LOL. I used to feel guilty about not using mugs that I didn't really care for and wouldn't even take them out of the cupboard if they were perfectly good to use. But this past Christmas I bought 6 really beautiful matching mugs for a gift to myself and I took all those other mugs out and happily donated them. It's ridiculous to feel guilty about something like that, but I did. No more.

I have a skinny wall shelf next to my bed I set my cup of tea on. Only tall skinny mugs will fit. They go in the dishwasher every night. It's been years since I've purchased mugs.

Pour Clorox Bleach or other liquid bleach into mugs to remove stains. Let them soak for a short time and rinse. Or pour into 1 mug, then dump into the next mug, then the next etc.

Coffee stains should wipe right out with a Magic Eraser (or generic). If it doesn't wipe out, I would suspect surface microcracks holding the stains and replacement in the near future. Figure out whey they are the hubby's favorite and see about getting the same favorite effect out of new ones.

I find that if I rinse immediately after use I don't get coffee stains so my mugs last a long time. I've been known to put the ones I'm tired of in the giveaway pile. So many cute ones on the market all the time.

You can drop a denture cleaning fizzy tablet in the cup full of water and it will clean it for you, same with the toilet bowl, it works.

We each have a few pieces we use daily. My husband has a stainless steel tall tumbler with a handle that he drinks coffee in, he cleans it himself and I occasionally throw it in the dishwasher. I drink only iced coffee and drinks, I have about 4or5 tall Tervis tumblers I use daily then it goes in the dishwasher. My stainless steel Bubba water thermos that is with me 24/7 gets hot water and a bleach cleaner in it once a week and scrubbed well with a sponge that is made for that purpose with a handle. It goes in the dishwasher randomly. All that is ever in it is water. Every morning I dump the water out spray inside and out with alcohol spray, rinse well and add ice and water.

Our coffee mugs only get used when we have company.

I use clorox cleanup and/or a magic eraser, works perfectly!

I've done as lola8325 describes for tea and coffee stains. Bleach. It's not really an issue now, most of my mugs are clear glass hot beverage mugs I bought at a restaurant supply and don't stain, DH uses those with the Keurig and I use them for all guests. I do have 3 of 4 left from a set my brother bought me while he was in college. He will be 61 this year so I'm guessing I've had those mugs about 40 years and am a little sentimental about them - he bought them when a starving student and he didn't have any money for anything. My routine: I drink Ovaltine out of one every morning. Ovaltine doesn't leave mug stains ;0)

We bought new Fiesta Ware dishes for the condo: Four-piece place settings with a mug instead of cups and saucers. These are color-glazed in and out. I only miss saucers as leftover plates (w/GladWrap covers). We also use a set of six larger capacity mugs with larger handles -- color-glazed in and out.

I pitch white-interior mugs when they won't stay clean with an occasional Clorox Cleanup soak. Most are cheaply made, clever design or not. Tall mugs seem to keep contents hot a little longer.

I use hot bleach water for a lot of stains.

Sue

Baking soda on a sponge when the tea stain builds up. If undamaged, I use it until it breaks or chips. I, also, decided to only use mugs that I really like -- nice color, nice shape, oversized -- sent the rest to the VOA. I still have too many, though.

I give a quick rinse when I'm done then put in the dishwasher and never have a problem with stains. (I have Fiesta mugs and small Dansk coffee cups.) My husband has a Walmart version of the Yeti steel travel mug and it gets a coffee buildup in the bottom. I hit it with a little Barkeeper's Friend and it's like new again.

For me the stains clean out easily with a scratchy scrubber. Tea seems to stain more than coffee, but it still comes out with the scratcher.

I use a little bleach in mugs that are stained. Takes them right out.

I use Kleen Glo for stained cups, wall smudges etc. I like that it's natural. I get rid of cups I don't like as I'm determined that I'll have little to no clutter when I go or downsize whatever comes first. I don't want DD looking after a million pieces of junk as well as her brother.

For those of you who use bleach, keep in mind that doing so for some deposits may only bleach the stain (lighten the dark color) but may not remove it.

My large tea pot is white, so I use a teaspoon of Clorox in water to soak it. It comes out looking like new.

Most of the coffee gunk comes out of my mug when I hand wash it. After awhile. a dark stain builds up at the bottom where the wall ad bottom intersects. When that won't readily yield, I put a 50% mix of vinegar and water using enough to cover the stains. After that has sat for a couple of hours, washing with dish soap usually cleans it out with a little scrubbing.

I was horrified to find out that stain wipes out easily with a paper towel. Blech! How clean are they getting really in the dishwasher LOL! Dh's cups are much worse, as he just rinses them out several times before washing. Dances.

I just add a drop or two of bleach to my mugs that are filled with hot water and let them stand for a few minutes then wash with the other dishes. I find my tea really stains my mugs, coffee not so much

I use a green scrubby and a little dish soap. This usually takes out any stain left behind by the dishwasher. I should sort through our mug shelf. We have a set from our wedding (30 years ago!) that is still pretty, but they're small. I like a mug that I can soak my head in if necessary. :)

I put mine in the dishwasher, but I use the old fashioned powder Cascade with Bleach and phosphates..nothing stands a chance.

Elmer don't say it. .LOL

Hot water ... dish soap ... dishrag ... elbow grease.

A bit of bleach if there's a stubborn stain that resists this treatment.

o j

For stains in mugs or coffee/tea pot I use boiling hot water and about a teaspoon or less of Oxyclean and let sit till cool. Stain is gone.

My advice----treat your husband and yourself to some new mugs.

If they're just stained, I bleach them. If the glaze is crazed or chipped, out they go, favorite or not. Just not comfortable with what might be leaching into my coffee. I was never this way until diagnosed with cancer, but now suspect many things did not cause, but contributed to its ability to grow. Everyone has cancer cells in them, just waiting for an opportunity.

When my mugs get stained, I will either fill up my sink with hot water and a little bleach, or run the dishwasher with the soap and add 1 tbsp of bleach. They come out sparkly.

Debby....if your using a enzyme based auto dishwasher detergent than adding bleach will kill the enzymes. Remember when all dishwasher detergents were bleach based? The old Cascade with bleach and phosphates are still available online under the name Cascade Fryer Boil Out.

My mug is black, so I can't see what's going on in there.

Cream of Tarter will clean them, and wont leave the bleach aftertaste, that sometimes happens when cleaning them with bleach.

I use denture tablets in my tea mugs (not the bone china tea cups, although I'm sure you could, but don't want to risk my "good" cups). I add a tablet to a cup of hot water, let sit for 15 mins, scrub around with a green scrubby and a bit of dish soap, rinse and we're set for tea time :) I also throw 3 of the tablets in the toilet bowl to remove the hard water stains.. I still have to scrub a bit if I have let the calcium build up a bit, but it sure helps here :).. Oh.. and I use the tablets on my teeth of all things too :)

A light amount of bleach works. One reason I rinse most dishes before running the DW is because the DW alone won't remove coffee stains.

I just donated a bunch of coffee mugs I was less fond of, to a community center. Still plenty left!

I couldn't believe how easily coffee stains disappeared when I put a little baking soda in the mug, added just a few drops of water to make a paste and give a wipe. It's gone! Not bleached, but gone. And it's just a wipe. No elbow grease wasted, no big expense for special scrubbers, tablets or otherwise. But if they're really scratched up I'd be careful and consider replacement especially if they're deep scratches. I understand how it is to have favorite mugs. Some just hold the right amount, hold the temp well and have the handle that fits the hand well so maintaining the "good" mugs is important.