Remove tea cup stains in 5 seconds with 1 natural item cleaner claims is a 'game-changer'

Tea and coffee are wonderful as they warm us up during cold weather, wake us up in the morning, and are filled with antioxidants. However, there are also the culprits behind all those nasty stains on our favourite cups. These hot beverages stain our mugs for the same reason they stain our teeth: it all comes down to having a high tannin content.

Tannins are what give tea and coffee their unique dark colour and flavour profile. The amount of tannin differs for every type of tea and coffee - you'll find a lot more in black tea than in green tea. Having found an "instant" way to remove the stains, Helen Booker took to the Mrs Hinch Cleaning Tips Facebook group to share her go-to cleaning method.

Helen wrote: "I keep a magic eraser in my sink caddy. It's a game-changer. When I notice a cup getting stained from tea or coffee, I give it a quick swipe.

"It instantly removes the stains - five seconds and they're gone. I use a magic eraser for nearly everything now." Helen pointed out that it also removes the tea and coffee stains on teaspoons too.

Many members of the group also favoured this method. Kristin Schultz said: "Magic eraser works great. They come in thin sheets now, so you get plenty of uses. My mum has mugs with the same issue, and that's what works without the danger of bleach."

Valerie Hallam commented: "Magic sponge. They are brilliant and great for tea-stained teaspoons too, just wet them with water and rub."

Betty Cole wrote: "Magic eraser works quite well. Just be sure to rinse it well or wash it afterwards."

One user in the comments recommended using bleach; however, Helen noted that bleach takes longer to work. She said: "I used to use bleach, but it took ages to work; this takes seconds."

Magic erasers are made of melamine foam, which essentially acts like a very light sandpaper. This is what helps them take up those super tough stains on most surfaces.

To use them, dampen them slightly, then use small circular motions until the stain fades, then wash the surface clean to remove any residue.

Be sure to test it somewhere inconspicuous first, to ensure it isn't damaging the surface.