Tea Ware Maintenance 101

Introduction

It’s of vital importance for any tea drinker to practice proper maintenance of their teawares to ensure longevity of the items–aside from money saved from not having to replace worn items, maintenance has the added benefit of helping you live a sustainable lifestyle and reducing your carbon footprint.

Keep reading to learn how to best care for all your wares, including kettles, glass, porcelain, and ceramics.

Kettles

Whether you own an electric or stovetop kettle, it needs to be cleaned, even though it’s only used to boil water.

Minerals left behind from the water can get trapped inside and build up, referred to as “kettle furring,” and may affect the taste of your tea. How frequently you use your kettle should be used as a guide for how often to thoroughly clean it–daily tea drinkers will find the most benefit from cleaning a kettle once per season, or if you live in an area with hard water, once per month.

To clean the interior of the kettle, you’ll need white vinegar or lemon juice. Fill the kettle with a solution of 50% water, and 50% of your cleaning agent. Bring the kettle to a boil, and then turn it off or remove it from heat. Allow the kettle to sit for 20-30 minutes before pouring out. After rinsing, use a soft-bristled brush to scrub away buildup on the interior, and for electric kettles, clean or replace the water filter according to manufacturer instructions.

Glass

A tricky part of using glass teaware is the tendency for it to develop tea stains.

After scouring a few message boards for tea drinkers, I found an unexpected solution that several posters were enthusiastic about because of its fabulous results: cream of tartar! To use this method, wet your glassware, sprinkle a layer of cream of tartar on to the item, and rub until a paste develops, before finally rinsing. You’ll be left with crystal clear glass.

Porcelain

Porcelain is a great choice for teaware as it is less susceptible to stains than glass, and doesn’t react with white or green teas.

However, it can collect tea residue at the bottom of cups or in a spout. To prevent this buildup, scrub with regular dish soap and rinse with warm water after each use. For stain removal, create a mixture of 50% vinegar and 50% corn starch, let sit for 5-10 minutes, and then scrub. For stubborn stains, and overnight soak in vinegar will help, but be sure to scrub and rinse very well before using to avoid any lingering taste the vinegar may leave behind. 

Ceramics

Ceramics are another excellent choice for brewing and drinking tea, because ceramic retains heat very easily.

However, it can gather both residue and stains, especially if painted a lighter color. Your cleaning routine for ceramic teaware will differ based on whether it is glazed or unglazed. For both types, flush with water immediately after use and dry with a soft cloth. If glazed, you can use soap to clean, but rinse well. If unglazed, you absolutely can’t use soap, because the interior will absorb it. To remove residue, you can scrub with a soft brush using dampened salt.