Tea cup residue
Why do I have residue at the bottom of my tea cup? I've tried bottled water and tap water, and the result is always the same. I've tried many different brand of tea bags and they are all the same.
Best Answer
You could try making tea with loose leaf tea and a strainer (rather than tea bags). I have an inexpensive teapot with an insert. It is big enough to make 2-3 cups. There is still a little of the tiny tea flecks in the bottom, but if you pour carefully they stay in the pot and you can have a no-residue cup of tea.
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Quick Answer about "Tea cup residue"
To remove tea stains from cups, wet the inside of the mug with cold water, and sprinkle in a thin layer of baking soda, so that it covers all brown marks (it should stick easily to the damp sides of the cup). Leave for a few minutes, and then use a cloth or sponge to wipe all around the brown ring.Why is there a film on my cup of tea?
The oily film on black tea is mostly made of some of the compounds in the tea \u2013 particularly, molecules called polyphenols \u2013 and calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is present in tap water, but its content varies from place to place. A higher concentration of calcium carbonate will create a thicker film.Is it okay to drink tea residue?
The loose leaf tea residue is completely safe to drink and rich in nutrients and antioxidants because the leaves are what hold the health benefits from your cuppa! Each kind of tea leaf has different benefits you can look into, but they are all good sources of vitamins and immunity aids.Why does tea leave a residue?
THE REASON is that tea contains tannin (or tannic acid) which gives tea its colour. Tannin is used as an agent for many dyes such as in the tanning of leather and in making ink, hence the reason that a stain is left in cups.What is the stuff at the bottom of my tea?
Since customers evidently prefer that their tea beverages be clear rather than murky, manufacturers of ready-to-drink tea beverages have long looked into tea sediment, which forms simply from the binding of polyphenols to proteins (assuming you've filtered out any bits of actual leaf).How to Clean Tea Stains from Cups
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Answer 2
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2005/nov/04/foodanddrink.features
That sounds like what your experiencing. But also keep in mind that the grade of tea used in tea bags is pretty poor unless your springing for high quality stuff. I've found that if your water is too hot, too much tannin can be released and this can cause a different mouth feel, sometimes described as "meaty" or "chewy" similar to some of the desired characteristics found in wines (where tannin content is large).
I'd say experiment with different loose leaf teas as described above but to also work with different water temperatures and water sources. If your bottled water is coming from a source up the road from you the mineral content may not be that different then what your getting from the tap.
Answer 3
Try filling the cup with some vinegar. Just enough to cover all the parts with residues. Let it sit for a few hours. If the residue marks are not too strong, try a mixture of vinegar and water.
This method is well known among Chinese people (from tradition) and it has chemical explanations too.
Try it :)
EDIT: Sorry my English is not good enough and didn't comprehend "residue" well enough. In that case, I suggest you just leave the last sip and don't drink it. Also, some tea doesn't have this problem. But as far as I know, most tea have this problem.
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