How to remove tea stains on white. You don't need to be a tea guru to remove tea stains: fabric-safe removal methods

How nice it is to sit on a winter evening in a cozy home environment with a cup of strong hot tea, relax and forget about all your worries. But the idyll can easily be disrupted if tea unexpectedly spills on a jacket or skirt, furniture or carpet and leaves stains. In case of such trouble, there is no need to panic, you just need to use the following tips on how to remove a tea stain.

In this article:

But first, let’s ask why it’s so difficult to remove tea stains? The thing is that tea contains a tannin substance, tannin, which eats into the fabric very quickly and firmly.

This makes tea stains very difficult to remove, especially after several days or even hours.

So removing these stains from clothes needs to be done immediately.

How to remove a fresh tea stain

• A newly created tea stain can be removed by simply washing it with powder or soap in warm water.
• If it is not possible to immediately wash off the stain (for example, you are not at home, but at a party), then a cotton pad soaked in alcohol diluted with water (one part alcohol and two parts water) will help. Wipe the stain with it, and it won’t be difficult to remove it.

Folk remedies to combat old spots

But what if the pollution is quite old? Here are some ways to get rid of them.

Ammonia

If white linen or cotton fabric (for example, a tablecloth) is dirty, take one teaspoon of ammonia and dilute it in a liter of clean water. Soak a sponge in it and blot the tea stains well. You need to place paper or napkins folded several times under the area of ​​contamination; the stain being removed will transfer to them. After this, treat the surface with 10% citric acid and set aside for 15 minutes. Then the item should be rinsed and washed in warm soapy water.

Citric and oxalic acid

This method will help remove tea stains from white clothes, but is not suitable for colored clothes, as the item will fade. In a glass of water, dilute one teaspoon of oxalic acid and two teaspoons of citric acid. Dampen the cloth and leave for 15-20 minutes, then rinse the product with clean water. You can add a teaspoon of ammonia to it. This method effectively removes the most stubborn tea stains.

Hydrogen peroxide

This substance is suitable for removing stains from white delicate clothing. Soak a cotton pad well with hydrogen peroxide, thoroughly treat the stained area and wait 15 minutes. Then wash the item of clothing in cold water.

Glycerol

• A mixture of glycerin and ammonia in a ratio of 4:1 is a good remedy for tea stains. It is necessary to moisten a cotton swab in this solution and wipe the contaminated area well, then wash in soapy water.
• To remove tea stains from silk or wool clothes, heat some glycerin and rub it on the stain. Leave the fabric to soak for 15 minutes, then blot with a napkin and wash the clothes in warm soapy water.
• You can also mix glycerin and table salt, apply the mixture to the stained area of ​​clothing and wait until the tea stains dissolve and discolor. The product can then be washed in a washing machine.

Borax

You can remove stains from colored items with a cotton swab well soaked in a 10% borax solution. Wipe the stained area and remove any remaining stains with a mixture of 5% citric acid and table salt. Then rinse the item with cold water, and then with warm water.

Lactic acid

An excellent product for removing tea stains from natural silk. Mix lactic acid with distilled water in equal parts, apply to the stained area and set aside for 20 minutes. After this, you need to rinse the item of clothing well in cool water.

Lemon juice

Freshly squeezed lemon juice will help remove tea stains. You need to wet a cotton pad with it and wipe the stain well, and then wash the product in warm water.

We clean carpets and furniture from stains

Trouble in the form of accidentally spilled tea can happen not only to your favorite blouse or tablecloth, but also to your favorite sofa, other furniture or carpet. How to remove stains from carpet or upholstery?

This is where glycerin comes to the rescue again. Prepare a solution of 1 tablespoon of glycerin and 1 liter of cold water. Wet a sponge in it and wipe the contaminated area.

Note to the hostess

Finally, a couple of useful tips for more effective stain removal.

• Start applying the solution to the stain from the edges to the middle. Then it will not spread or smear.
• Before you start removing stains, you should check how the cleaning agent will act on the fabric. Apply a little product to the wrong side of the item to avoid unpleasant surprises in the form of discoloration or damage to the item. This can happen if you mix the solution in the wrong proportions, so be careful!

We hope our tips will quickly get rid of minor stains. Let annoying troubles not overshadow your tea drinking and do not interfere with enjoying a delicious aromatic drink.

Some people find it difficult to remove coffee stains from clothes. But if you spill the tea, the task becomes even more difficult.

Pollution often appears at the most inopportune moment, putting a person in an awkward position. Let's look at how to remove tea stains at home.

