We all love a hot cup of tea before bed or as a caffeine boost in the morning. With a squeeze of lemon and a drop of honey? Absolutely delicious. If your tea time goes sour and you have a spill, removing the damage is pretty quick and easy. Our simple guide to how to remove tea stains from clothes will have your outfit cleaned in no time!
What Causes Tea Stains?
Tea stains may be light in color, but they can be difficult to remove. Tea contains a high concentration of tannins, a natural dye and stain-causing agent also found in coffee and red wine. Tannins are what give tea its rich color–and are also the primary culprit for those light brown stains left on the inside of your mug or your clothes. In fact, tea is often used as a dye to make props and costumes look older on theater and film sets!
Knocking over your mug doesn’t mean you have to resign yourself to that sepia, tea-stained look. It’s best to act as quickly as possible when dealing with a tea stain, to prevent the stain from setting. Ready to learn how to remove tea stains from clothes? Read on!
How to Remove Tea Stains From Clothes
What you’ll need: Oxi Booster Pods, Stain & Odor Laundry Detergent Pods
Step 1: Rinse
Rinse the back of the stain with cold water until you’ve flushed out as much of the tea as you can. Be sure to run the cold water through the back of the stain to help push it out of the fibers. This will get out as much of the stain as possible before moving on to treat it.
Step 2: Fill Sink
After flushing with water, fill a clean basin or sink with warm water. Drop in one Oxi Booster pod and wait for it to dissolve fully and create a cleaning, stain-fighting solution.
Step 3: Soak in Oxi Boost
Now that you have your cleaning solution, it’s time to fight the stain! Submerge the garment in the Oxi Booster Solution and allow it to soak for 1-3 hours. How do Oxi Booster Pods help remove tea stains? Oxi Booster Pods are a chlorine-free bleach alternative which naturally fights stubborn stains and odors. It should attack the structure of the stain and lift it out of the fabric–without bleaching the colors you want out of your clothes. After the stain has been lifted, rinse the garment with cool water.
Step 4: Wash
Once the stain is lifted, wash the item in the warmest water recommended by the care label. We suggest using a Stain & Odor Laundry Detergent Pod, which contains enzymes for deep cleaning and stain fighting. Consider adding an Oxi Booster Pod for extra stain removal power and brightening!
Step 5: Dry
When the wash is done and the stain is gone, dry the item as usual according to the care label. Be sure the stain is fully lifted before putting the garment in the dryer, as the heat from a dryer can cause any remaining stains to set further and be more difficult to remove in the future. Once the stain is fully gone, you can dry the item worry-free!
Frequently Asked Questions
Have more questions about how to remove a stubborn tea stain? We’re here to help.
How Do You Get Dried Tea Stains Out of Clothes?
When it comes to how to get tea stains out of clothes, the best thing to do is act fast. The sooner you tackle a stain, the less likely it is to stick around. Tea stain removal is easier when acted upon quickly, but that doesn’t mean you need to give up hope with older stains.
Can Tea Stain Be Removed?
It is absolutely possible to remove tea stains! Treating the stain as soon as it occurs will help remove it quickly and efficiently. It is also important to remember not to put the garment in the dryer until the stain is completely removed, as the heat can cause stains to set permanently.
What is the Best Tea Stain Remover?
Tea stains can be removed with a variety of different cleaning products. When it comes to how to remove a tea stain from clothes, we recommend using a stain fighting product that is tough on stains but gentle on fabric, like our Oxi Booster Pods.
Does Vinegar Remove Tea Stains?
White vinegar is an excellent all purpose cleaner! If you’re all out of Oxi Booster Pods, you can use vinegar to make your own pretreatment. Mix one pump of Ultra Concentrated Laundry Detergent, one tablespoon of vinegar, and two cups of water to make a stain-fighting solution that is perfect for clothing or upholstery.