Is tannin Bad?

Now there is some discussion on this subject that argues tannin (the black stuff) equates to flavour.

There is something in this maybe but as far as I understand this only refers to unglazed pots.

When I say unglazed I mean no glaze inside the pot and the rough surface catches the tannin on it.

Cleaning the pot

This takes two forms either a soak clean in which the action of the cleaning agent loosens the tannin or a scrub.

The scrub with a clean brush which is harder work seems to give me the best result but if too much pressure is applied it can damage the glaze, so I advise care on the first use of this method.

Here are some household tea pot clean tips.

Teapot cleaning using a soak.

1. Fill a tea pot with boiling water, squeeze the juice from a wedge of lemon (1/4 lemon) and toss in the peel, add 1/8 cup of baking soda. Soak overnight, wash well in the morning.

2. Fill teapot with boiling water and add 1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice, soak overnight then wash well in the morning.

3. Fill teapot with boiling water and add a couple denture tablets. Allow to sit overnight then wash with soap and water in the morning.

4. Put about 1/4 of a tea cup dishwasher detergent into the teapot, cover with boiling water and soak for a few hours or overnight. Wash well to remove all detergent residue.

Tea pot cleaning using a scrub.

If your cleaning soaks fail to remove all the stains try one of these scrubbing ideas for more stain removal.

2. Gently scrub stains with a baking soda & water paste.

3. Gently scrub tea stains away with a baking soda & lemon juice paste.

4. Make a paste of salt and vinegar, scrub onto stain and wash off a few hours later.

The tips above will help with mug or tea cups and tea sets stained as well.