If there is no stain remover in the apartment, products from the first aid kit and food products will come to the rescue. Traditional methods are no less effective than household chemicals. Main methods:

• Salt and glycerin. Mix the ingredients until mushy and apply to the stain. To eliminate it completely, you should wait a few minutes. After getting rid of the stain, wash the item as usual;
• Glycerin and ammonia. You will need 1 tbsp. l. glycerin and ¼ tsp. alcohol Mix, apply to dirt, rub in gently. Afterwards, wash the item thoroughly;
• Oxalic or citric acid. For 250 ml of water take 2 tsp. citric acid. Soak a clean sponge in the mixture and gently rub the stain. Oxalic acid has a similar effect, but you need to take 1 tsp per glass of cold water. Then wash the clothes in the usual way;
• Lemon juice. Divide the citrus into two parts and squeeze the juice directly onto the dirt. The dyed area is bleached, then the clothing is washed;
• Ammonia. For white products, you can use alcohol. Place a light napkin or towel under the stain and moisten the stains on top with ammonia. Wait an hour, then wash;
• Hydrogen peroxide. The product is used for delicate fabrics. Soak cotton wool in peroxide and clean your clothes with it. Then wash at cold temperature;
• Ammonia and peroxide. Mix the ingredients in a 1:1 ratio. Wipe off the dirt, wash the item until it loses the smell of alcohol;
• Bleaching. This is an aggressive method, suitable for white cotton. Other natural materials may deteriorate. Apply the product, wait a few minutes, wash;
• Lemon juice, salt and borax. The mixture will cope even with old stains. Dilute borax in one bowl, and in another make a paste of juice and fine salt. First, let the borax sit on the dirt for a few minutes, then treat it with a mixture of citrus and salt. You can perform several approaches until the streaks are completely eliminated. Then you need to wash the T-shirt;

Lemon juice works well on tea stains

• Lactic acid and borax. The method is similar to the previous one, only after treatment with borax you need to wipe off the dirt with lactic acid;
• Glycerol. Apply warm product to the stain on wool or silk. After a quarter of an hour, treat the contaminated area with warm, clean water and blot with a napkin;
• Lactic acid. Another method is to mix water with lactic acid. Moisten the dirt, wait 20 minutes, rinse the item in cool water;
• Contrast rinses. Suitable for items worn by children and people with allergies. Place clothes in a bowl of hot water, then rinse in cold water. You can gently rub the stain with a sponge or brush. This is how tannin is removed from the fibers;
• Boiling water. Place the item in the basin so that the stain is on top. Place the kettle on the stove and heat it up. Pour boiling water in, then wash with soap.

Note: Fresh stains are much easier to remove than old ones. You need to be careful when handling and act quickly. You should stock up on a clean cotton rag, a soft sponge, and a soap solution.

First, remove excess liquid, then begin to rub off the dirt. You need to mix water with any detergent, such as liquid soap, dishwashing gel, shampoo. This algorithm of action can be used for stains left on any type of fabric.

If the stain was not detected immediately, there is no need to despair. Some folk methods can return clothes to their original appearance. The most effective ways:

1. Vinegar and washing powder. Mix 1 tbsp. l. vinegar with powder until mushy. Apply from the back and face, wait a few minutes until the active effect on the stain begins. Wash clothes with powder, adding a little soda. If there is no result, repeat the wash;
2. Salt and glycerin. The recipe is discussed above. It can be used for delicate washing, but you need to monitor the time the product sits on the material.

Household chemicals

Household chemicals for stains

Using household chemicals is the fastest method. Common remedies:

1. Bleaches. Vanish and Amway are good choices. There are types for colored and white clothes. Cheap options are bleaches containing chlorine. They are also effective, but can spoil the material and emit an unpleasant odor;
2. Antipyatin soap. A budget-friendly product to combat stains caused by black or green tea. To get results, you need to treat the stain with soap;
3. Cleaners. Expensive bleach can be replaced with a plumbing and bathroom cleaner. Domestos will be effective. Before starting processing, it is worth checking in an inconspicuous area to see if it will damage the fabric;
4. Stain removers. This method is considered the most universal. Soak contaminated clothing in the product, then put it in the automatic washing machine.

Washing machine

Pre-soaking the stain makes it easier to remove.

Each type of fabric has its own characteristics that need to be taken into account when removing tea stains. Using a washing machine you can cope with the task if there is no time for manual processing. You should understand how to wash clothes correctly in order to get rid of dirt and not spoil things.

