand for 20 minutes, then wash the cup under running water; no scrubbing at all. I’ve used this on cups, sinks, and tea pots, and it works every time.

    Reply
  29. Jenny says

    October 4, 2015 at 11:42 am

    Colgate doesn’t work and neither does baking soda and water! I don’t want to use bleach on our cups… please help…

    Reply
  30. Octopus says

    December 8, 2015 at 12:00 pm

    Salt! Just sprinkle in salt and use a wet paper towel. I had a cup that went through the dishwasher and was hand scrubbed several times to no avail, but sprinkling in some salt and it was as shiny as new. This page suggests various ingredients, including baking soda and vinegar (which react to produce water + a type of salt), and also salt. Just — use — salt! Simple!

    Reply
  31. Karen says

    December 30, 2015 at 3:44 pm

    I make tea every day and the glasses became dark from tea stains. I searched for a way to clean the stains away, otherwise I was ready to toss the glasses out. I liked the post above from Octopus. However, I dampened a paper towel (used a couple to make it like a thick rag), then poured salt onto the paper towel and scrubbed the glasses. Then, rinseed off the salt. Worked like a charm! The glasses are clean, clear and bright again – I’ll be keeping the glasses.

    Reply
  32. Dave says

    January 29, 2016 at 11:23 am

    Don’t use a scouring pad as the above advice says. Scouring pads finely scratch the enamel and make it more likely that your cups and mugs will stain again and a lot quicker than last time. A soft cloth should do or better still, one of the old fashioned mops. If you use a mop, don’t get all hamfisted or you might break the handle off the cup/mug. To be honest, and I don’t recommend it, I use a mop with a short handle (I cut the handle to length) and I use it set on slow speed in a battery powered drill. You won’t do that of course. 🙂

    Reply
  33. Paul says

    February 8, 2016 at 9:19 am

    You folks have missed the most obvious, simple and effective answer. The “Magic Eraser” did the job in under 5 seconds.

    Reply
  34. FREEDOMFRIES says

    February 16, 2016 at 3:04 pm

    Dave your techniques are epic. Every one has a great idea… Toothpaste is baking soda..JUST SAYING…use baking soda and vinegar, equal parts 1/3 cup each. Place the cup in a plastic container with a lid large enough for the cup to be able to move around. Add baking soda to the bottom of the container and venegar in the cup and close it. Make sure it’s on tight. Then shake. And blame… It blows up. So don’t do that.. baking soda works great. So does cleaning you mugs every time you use them. Stop leaving coffee or tea in your cups for a day….. But if it does happen. Baking soda or like the man above said. Magic erasers are the best product with no chemicals . Peace love and coffee stains lol!!!

    Reply
  35. Denise says

    December 21, 2018 at 5:52 pm

    My white mugs were very dark on the lower 2/3s, and also dark marks on the exterior. I tried using dishwasher tab made in a teapot, and shared between teapot, 4 coffee mugs, followed by stainless steel tea kettle, and finally, the exterior bottom of a kettle sitting with the remaining solution in a sink with the stopper and a second stopper from the other sink. This worked extremely well in the teapot as well as the stoppers and areas of the stainless steel that were soaking. Now I have half of a clean and shiny kettle interior, the bottom and 1/2″ of exterior of the kettle, plus bottom and 1″ of stainless sink are sparkling with NO EFFORT. The mixture became more diluted as I needed more hot water.
    The black marks in the mugs were lightened up as I wiped them with paper towels. These marks are the result of metal teaspoons stirring and of mug exteriors coming into contact with each other and other objects. Very difficult to remove and would love some suggestions.

    Reply
  36. Dianna says

    March 13, 2019 at 1:05 am

    I work in a restaurant and need to whiten around 50 cups. Hand scrubbing with toothpaste etc is not feasible. Anyone have the best INEXPENSIVE soaking method? Espresso machine and denture tablets are too expensive. Is bleach my only alternative? Is vinegar effective? Thanks!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Featured Guides

How to Clean a Hairbrush

How to Clean a Microwave Oven With ZERO Chemicals

How to Clean Every Dental Retainer

How to Clean your Macbook’s Screen

Join our mailing list.
Be the first to know about new arrivals, sales, and special events.
Thank you for subscribing!

Footer

Browse by Category

  • Automotive
  • Clothing & Fabrics
  • Floors & Carpets
  • Housecleaning
  • Kitchen & Bath
  • Outdoors
  • People & Pets
  • Household Stuff

Contact

  • Ask Us Your Cleaning Questions
  • Contact Form

Follow us on Social Media

Site Information

  • Cookie Policy
  • Guest Post Policy
  • Accessibility Policy
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • XML Sitemap

Copyright © 2023 · HowToCleanStuff.net · All Rights Reserved · Website by Anchored Design