Thanks to its strong tannins, coffee stains just about everything—from teeth to your favorite mug. While a stained coffee mug is still clean after you wash it, the brown buildup can make it look dingy.
As an avid coffee drinker, I know how embarrassing it can be to offer a stained mug to a guest when they want a cup of coffee or tea. Fortunately, removing the discoloration isn’t all that difficult when you know which steps to take.
Remove Coffee Stains From Mugs with Baking Soda (Most Effective)
Baking soda is a miracle worker. Not only does it absorb bad odors, but its gritty consistency is a mild abrasive. It’s rough enough to remove buildup without causing damage to delicate surfaces like ceramic mugs.
It’s also the best method for removing coffee stains:
- Add a couple of spoons full of baking soda to a bowl and add enough water to create a thick paste.
- Dip a damp sponge or microfiber cloth in the paste and use it to scrub the inside of the mug.
- Rinse as brown residue begins to lift and repeat until the mug is clean.
Use Bar Keepers Friend
Bar Keepers Friend can help you scour residue off of almost anything, including your coffee mug. When rinsed well, it’s safe for most food surfaces and comes in powder or liquid form. We like the powder for cleaning mugs.
To remove coffee stains with Bar Keepers Friend, sprinkle some powder in the cup. Then, wet a sponge and scrub the inside. Rinse and repeat until the stains are removed.
Wash your cup with dish soap and water afterward.
Lemon and Salt = Acidic and Abrasive
Like white distilled vinegar, lemons are acidic and help break down stains. Salt is abrasive and can help scrub off stuck-on buildup. When paired together, you have a double-action, all-natural cleaner.
- Slice up a lemon in quarters.
- Sprinkle salt over the exposed side of the lemon
- Scrub the inside of the cup.
- Wash with dish soap and water afterward.
Prevent Future Coffee Mug Stains
Prevent your coffee mug from building up stains by giving it a quick wash with dish soap and water after each use. Rinsing and running it through the dishwasher after each use will also prevent extreme discoloration.