Automatic processing will help get rid of stains from any material, regardless of color. For the best effect, you should apply glycerin 15 minutes before washing, preheating it.

Let's look at each type of fabric and color separately:

• White linen and cotton. Quick wash mode, rinse, 40 degrees, 1000 rpm. You can use chlorine bleach or 2 tbsp. l. oxalic acid;
• Colored linen and cotton. Quick wash, rinse, 40 degrees, 1000 rpm. Apply 1-2 tsp. borax, 3 tbsp. l vinegar or 2 tbsp. l. citric acid;
• Synthetics. Pre-treatment is required, then a quick wash at 40 degrees (900 rpm) and rinsing. The same products are used as for colored cotton clothing;
• Wool. Quick wash mode, rinse, 40 degrees, 900 rpm. The same products are used as for the fabric above, but you need to add 50 g of soap shavings to the borax, and take 2 tbsp of vinegar. l;
• Any colored fabrics except delicate ones. Pre-treatment is required, then a quick wash and rinse. Temperature – 40 degrees, rpm – 1000. Products are added as for synthetics, colored cotton and linen;
• Delicate materials. Quick wash mode, rinse. Temperature – 40 degrees, speed – 700. You can use 2 tsp. vinegar or 1 tsp. citric acid.

Important: Borax should not be used on clothing for children or allergy sufferers.

Methods for every occasion

For different surfaces, you should try different recipes

In addition to clothes, black tea can get on anything during tea drinking: tablecloth, furniture, wallpaper, curtains. It is possible to remove stains from all surfaces, even white carpet. The main thing is to act immediately.

To effectively remove tea stains, you need to follow these rules:

• Apply cleaning products from the edges of the stain to the middle so that the liquid does not spread;
• First, it is better to use a solution with a small concentration, increasing it if necessary.

White things

Let's look at how you can remove a black tea stain on a white fabric. If a drink is spilled on a light linen or cotton tablecloth, tulle, towel or bed linen, you should try to clean it with a sponge dipped in ammonia. Before doing this, place blotting paper or a soft cloth under the stain. After cleaning the stain, treat the area with a 10% citric acid solution, wait a quarter of an hour, and rinse with water.

To remove a tea stain on a white item, you can rub it with lemon juice. It does a good job of breaking down tannin, especially on white material. If there is no citrus nearby, you should replace it with hydrogen peroxide.

Sometimes the question arises of how to remove tea stains on white clothes and other items if the above methods did not help. It is worth using oxalic acid. You need to dilute ½ tsp. product in 250 ml of water and begin cleaning the dirt. This product works great on stains on white items, but cannot be used on colored items.

Oxalic acid can be replaced with hyposulfite. For 250 ml take 1 tsp. After treatment, rinsing should be done in a solution of ammonia (2 tsp per liter of water).

Warmed glycerin works great. You need to hold it on the stain for a quarter of an hour, then rinse the product in clean water. If you need to remove an old tea stain that is difficult to remove, you should add ½ tsp. ammonia (per 2 tsp glycerin). After treatment, wash with soap or powder.

If a delicate wash is not required, any chlorine bleach will do. It must be diluted in water and followed the instructions. Soak items in the product, then wash and rinse. The method is not suitable for delicate items and...

The result of applying various products on white fabric

Colored and knitted clothes

A 10% borax solution is suitable for any colored materials, including jeans. You need to apply the product to cotton wool and scrub the tea leaves stain with it until it disappears. Afterwards, soak a rag in a soapy solution, wipe the area where the dirt was and rinse.

Carpet and sofa

To remove tea stains from carpets or sofas, follow these instructions:

1. Blot the coating with a cotton rag, microfiber or paper. There is no need to rub the dirt, otherwise it will eat even deeper;
2. Dilute 1 tbsp in 0.5 liters of water. l. dishwashing gel. Apply to a soft sponge and wipe the stain. The amount of moisture on the sponge should be minimal, otherwise contamination will increase. You can use a sprayer;
3. Carefully rinse the contamination with clean water, remove excess moisture with paper or a rag;
4. Apply a mixture of water and vinegar in a ratio of 1 to 1 to the contaminated area, after 10 minutes, rinse with cold water, blot and dry.

Even old stains can be washed off easily. The main thing is to be careful and follow the instructions. If there is a risk of damaging the product, it is better to seek the help of specialist dry cleaners to remove the contamination.

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Tea is a drink that is popular in different countries all over the world.

