How to Clean Coffee Stains from Cups and Mugs

There’s nothing more embarrassing than welcoming a guest (or worse, a potential investor) to the office, only for them to be served a hot cup of coffee in a stained mug. This could create a bad, unprofessional view of your business without even a single word of business being discussed between the two of you. So how do you go about getting rid of coffee stains from cups and mugs? Thankfully, it isn’t that complicated. The Aquaspresso team has got you covered, with three different ways for you to go and introduce to the cleaning team as soon as possible. 

Why Mugs and Cups Get Coffee Stains

Mugs and cups are prone to coffee stains due to the tannins found in tea and coffee. The same molecules contribute to teeth stains from drinking a glass or two of red wine. They are happy to cling to any porous surface, irrespective of what they are actually made of. In spite of a good, hard scrub, you may still have difficulty getting rid of coffee stains, especially after prolonged use. If you don’t want to keep replacing your mugs every month, try one of the three methods mentioned below. 

Option 1: A Paste Made of Baking Soda

A gentle sprinkling of baking soda into the mug — with enough warm water to create a paste — is a good place to start. All you need is a mild abrasive to scrub the paste inside the cup for a minute or two and the baking soda will do its trick in no time at all. After a quick rinse with clean water, followed by drying the cup with a dishcloth, you’re right as rain for the next cuppa with a sparkling clean mug that looks like it was bought yesterday. 

Contrasting coffee cups to showcase the difference in textures

Option B: Ice & Salt

Yes, you read that right. Ice and salt can also be a way to get rid of some of the more mild coffee stains at the bottom or the sides of a cup. Scoop a tablespoon of salt into the bottom of the cup, followed by adding a few pieces of crushed ice on top. Cover the mug with cling wrap (or something more environmentally friendly, if possible) and shake for a couple of seconds. The coarse salt will remove the stains without you having to add any chemicals to get it done. Rinse with clean water, hold your breath and hope for the best.

Option 3: A White Vinegar Soak

A final option you can use is to fill half of the cup with boiling water. Add a little bit of white vinegar to it, and leave for about ten minutes to soak and do its thing. Once the vinegar has gone down the drain, give the mug a good scrub with an abrasive sponge and watch in amazement as the stains disappear from it. It’s a little bit like a magic trick. With any of the different ways we’ve shared here today, you’ll never have to stare sheepishly into the eyes of an office guest or a potential investor ever again.