Ember Mugs are great and I absolutely love mine. But like all ceramic mugs over time they are going to forms stains inside from the tea or coffee you've been drinking.
The last thing you want is a $100 cup that looks horrible because it's full of tea stains.
But how do you bring back that clean mug look and how can you get rid of stains from your Ember Mug? It's actually not too difficult.
The best way to remove stains from an Ember Mug is to use Cafiza. Use 1-2 grams and fill your Ember Mug with boiling water and leave it to soak for 30-60 minutes then rinse well. Alternatively use baking soda or vinegar for a similar effect.
When cleaning stains from your Ember Mug it's really important you don't put it in the dishwasher or use abrasive cleaners on it as this can potentially break your mug or scratch off the ceramic lining.
This is why cleaning mixtures like Cafiza or baking soda tend to be the best solutions for removing stains.
7 Best Ways To Clean Ember Mug Stains
Below are the 7 most effective methods for cleaning stains from your Ember Mugs.
1. Soak With Cafiza
One of the most effective ways to remove tea or coffee stains and keep your Ember Mug looking fresh is to use a product called Cafiza.
Cafiza is used in cafe's to keep coffee machines and there parts completely clean and it's great at breaking down the oils and removing the stains.
It's not just for commercial use though. It's also available from Amazon and one bottle will last you AGES because you only need to use 1-2 grams per Ember Mug.
It's made from trisodium phosphate which is great at getting rid of those tough stains.
To clean your Ember Mug simply put in 1-2 grams of Cafiza and fill your mug with boiling or hot water. Leave to soak for 30-60 minutes and then rinse well.
2. Baking Soda
Baking soda is another great stain remover. You want to make a baking soda paste, rub it on your Ember Mug with a firm brush and then leave to soak before rinsing.
First you'll want to make the baking soda paste.
Mix 1 tablespoon of baking soda with a little bit of water in a small jar to make the paste.
Using a firm brush scoop up the baking soda and give the inside of your Ember Mug a good scrub, focusing in on the stained areas.
Let the paste sit for 15-30 minutes before rinsing away and drying it with a towel.
3. Vinegar
White vinegar is another natural stain remover.
To remove tea stains from your Ember Mug fill it half way with white vinegar and then the remaining half with boiling water.
Leave it to site for 10-20 minutes before giving your Ember Mug a good wipe and a good rinse.
4. Soak With Hot Soapy Water
If you don't have really harsh stains then soaking your Ember Mug with some warm water and detergent can remove a lot of stains and caked on tea/coffee.
To do this simply put in a small squirt of detergent and fill your Ember with hot water and leave to sit for 1-2 hours. Make sure your Ember battery is full if you can as it'll keep the water hot which will remove the stains better.
Remember: Don't soak your Ember Mug in the sink as the exterior of the mug isn't water proof. Fill up your mug and leave it on the bench full of soapy water so the outside doesn't get wet.
5. Baking Soda and Citric Acid
A little known method of removing strong tea stains from glass and ceramic is by using a combination of water, citric acid and baking soda.
Usually you would use 1 tablespoon of baking soda and citric acid per 1 liter of water and you would soak everything in there.
But with the Ember Mug you can't soak it because it's not waterproof on the outside. So what you need to do instead is to put the solution into the Mug itself.
Fill up the Ember Mug with warm water and put in one teaspoon of baking soda followed by 1 teaspoon of citric acid. You will get a bubbling effect.
The solution will clean away most tea stains by itself but I would also advise using a soft cloth to wipe your Ember Mug as it fizzes to get the most stain removing power.
The below video shows just how effectively this can work on tea stains:
6. Dental Tablets or Bottle Cleaning Tablets
Dental tablets or bottle cleaning tablets like these bottle bright tablets can work well to remove tea and coffee stains.
They are also super simple to use. Just fill up your Ember Mug with warm water and put in a tablet and let it do it's thing.
The tablet will fizz in the water and the chemicals will clean away the stains. These don't always work perfectly and some scrubbing may be required but they are a good option to try.
See the Clean Hike Bottle Cleaning Tablets at Amazon
7. Magic Eraser (Be Careful)
I don't really recommend this method as a Magic Eraser is a micro-abrasive foam.
It'll rub off the existing stains in your Ember Mug so it'll look good when you're done.
However, it'll introduce micro scratches into the ceramic of your Ember Mug which will make it more likely to stain with future cups of tea of coffee.