And everywhere there are different traditions and recipes for this drink. Along with vivacity and pleasure, tea also brings unpleasant stains that are difficult to remove.

How to remove them from materials of different textures?

Basic rules for removing tea stains

The composition of tea contains many substances beneficial to the body:

• antioxidants that prevent aging of the body;
• vitamins that saturate cells with vital energy;
• alkaloids that stimulate the nervous system;
• carbohydrates that nourish the body with strength;
• amino acids responsible for restoring the nervous system after exercise;

The drink also contains the following substances:

• essential oils that make tea effective in fighting bacteria and imbuing it with a pleasant aroma;
• pigments that give tea color;
• tannins, which are, among other things, active antioxidants;

The substances included in the last two items on the list - pigments and tannins - are the reason for the difficulty of removing tea stains, since the former give the stain a permanent color, and the latter fix it on the fabric over time.

These properties were used by our ancestors to dye clothes beige. Removing tea pigmentation from fabric using conventional methods is an impossible task.

You can remove tea stains from knitwear or other types of fabrics at home using many alternative methods, which will be discussed below.

Before you get acquainted with them, you should read the basic recommendations for removing tea stains:

• Before removing stains from fabric, it must be cleaned of dust and small debris.
• Before starting chemical stain removal, it is necessary to check the fastness of fabric dyes: to do this, a solution that removes stains is applied to the part of the product hidden from view. Testing can also be done on a fabric sample, which is a piece of fabric sewn to the underside of the garment.

• The cleaning mixture is always applied from the edges of the stain to its center.
• From the inside of the fabric from which the stain is removed, it is necessary to place an absorbent cloth folded several times.
• The area around the stain is moistened with water or gasoline so as not to leave streaks. You can also sprinkle it with starch or talcum powder.
• The stain removal procedure is carried out using a hard brush or a brush; a piece of coarse cloth will also work.
• On small stains, bleach can be applied with a dropper or a cotton swab.

Removing stains from clothes

Tea stains are not difficult to remove as long as they are removed from clothing immediately before it dries..

A fresh stain is soaked in water at a temperature of 40-45 C, after cleaning it with a soapy brush. After half an hour, the item of clothing can be washed.

Removing stains from white clothes

The process of removing stains from white clothes is easier than from colored ones. Worrying about preserving the color of the item of clothing in this case does not complicate the task. Let's look at several ways: old tea stain:

• Chlorine bleaches. In order to get rid of a stain with its help, you need to soak the item of clothing in warm water with the addition of this product in the proportion indicated on its label. There you can also read the soaking times for fabrics of different textures. After this, the item of clothing is washed in the usual way using white laundry detergent.
• Lemon juice. To remove stains using this method, you need to soak the fabric in this area with lemon juice and leave for 15-20 minutes, then rinse and wash. Lemon contains substances that break down tea enzymes, so it is effective in combating stains from this drink on various fabrics.
• A solution of oxalic and citric acid. Recipe: 1 glass of water, 2 tsp. citric acid, 1 tsp. oxalic acid, stir. The resulting solution should be soaked into the contaminated area and after 15-20 minutes the clothes should be washed in warm water.
• 3% hydrogen peroxide solution. Soak the stain in the solution for 20-25 minutes, then rinse and wash the item.

Glycerin is also used to clean clothes from tea stains.

Here are some of the popular ways to clean clothes using it:

1. Glycerin is slightly heated and the contaminated area is soaked in it. After 15-20 minutes, the product is washed in a soap solution.
2. A mixture of glycerin and ammonia (1:4). Soak the problem area of ​​clothing for 20-30 minutes, then wash in warm water.
3. A paste made from glycerin and table salt. Apply to the stain until the stain completely disappears, then wash the item.

Removing tea stains from colored clothing

In order to preserve colors, chlorine bleaches and other aggressive substances are not used on colored fabrics.

To do this, use more gentle methods:

• Borax. Removing stains from clothes using this method is based on cleaning them with a 10% solution of borax in glycerin, available in every pharmacy. A piece of coarse cloth is soaked in the solution and the stain is removed using rubbing movements. If it is not possible to completely get rid of the stain, then treat the remaining mark with a solution of citric acid and salt (2 tsp citric acid, 1 tsp salt per glass of water). After the stain has disappeared, the item is rinsed in cold water and then washed.
• Table vinegar. A solution of ordinary 9% vinegar (1 tbsp per 1 tbsp of water) also helps get rid of tea stains. You just need to soak the item in this solution for 25-30 minutes, and then wash it.

