Here's How You Can Finally Erase Coffee Rings On Your Mugs With A Dishwasher Tablet

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Even after running your coffee mug through the dishwasher, it may still have unsightly coffee ring stains. This happens because the tannins and oils in your coffee will adhere to the surface of your favorite mug. Then, when it is exposed to high heat (like the dishwasher), the compounds chemically bond with the mug, making them more stubborn and harder to clean. Soaking it overnight or scrubbing at the stain might not help, but we do have a fast (and easy) solution.

Try using a dishwasher tablet to get rid of ugly coffee stains on porcelain and ceramic mugs. Note that dishwasher pods won't work for this hack, only dry, solid tablets, like these BLUELAND Eco-friendly Biobased Dishwasher Tablets on Amazon. Break off a piece of the tablet or cut off the end with a knife before filling your mug with warm water and dissolving the tablet piece inside. Let it sit overnight and then clean it with dish soap and warm water in the morning.

If you have coffee stains on a glass or stainless steel coffee pot, this method works just as well. Start by boiling water on the stove before adding the boiling water and a piece of a dishwasher tablet (or a whole tablet) to your pot. Let it sit for about 30 minutes, and then pour the water down your sink. Wash the pot with dish soap and water, and if you still see residue or stains, repeat the process again.

To understand why dishwasher tablets are such an effective but unexpected way to clean coffee stains from your mugs, it's important to know what chemicals they contain and what those chemicals do. Most dishwasher tablets contain enzymatic cleaners and oxygen bleach. The bleach addresses surface-level stains, while the natural enzymes break down organic matter, lift stains, and neutralize odors. The BLUELAND dishwasher tablets claim to have twice the enzyme power for fighting stubborn grime.

Dishwasher tablets also use oxygen-powered cleaning agents. Like Alka-Seltzer, another fizzy cleaner that can tackle coffee stains and dirty coffee pots, these are incredibly effective at breaking down and lifting grease and food stains. The BLUELAND label even claims that the pods' OXI stain-fighting compound can get rid of coffee and tea stains.

Using dishwasher tablets outside of the dishwasher may be a more effective way to remove stubborn coffee and food stains. This could be because the intense heat and pressure of the dishwasher may actually cause the stains to fuse onto the surface of the mug or other item. When you use the tablet with warm water, its stain-lifting abilities are still activated, and the tannins, oils, and other organic materials on your mug won't be heat-fused to the surface. Instead, the oxygenated cleaner, bleach, and enzymes will work together to break apart the stain molecules so that they easily rinse off of the surface.