Get some Magic Erasers at Amazon
How NOT To Remove Stains From Ember Mugs
Removing stains from your Ember Mug isn't too difficult if you know the right methods.
Any of the methods above should work fine.
But it's EXTREMELY IMPORTANT that you don't make the following mistakes when trying to clean your Ember Mug. Doing so can break your Ember Mug completely.
Read here on how to clean an Ember Mug and see my video on the topic.
Don't Put The Ember Mug In The Dishwasher
While you might think the dishwasher would be a good way to give your Ember Mug a solid clean but don't do it.
Ember Mugs are NOT dishwasher safe and putting it in the dishwasher will likely destroy your expensive mug completely, turning into just a regular mug.
This is because the base/outside of the Ember Mug isn't completely water proof. The combination of the high water pressure and heat can ruin the electrics in the Ember and render your mug useless.
So don't put it in the dishwasher.
Don't Use Abrasive Cleaners On The Ember Mug
While you might be tempted to attack your Ember Mug with steel wool or some other sort of rough abrasive cleaner I would also advise against this.
Ember Mugs are made from stainless steel and just have a thin coat of ceramic around it. Using an abrasive cleaner can scratch the ceramic and cause it to chip off exposing the stainless steel underneath.
Does The Ember Mug Stain?
If you're looking to buy an Ember Mug you might be wondering whether or not it does stain over time.
While you probably want to hear “no the Ember Mug never stains” this isn't actually the case.
Like all ceramic mugs YES the Ember mug does stain over time especially if you leave coffee or tea in there for long periods of time without cleaning. The white Ember Mug shows stains a lot more than the black one.
Just because the cup costs around $100 that doesn't mean it is immune from stains.
Ember Mugs are made from stainless steel with a ceramic coating. That ceramic coating will stain over time as is normal and natural when you're drinking tea or coffee from a cup.
The extra heat that the Ember Mug produces can also encourage stains more than a regular cup, especially on the base of the Ember Mug where the heating element is.
How To Avoid Getting Stains On Your Ember Mug In The First Place?
If you haven't yet got any stains on your Ember Mug or you want to keep you mug stain free after taking the time to clean it properly how do you do that?
Keeping you Ember Mug stain free is pretty simple and is the same as keeping any ceramic mug stain free.
Wash Your Ember Mug Directly After Usage
Nothing creates stains like leaving tea in your Ember Mug for long periods of time.
My Dad's tea cups are all completely stained for this main reason. He'll drink half a tea and then leave it 1-2 days before cleaning it sometimes.
I'll have to admit I do the same with coffee sometimes, but coffee seem to clean off easier.
To avoid stains when you've finished drinking your coffee quickly give your Ember Mug a hand wash and leave to dry.
If tea or coffee isn't soaking in there then it doesn't give as much time for stains to form.
Don't Use Ember Mug For Tea
Tea stains cups more than coffee and so using your Ember Mug exclusively for coffee will reduce the chances of it becoming stained.
Both me and my dad have the same mug. Dad uses his for tea and I use mine for coffee only. Can you see the massive difference?
Dad's mug is completely stained and my mug still looks brand new.
Buy The Black Ember Mug
A simple way to avoid having your Ember Mug look stained is by purchasing a black Ember Mug instead of a white one.
White is obviously going to show the stains a lot more than a black one will.
I was lucky enough to purchase a black Ember Mug for myself. But I wasn't thinking about stains at the time, I just bought the black mug because I liked the color better.
Do Stains Ruin The Ember Mug?
Just because your Ember Mug has a few coffee or tea stains this doesn't meant he mug is ruined and has to be thrown away.
In fact the stains don't have any impact on the performance of your Ember Mug and rarely if ever do even the most stubborn stains affect the flavor in your mug.
So whether you're using your Ember Mug for tea, coffee, hot lemon water or some other drink you can rest assured knowing that even if your mug is a little stained that just means it's well loved and you can keep using it.
Check out some of these customer comments from Best Buy that show that yes Ember Mugs do stain:
I gave a white one to my mom from Christmas. She says it stains but I don't know how she has tried to clean it or what the cleaning instructions are for the cup. She does love the product, though.
Rileek
es. I bought a white and a black one……..and after 2 weeks the white one is stained……not a problem for me……that happens with any light colored mug……but the black one is my preference due to hiding stains.
Bender