Removing stains from different types of fabric

For different types of fabric, certain methods of removing tea stains are most effective:

• Wool and silk. To remove tea stains from fabrics made from these materials, use the following methods:

1. The stain is washed with laundry soap and the product is immersed in a solution of vinegar in water (the recipe is given above) for 5-10 minutes, after which it is rinsed in running water.
2. The second method is to treat the stain with heated glycerin and was described above.

• Viscose and polyester. The same methods are used as for removing stains from wool and silk.
• Cotton and linen. For the white colors of these materials, chlorine bleach works well. This is the answer to the frequently asked question, how to remove tea stains on jeans. For colored fabrics of this material, use a lower concentration of bleach solution or use a recipe with hydrogen peroxide.
• Glycerol Use for absolutely any material of any color.

How to remove a stain from a sofa or carpet?

The most difficult tea stains to remove occur on upholstered furniture and carpets. The easiest way is to get rid of them before they dry out.

To do this, use the following techniques:

• Stains are cleaned with a brush using soapy water. Laundry soap with increased effect is used to remove stains.
• You can also wipe the stain with an alcohol solution: to prepare it, mix 1 part alcohol with 1 part water.

For old stains on carpets, use a mixture of half a teaspoon of ammonia and 2 tsp. glycerin. The mixture is applied to the stain for 5 minutes, after which it is rubbed until it disappears completely.

For the most difficult stains to get rid of, use a 5% hydrosulfite solution. After treatment with it, the surface is cleaned with soapy water and ammonia. At the end of the procedure, it is necessary to wash off the remaining substances with water.

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Removing Tea Stains from Paper

If tea has been spilled on important papers, use the following stain removal methods:

• Wipe the stain with a 20% solution of hydrogen peroxide until it completely disappears, after which the documents are allowed to dry.
• In a small container, mix 9% vinegar with several manganese crystals. After cleaning with this product, the stain is treated with hydrogen peroxide, followed by drying.
• A mixture of equal proportions of glycerin and ethyl alcohol. After processing, the paper is also dried.

Drying the paper after treating stains is done as follows:

• the document is placed on a blank sheet of paper;
• another sheet is placed on top;
• iron until completely dry.

How to remove green tea stain?

Removing green tea stains is not much different from removing stains caused by spilling black tea. The same techniques are used to remove them.

There are few technical differences:

• Fresh stains are washed with laundry soap. It is also practiced to stretch the product onto a jar or pan and continuously pour warm water over the stain until it completely disappears.
• An item contaminated with green tea is soaked in salt water at a temperature of 35-40 C.
• A stain from green tea with milk can be washed off with regular dishwashing detergent.

Removing stains using bleach

The modern market for household chemicals is represented by a wide variety of bleaches and stain removers that help deal with tea stains:

Oxygen bleaches are added in a proportion of 150-200 ml per 10 liters of water at a temperature of 20 to 35 C.

To effectively remove stains, soak for at least 2-3 hours. Also, these bleaches are added during washing (100 ml) or clothes are boiled with this product for up to 30 minutes, adding 50-100 ml of stain remover per 10 liters of water.

Removing tea stains in this way is the simplest and most effective among all others.

Precautionary measures

• When using chemicals, use rubber gloves.
• If solutions get into your eyes, rinse them immediately.
• Do not use chlorine bleaches to remove stains from leather, fur or wool. Silk may turn yellow from its use.
• Rub the fabric with moderate movements. There is a risk of damaging the material due to intense friction.
• You need to handle alcohols and acids carefully, as they can destroy some fabric dyes and ruin the design;
• Do not use mixtures containing acetone or acetic acid on silk acetate fabrics.
• Alkaline mixtures and bleaches are only suitable for white fabrics without a pattern.

If the work of removing tea stains from fabric seems to be a difficult and time-consuming task, you can always use the services of the nearest dry cleaner.

It is also used in cases of stains appearing on materials that are difficult to remove using home stain removal methods: such as fur or leather. Specialists will clean the surface of the product using professional products. There will be no memories left of the stain.

It’s up to you to choose how to remove tea stains. Listen to our recommendations and warnings and stain removal will be effective and of high quality.

How many troubles stains cause, regardless of their origin. If they are not very noticeable on colored things, then on white ones they are visible from afar. Tea stains are especially distressing.

Tea stains are especially noticeable on light-colored clothing.

