Germs from tea stained mug?

Chaosboss · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:00

Hi All,

I don't wash my mug because I am lazy and I think tea tastes better from it because it is full of tea stains (like a tea pot!)

What are the chances of mass germs growing in it? -I thought that maybe the boiling water will kill any germs when I make my next tea?

CB

antijoke · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:01

You don't wash your mug ever? :eek:

BloomerzUK · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:01

My Nan hasn't cleaned her tea pot in ages. Just swills it out now again. The boiling water should kill most, if not all the germs.

Bennie-Mac · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:02

You dont wash teapots?

G-MAN2004 · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:02

Uh, what?

Mr Jack · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:03

Aye, boiling water = no germs. Even if a few make it, it'll be a lot more sterile than a glass of tap water.

Mr Jack · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:03

Bennie-Mac said:
You dont wash teapots?

No. You empty them after use, and swill with water.

Greenlizard0 · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:05

What is it with the 'don't wash teapots' thing?

Sp00n · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:05

Depends how long you leave it for I guess, long enough and you will see the mould growing.

BloomerzUK · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:06

Greenlizard0 said:
What is it with the 'don't wash teapots' thing?

Could be general lazyness.

Mr Jack · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:08

BloomerzUK said:
Could be general lazyness.

No, it's the traditional way of doing it. It's like woks; you never wash a wok, you just rinse, wipe and oil.

If you're going to do it, you can't be lazy, because if you leave a part full teapot around it'll got mouldy pretty sharpish and then you have to wash it.

Participant · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:08

Mr Jack said:
Aye, boiling water = no germs.

Are you sure doc?

Deadbeat · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:09

We got a new tea pot recently, it's gonna take ages to get that "lived-in" taste I love. As for my mug, a quick swish with tap water first thing in the morning (average 5 - 6 cups of tea on a day off) and plain cold water swished with one of those cylindrical glass-cleaning brushes about once a week (when I'm on a weekend o two long days and don't get any tea at home, so the dregs from Friday night are still there Monday morning) and no other mugs tasste quite as good.

Sp00n · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:09

Greenlizard0 said:
What is it with the 'don't wash teapots' thing?

The tannins in the tea which stain the pot are supposed to improve the taste, you should rinse out the pot after each use but not wash with washing up liquid.

Tbh I don't think it's worth it unless you use loose tea which I only use at my parents house these days.

However for the mug I wouldn't keep it unwashed, maybe not washing up liquid and just water again but scrub it, milk doesn't take too kindly to father time imo.

antijoke · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:11

You don't clean your Wok after using it?

This just gets better.

Deadbeat · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:13

anticonscience said:
You don't clean your Wok after using it?

This just gets better.

You do? You're doing it wrong.

Sp00n said:
However for the mug I wouldn't keep it unwashed, maybe not washing up liquid and just water again but scrub it, milk doesn't take too kindly to father time imo.

If you're popping the milk in to the mug before the water goes in, you're doing it wrong, too.

Cosimo · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:13

The more stains the better the taste.

reefoid · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:14

I rarely clean the inside of my favourite mug, its lovely and stained and I think tea tastes better out of it. I give the outside a clean each day but that's it.

And what's a teapot?

Sp00n · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:14

Deadbeat said:
If you're popping the milk in to the mug before the water goes in, you're doing it wrong, too.

Where did I say that? oh wait... I didn't.

ralv585 · 13 Sep 2010 at 15:15

Do you lick your plates clean too?