An insulated cup is a purchase that will last for years. It will allow you to enjoy hot coffee or tea for several hours, while at the same time helping to care for the environment by replacing disposable paper cups.
To keep your insulated cup clean and fresh for as long as possible, we’ve put together a few tips we recommend you take into account to make sure it’s looked after properly.
How often should I clean my insulated cup
Most insulated cup manufacturers recommend that you wash the cup thoroughly after each use. We all know that this is not always the case. For example, in the office or at the petrol station, you may not have the opportunity to wash the cup before pouring your next cup of tea or coffee. In such cases, there’s no need to worry – a light rinse under a jet of water will do. Just remember to wash both the cup and the lid thoroughly with soap when you get home.
The cap and the reservoir of the insulated cup must be washed regularly as coffee, tea, milk, sugar and other substances leave traces and tiny particles. If the insulated cup is left dirty for a long time, these particles can adversely affect the smell and taste of the beverages poured into the mug. Milk, coffee grounds and tea leaves can also start to mold after several days.
The recommended frequency of washing the cup is strongly influenced by the beverages that are filled into it. For example, after drinking plain water, coffee or tea, the cup will need to be washed less frequently – every two or three days. If you like to add milk and sugar to your coffee or tea, you will need to wash it more often. We recommend that you wash it thoroughly every day to avoid a build-up of sugar or milk particles on the walls or lid.
It is important to get into a rhythm when washing your insulated cup. We recommend rinsing it under running tap water after the contents have been drunk. This not only helps to keep the cup hygienic, but also allows you to get rid of the taste and smell of the previous drinks before.
How do I keep my insulated cup clean and fresh?
We recommend that you wash your insulated cup thoroughly using dishwashing detergent or soap on a regular basis. Because insulated cup are long and narrow, it is difficult to access the deeper corners of the tank using a cloth or sponge. A brush is therefore the best tool for this task.
We recommend that you read the instructions and manufacturer’s guide lines for your insulated cup. Some models can be safely washed in the dishwasher, while others are not. Several models cannot be machine washed, but the lid can.
The cup can be washed thoroughly and hygienically by hand by following four steps. You will need a bowl, dish washing detergent or soap and a brush.
Instructions
- Mix warm water and dish washing liquid in a bowl.
You can use and apply as much as you need. Half a teaspoon is enough to create a foam that will dissolve and rinse the dirt from the cap. Stir the liquid.
- Immerse the cap in the bowl
Leave the cap in the freshly mixed soapy water for about 10 minutes. Now it has thoroughly absorbed every detail and crevice. If you need to disassembled or unscrewed the tap, please do it.
- Wash the jug with water and dish washing detergent
While the cap enjoys a soapy bath, you can turn your attention to the cup itself. Fill a little dish washing detergent or soap into the jug and under warm running water, thoroughly scrub the sides of the container with a brush. You can wash the outer body of the cup with a rag or sponge.
- Rinse and dry
After washing both parts of the insulated cup with soap and water, rinse them under running water. Place the insulated cup in a dish dryer separately from the lid. Allow air to circulate.
How to wash off rest of the dirt?
Water and soap may not be enough to get rid of tea or coffee stains. For example, frequent boiling of black tea can cause a brown imprint around the area where the hot water has been filled.
Similarly, if you don’t wash cup regularly using the method described above, the walls of the container may become discolored as a result of coffee or tea. For example, in this Kambukka Etna, black tea was brewed at least three times a day for two weeks and the walls became brown.
We couldn’t wash this off with the standard method of water and dish washing detergent, so we had to use something stronger. We recommend using vinegar and baking soda to remove any residual dirt. Several manufacturers, such as Contigo suggests this method. It will safely clean all the dirt and also get rid of the odor and staining in the cup.
Instructions
- Mix the baking soda and vinegar in a your insulated cup
A teaspoon of baking soda and about 100ml of table vinegar is enough to loosen even the most difficult-to-wash dirt. When you mix the two substances, they will start bubbling – which means a chemical reaction is occurring and everything is happening!
- Seal the cap and shake
To make sure that the mixture evenly coats the entire wall of the inner container, you need to shake the it. Close the lid tightly and shake vigorously for about a minute. Then pour everything into the sink.
- Wash the it with a brush
The cup can then be washed as described above – with dish washing detergent and a brush. The mixture of vinegar and soda has made the dirt much easier to wash off.
- Rinse and dry
Rinse the insulated cup and lid thoroughly in running water and leave it on the dish drying rack. This method is surprisingly effective in getting rid of any residual dirt and staining. You can repeat this process regularly.
We hope you have found this guide useful. Taking care of your thermal shirt will allow you to enjoy hot and cold drinks for years to come. You can shop wide range of isulated cups in UDENSPUDELE.lv Insulated cups section.
We hope you enjoyed our article. For further reading, we suggest you our article What is the best insulated cup for a hike.