Tea and tannin

This favorite drink is a kind of ritual for the majority of the world's population. They drink it in the morning before work. It helps with colds. It's good to sit with a cup of tea in front of the TV or computer. It happens that tea droplets imperceptibly fall onto trousers, a dress, a carpet or a tablecloth. If they are detected in time and washed immediately, then things will return to their original appearance. The situation is worse with old and dried tea stains. The tea leaves contain tannins, a characteristic feature of which is their tanning properties. This tannin, which is especially abundant in green tea, is responsible for the taste and aroma. It also makes tea stains difficult to remove.

There are many ways to answer the question of how to remove tea stains from fabric. The simplest thing that can be suggested in this case is to use dry cleaning services. But if this is not possible, then you can use proven home methods.

Tea contains tannins, which are difficult to remove from fabrics.

Use of glycerin

Regular glycerin will help remove the consequences of unsuccessfully spilled tea from clothes, tablecloths and carpets. Proceed as follows:

• Take table salt and mix with glycerin until a homogeneous paste is formed.
• The resulting mixture is applied with a swab to the desired area of ​​contaminated tissue.
• Leave for a short time until the tea stains discolor.
• After this, the item is washed, taking into account the properties of the fabric and tips for caring for it.
• The water temperature should not be too hot.

This method can be used to remove grease and wine stains from clothing.

Tea stains can be easily removed by using glycerin and ammonia. For this:

• take glycerin (2 tbsp), mix with 0.5 tsp. ammonia;
• Using a tampon, apply the resulting mixture to the tea stain;
• leave for some time until the stains disappear;
• wash things in the usual way.

If you fail to remove the tea stain in time, then over time it will be much more difficult to remove. In this case, use oxalic acid (if you are lucky enough to buy it at the pharmacy) and citric acid in a ratio of 1:2 per glass of water.

The swab is moistened in the resulting solution and the contaminated area is cleaned. When finished, carry out normal washing. This product removes traces of coffee and wine well.

Glycerin with ammonia can remove tea stains

Application of ammonia

Tea stains on white fabrics can be easily removed with ammonia. Do this:

• For 1 liter of water you need to take 1 tsp. alcohol and prepare a solution;
• Apply to the contaminated area using a sponge;
• Be sure to place a napkin under the fabric.

When using this method, alcohol stains may remain on white fabric. A 10% solution of citric acid will help remove them. After all procedures, the item is washed in warm water.

Removing tea stains from clothes made from delicate fabrics is not easy. The tablecloth or dress can be easily damaged. Therefore, hydrogen peroxide is used. Gently moisten the tea stain with peroxide using a swab. And then wash in cold (required) water.

Rub the tea stains with ammonia

Using bleach

If the tea party ends unsuccessfully, and a white cotton product is damaged, then ordinary bleach will help save the situation. It applies only to fabrics made from natural materials. It is not applicable for wool and silk; instead of a red spot, a large hole may form.

It is recommended to treat woolen fabrics damaged by tea brewing with heated glycerin using a tampon. After a quarter of an hour, the contaminated area on the clothing or carpet is thoroughly washed with water and blotted with a napkin.

An effective remedy for the effects of tea is lemon juice, which can fight tannin.

Lemon juice dissolves tannins and removes tea stains

Basic Rules

To wash clothes, carpet or tablecloth from tea stains at home, you should adhere to the following rules:

• Before starting work, place a napkin or several layers of clean cloth under the cloth to be cleaned.
• If you need to wash a colored item, you need to make sure that the product is safe and will not damage it. Apply the selected cleaning agent to the clothes in an inconspicuous place and see what the result is.
• Correctly apply the cleaning solution or product as follows: first on the fabric around the stain, and then on the contaminated area. Moisten from the edge towards the center. This is done so that the liquid is evenly distributed and does not drain.
• It is recommended to initially use a solution of a lower concentration, and if there is no result, the concentration of the solution can be increased.

You can remove tea stains from things at home, but great care and attention is required.

Do you like drinking tea? This is certainly true, because there are millions of fans of this drink all over the world. And they all agree on one opinion: tea invigorates, gives health and a good mood, but stains from it are a real punishment, and often regular washing is not enough to remove them. How to remove traces of awkward tea drinking from clothes, textiles and paper surfaces? There are such methods, and today we will look at them.

How to remove black and green tea stains

If you spill tea on clothes or any surfaces, try to remove the liquid as quickly as possible. A fresh tea stain can be easily washed off from almost any fiber and fabric, even in cold water. And it makes no difference whether the tea was black or green. But if the stain has already dried, you will have to try.

