Stains can be a nightmare, especially on white fabric. Accidents are not evident and sometimes you do spill your drink all over your clothes.
Many people dread tea stains, it was used in ancient times as a fabric dye which means it’s very hard to remove. What about green tea?
Yes, green tea does stain clothes too! What can you do about it?
Either hide the clothing from your mom and it will save you for a while. But wait, what to do if you are the mom? Don’t worry we got you covered.
In this article, we will explore why green tea stains clothes and how to remove these stains from clothes efficiently.
Let us see if green tea stains are permanent and how to save your clothes.
Are Green Tea Stains Permanent?
No, green tea stains are NOT permanent fortunately, as green tea is water-based and non-acidic tea. These stains are washable and are easily cleaned.
However, the longer you wait to clean the stain the harder it will be to remove.
Therefore, its best to wash your clothes as quickly as possible to remove the green tea stains.
Does Green Tea Come Out of Clothes?
Yes, you can remove green tea from clothes. It is water soluble that is why it does come out of the clothes after washing. However some old stains are harder to remove.
The stain of green tea will come out of clothes eventually but you have to pre-treat the clothes for it to come out.
Many people dread tea stains. However, since green tea typically has fewer tannins and is lighter in color, the stains are easier to treat.
Check out our after tips and tricks and methods below that will help you to remove green tea from any type of fabric at home.
Why Exactly Does Green Tea Leave Stains?
Green tea leaves stains because of the chemicals called tannins. It comes from a plant called Camelia Synesis. This plant produces most types of teas like black tea, oolong tea, etc.
This tannin gives flavor and color to the plant leaves. It has a lot of nutritional benefits.
Green tea has the lowest about of tannins generally than all other teas. Thus, the stain is weaker in comparison to black tea.
The number of tannins in any tea also depends upon how much you brew it. Thus, longer brewed green tea will have more stubborn stains.
Does Caffeine In Green Tea Stain Clothes?
A cup of green tea contains 28mg of caffeine. The caffeine in green tea is a form of tannin.
So, yes, caffeine in green tea can stain clothes and this leaves a light brownish stain that can be difficult to remove especially if you leave it for a while.
The fresh stains of caffeine washed right away cleans easily with cold or warm water. However, an overnight soak in water and surf is necessary for old caffeine green tea stains.
7 Methods To Remove Green Tea Stains
So, your perfectly brewed green tea is now a big ugly stain on your clothes? Different methods can be used to remove these stains. The first thumb of rule is to wash the stain right away without wasting any time. If it does not work then you can use the following methods:
1) Wash Right Away
The best way is to wash the stain the moment green tea spills on your clothes. Put the fabric under cold water and this will do the deed.
Hand washing is the best for these types of stains. However, machine washing is also safe to use for green tea stains.
2) Laundry Detergent
Most laundry detergents have the right chemicals to remove the stains.
Putting the detergent directly over dampen the stain and then rubbing it will most probably take off the stain.
Use a brush or a toothbrush to scrub and then rinse with cold water.
3) Leave It Over Night
If the stain looks stubborn it is better to leave the garment in a bucket full of water overnight.
Soaking overnight with some detergent will make it easier to clean in the morning.
4) Using Bleach
Bleach is used on white clothes. Always check the instructions if you are using them the first time.
As it can ruin your clothes if used incorrectly.
5) Make A Vinegar Mix
Vinegar is one of the best home remedies used on harsh stains. The method is to mix half water and half vinegar in a spray bottle.
Spray this mixture over the stain and let it sit for at least 20 minutes. Then rinse normally. This will surely take the old green tea stain away.
6) Using Salt
Some people use a small pile of salt crystals over the stain before rubbing the salt and fabric gently between fingers.
Salt is an antiseptic it takes away bad odor, bacteria, and hopefully stains too. After rubbing rinse well before machine washing as usual.
7) Baking Soda
Baking soda is easily available in your kitchen. Wet your stain and apply a thick layer of baking soda over it. Baking soda absorbs the stain from the clothes.
Make sure to use this method as soon as possible after getting the stain. Leaving baking soda overnight will make your work easy to wash the next day.
Things That Can Worsen the Stains
Sometimes we use some method wrong and that can make the stain even harder to remove. Make sure not to do these mistakes while washing the clothes.
- Soaps have a different chemical, using soap flakes can sometimes make the tannin stains more prominent.
- Using bleach on colored clothes will ruin the clothes. Use color-safe bleach for this purpose.
- When you use the dryer to dry stained clothes, the heat makes the green tea stain permanent which you don’t want.
Frequently Asked Questions
These questions about green tea and stained clothes will help you learn more about getting rid of the stains. We answered them for you.
What Color Does Green Tea Stain?
The stain of green tea depends upon how much it is brewed and what type of green tea brand is used. The color of the green tea stain is mostly light yellow to brownish. This is due to the tannins and caffeine in green tea.
How Do You Get A Green Tea Stain Out of A White Shirt?
White shirt stains are the worst. To remove stains, wash right away. If it does not do the deed. Put it overnight in a bucket of water and use bleach the next day to take out the stain.
How Do You Get Old Green Tea Stains Out of Clothes?
Old green tea stains can be treated with the vinegar method. Mix vinegar with water and spray over the stains. Wash after 20 minutes or leave it overnight. Rinse the next day and wash normally. You will get rid of the stubborn stains from this method.
Conclusion
Green tea stains are stubborn just like tea. The important thing is to wash the stain immediately.
If you don’t, then treating it the right way is vital for stain removal.
Try our methods mentioned in the article above and your surely will get rid of the stains.
Old stains do not go away with direct washing. Pre-treating or soaking overnight is your best bet.
