Appearance

Tea or coffee stains usually appear as brown rings, either in the cup or in the saucer.

Causes & Prevention

Cause:   Using a poor quality detergent which does not contain good quality cleaning ingredients.

Prevention:   Use a good quality detergent like Finish or Fairy.

Cause:   Washing in hard water which reduces the efficiency of the bleach.

Prevention:   Ensure you use salt to soften the water.

Cause:   Allowing the cup to stand for a long time before it is washed in the dishwasher.

Prevention:   Rinse the cups before placing then in the dishwasher.

Treatment:   Wash brown tea or coffee stained cups on the hottest wash cycle with a good quality detergent like Finish or Fairy. In extreme cases wash the cups in a dilute solution of chlorine based sterilizing solution, such as milton. Rinse the cup well before use.