Try to remove the spilled tea stain as quickly as possible before it begins to dry out.

The fact is that the reason for the persistence of such contamination is tannin, a tannin found in tea. There is, of course, more of it in black than in green, which is why its color is more intense. But both stains will have the same resistance to washing.

Don't be upset by the appearance of a tea stain. Everything is in our hands, and you and I can easily deal with this trouble on our own; dry cleaning is most likely not needed here. And you probably have stain removers on hand.

8 remedies for tea stains

1. Fresh lemon juice. Tannin, which is contained in tea and is responsible for the intensity of its color, is perfectly broken down by lemon juice. Gently apply the juice to the stain, wait a few minutes and wash the item as usual.
2. Heated glycerin. On silk and woolen fabrics, tea stains can be removed with warm glycerin, applying it with a sponge or cotton swab. After 15 minutes, rinse the area where the stain was with warm water, then blot it several times with a napkin.
3. Hydrogen peroxide. Treat delicate items made from thin, delicate fabrics with hydrogen peroxide, then wash in cold water.
4. Citric or oxalic acid solution. Dissolve 1 teaspoon of oxalic acid or 2 teaspoons of citric acid in a glass of cold water. Soak a sponge or cotton swab in the solution and carefully wipe the stain. After this, wash as usual.
5. Ammonia and water. A regular solution of 1 teaspoon of ammonia per liter of cold water also works well for tea stains. Moisten the stain with it, under which you first place a piece of white cloth. The stain will remain on this napkin. If there are stains left after ammonia, remove them with a 10% citric acid solution. 15 minutes after treatment, rinse the product thoroughly and then wash in warm water.
6. Salt with glycerin. Mix table salt and glycerin to a paste, apply it to the stain, leave for a few minutes. Tea stains should be discolored. When the stain is gone, wash the item as usual.
7. Glycerin with ammonia. Take 2 tablespoons of glycerin, add ½ teaspoon of ammonia, mix. Soak a cotton swab in the mixture and wipe the stain with it until it is completely removed. When you're done, wash the item if it's clothing, or rinse it off with clean water if you're treating upholstered furniture or carpet.
8. Bleaching. Tea stains on white cotton items can be removed with a rather aggressive agent - bleach, or more precisely, chlorine bleach. But this method is only suitable for cotton, and fabrics such as silk, wool and synthetics are easily damaged in this way. In place of the red tea stain, you will get a hole because chlorine eats away at the fibers.

Don't forget to follow the product care instructions! Water temperature is especially important.

Photo gallery: products that break up tea stains

Chlorine bleach is suitable for removing stains from white cotton items. Ammonia must first be diluted with water. Glycerin must be heated and applied to the stain. Lemon juice instantly lightens a tea stain.

To treat tea stains on thin fabrics, use hydrogen peroxide. Oxalic and citric acids dissolved in water work well on old tea stains.

Note! If you doubt the effectiveness of a particular product, treat an inconspicuous area on the product with a small amount. This way you can find out in advance whether the item will be damaged during the stain removal process.

Now let's look in more detail at how to use these methods correctly and safely for your things.

How to machine wash

Each type of fabric has its own characteristics that you should pay attention to when washing and cleaning stains, including tea stains. An automatic washing machine will help you deal with such a nuisance as tea stains on clothes if you don’t have time to scrub them off by hand. But it is important to know how to wash this item correctly in order to remove the stain without ruining it.

Using machine washing, it’s easy to remove tea stains from items of any color and any fabric.

15 minutes before washing colored items, pre-apply heated glycerin to the stain.

Table: machine settings and means for removing tea stains from different types of fabric

Fabric type	Mode/temperature/spin speed	Detergent options
White cotton or linen		Chlorine bleach oxalic acid (2 tbsp.).
Colored cotton or linen	Quick wash + rinse / 40° / 1000 rpm	Borax (1–2 tsp.), citric acid (2 tbsp.), vinegar (3 tbsp.)
Synthetics	Pre-wash + quick wash + rinse / 40° / 900 rpm	Borax (1–2 tsp.), citric acid (2 tbsp.), vinegar (3 tbsp.)
Wool	Quick wash + rinse / 40° / 900 rpm	Borax (1–2 tsp) + soap shavings (50 g), citric acid (1 tbsp.), vinegar (2 tbsp.).
Colored fabrics of any type (not delicates)	Pre-wash + quick wash + rinse / 40° 1000 rpm	Borax (1–2 tsp.), citric acid (2 tbsp.), vinegar (3 tbsp.)
Delicate fabrics	Quick wash + rinse / 40° / 700 rpm	Citric acid (1 tsp), vinegar (2 tsp).

