How to Remove Tea Stains from Clothing

Betty asked, “Anybody know how to remove a tea stain?”

You Will Need:

• Clean white cloth
• Club soda
• Borax
• White vinegar
• Salt
• Denture cleansing tablets
• Liquid enzyme detergent
• Baking soda
• Lemon juice

Steps to Remove a Fresh Tea Stain:

1. If you catch the spill right away, soak up all you can with the cloth and then dab with cool water until no more of the stain is being transferred to the cloth.¹
2. Pour club soda over the stain, rinse and wash as recommended.²
3. Stretch the fabric over a sink and shake out enough borax to cover the stain. Boil water and carefully pour it along the edges of the stain, moving into the middle. You can repeat if you need to. Then, let the fabric rest in the water/borax mixture for thirty minutes. Wash as recommended.²
4. For 15 minutes, immerse the stain in white vinegar, then wash as recommended.²
5. Wet a cloth and shake salt onto the cloth, sponge the stain until it is removed. Allow the stain to stay moist until you have a chance to wash as normal.²
6. Place two denture cleansing tablets in ½ cup of warm water; blot the stain with the mixture. Allow the mixture to soak on the fabric for an hour. Wash as recommended.²
7. Apply liquid enzyme detergent on the stain, allow it to sit for a few minutes, then rinse and wash as normal.³
8. Immerse the item in a ½ cup of vinegar and then use a ½ cup of club soda to rinse.⁴ Wash as recommended.
9. Mix baking soda and a bit of water to make a thick spread and apply to the stain. Let it stand for 15 minutes. Rinse, then do it again if necessary. Wash as recommended.⁵
10. Apply lemon juice to the stain and place in direct sunlight. Keep the stain wet with the lemon juice for up to two days if needed. When the stain is gone, rinse and wash as recommended.⁶

You Will Need:

• Glycerin
• Enzyme digestant
• Chlorine bleach
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Detergent
• Enzyme detergent

Steps to Remove the Old Tea Stain:

1. Rub glycerin in between your thumbs and work it into both sides of the stain. Allow it to sit for 10 hours. Stretch the fabric over a sink and shake out enough borax to cover the stain.⁶ Boil water and carefully pour it along the edges of the stain, moving into the middle. You can repeat if you need to. Then, let the fabric rest in the water/borax mixture for thirty minutes. Wash as recommended.²
2. Immerse the item in enzyme digestant, such as Biz, for at least 30 minutes and up to one hour, wash in warm water and dry flat or hang to dry.¹
3. Cover the stain with enzyme detergent and then immerse it in cold water for no more than 30 minutes. Launder as normal. If the stain persists, smear it with the enzyme detergent again and then immerse in warm water for up to 15 minutes. Rinse well and launder as normal.³
4. Mix borax and water 3 to 1 and rub the paste into the stain. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Brush or shake off the paste. Continue until you have cleaned as much of the stain as you can. Wash again with the enzyme detergent.³
5. If it is safe to use chlorine bleach, you can try that, or if it not safe to use bleach, try hydrogen peroxide.¹ Test the peroxide on a hidden area first to check for any damage, as it can have a bleaching effect.

• An odd trick that might work is to rub waterless hand cleaner into the stain and then rinse with cold water.⁷
• Avoid the use of soap as that can set the stain.⁵
• Avoid ammonia and heat drying as these can set the stain.¹

1. Don Aslett’s Stainbuster’s Bible
2. Joey Green’s Cleaning Magic
3. Field Guide to Stains by Virginia M. Freidman, Melissa Wagner and Nancy Armstrong
4. Natural Green Home Cleaning For Beginners by R. Kishore
5. Stain Removal by Stephanie Zia
6. Stain and Spot Remover Handbook by Jean Cooper
7. Haley’s Cleaning Hints by Graham and Rosemary Haley