We don’t know how it happened, but all of a sudden we noticed gnarly coffee and tea stains in our coffee cups.

Scrubbing with Comet and many runs through the dishwasher did not help. So we turned to the Internet for advice, and found tips from HowToCleanStuff.com, a highly informative site.

So if you share our problem, struggle no more: Here’s how to remove stubborn coffee and tea stains from your cups.

1. WASH the cup, using some elbow grease and a brush to remove any surface stains that may be present.

2. MIX a paste from these options:

 
3. WET the stained areas of the cup and apply the paste with a soft cloth.

4. SCRUB the surface until the stain is removed.

DENTURE CLEANER OPTION

Instead of a paste, pick up some denture cleaner like Polident. Simply fill the cup with water and add a cleaning tablet. Soak until the stains disappear. If your cups are badly stained, you may need to take a second pass.

We also use Polident to lift red wine stains from the bottom of decanters.

BAR KEEPERS FRIEND

Bar Keepers Friend is available in powder, like Comet and Ajax, or pre-mixed into a tube of paste.

1. COVER the stained area with the paste. Wait about five minutes, but do not let the paste dry on the cup.

2. SCRUB vigorously with a cloth scouring pad (not metal). Add more Bar Keepers Friend directly to stains as needed.

3. RINSE well under water. Discard the scouring pad.

4. WASH the cup with your regular dish soap or run it through the dishwasher.
 
Our cups are sparkling white again! Problem solved!