Important! Borax (sodium tetraborate) is not suitable for washing children's clothes and clothes of people prone to allergies.

How to withdraw manually

It just so happens that tea tends to get on everything around, not only on clothes, but also on furniture, curtains, tablecloths, wallpaper, books and notebooks on the table. This is due to our inattention, which means we have to deal with removing stains.

Even from a light-colored carpet, removing a tea stain is not that difficult if you do it right away.

Please note two rules:

1. Apply cleaning solutions from the edges of the stain to the center so that the liquid does not have time to spread.
2. Use a solution of lower concentration at first, increasing it only if necessary.

From white things, tablecloths, tulle

These stains can be removed without washing. If it happens that tea gets on a white tablecloth made of cotton or linen, bed linen, towel or tulle, try to wipe it off with a sponge soaked in ammonia. Before doing this, you need to make a backing made of soft cloth or blotting paper under the contaminated area. When you clean the stain, moisten the area with a 10% citric acid solution, leave for 10-15 minutes and rinse with clean water.

Try rubbing lemon juice onto the stain. It breaks down tannin perfectly, especially on white fabrics. If you don’t have lemon on hand, hydrogen peroxide can replace it.

Did the previous remedies not help? Then it's time for oxalic acid. Dilute ½ teaspoon of this substance in a glass of water and scrub the stain.

The peculiarity of oxalic acid is that it perfectly removes third-party stains from white fabrics, but is not at all suitable for colored ones.

Instead of oxalic acid, you can use hyposulfite - 1 teaspoon per glass of water. Just rinse the item after treating it with this product not in clean water, but in a solution of ammonia (2 tsp per 1 liter of water).

Oxalic acid will help remove stains from white fabrics, but is not suitable for colored fabrics.

Heated glycerin applied to the tea stain will also do the job. Leave it for 15 minutes, then rinse the item in warm water. If the stain is already ingrained and dry, strengthen the remedy by adding ammonia to it (1/2 tsp ammonia and 2 tsp glycerin). After removing the stain, wash the product with powder or soap.

Any chlorine bleach will do an excellent job of removing tea stains on unpretentious fabrics. Dilute it in water according to the instructions and soak clothes, bed linen, towels, and tablecloths in the solution. The required soaking time is also indicated in the instructions. After this, you just need to wash and rinse things. Chlorine bleaches are not suitable for tulle and delicate fabrics.

From colored clothes, from jeans, from a knitted sweater

A 10% borax solution will help remove stains from colored items made from any fabric: denim, wool, linen, cotton and silk. Even a tight or loose knit sweater can be as good as new. Apply the solution to a cotton swab and scrub the stain until it is completely dissolved. After this, soak a piece of cloth in soapy water and wipe the area where the stain was. All that remains is to rinse the item in warm water.

Sodium tetraborate will remove stains from colored clothing, denim and wool fabrics

If the fabric is very bright and you are afraid that the colors will fade, rinse the product in cold water and vinegar.

From the carpet and the sofa

If you spill tea on these furnishings, first of all you need to try to remove as much of the liquid as possible, and then remove traces of the drink.

If the stain has already been absorbed and dried, the procedure will need to be repeated.

From paper

Do you like to drink tea while working on documents or reading your favorite book? Then the problem of tea spilled on papers is probably familiar to you. If the paper is thick enough, you can try to remove stains like this:

1. Blot up any spilled liquid with a paper towel.
   

   Do not rub the paper under any circumstances!

2. Moisten the stained sheet of paper with a solution of hydrogen peroxide and water in a 1:1 ratio.
3. Then blot with a sponge soaked in distilled water with the addition of slaked lime (1 teaspoon per glass) and dry with a paper towel.
4. If stains persist, apply a chlorine bleach solution (1 part bleach to 2 parts water) to the stains, then iron through wax paper.

Important! Images on paper may become blurry and faded after this treatment. So think about it, is it worth spoiling a document or book with such cleaning? Maybe it’s enough to quickly blot the tea with a dry napkin?

Video: removing smudges from a document

As you can see, nothing is impossible, and stubborn tea stains, even old ones, are easy to remove from your favorite things. Tell us in the comments what methods and means you use in such cases, and how effective do they seem to you? Good luck and comfort to your home!