Slightly dull question about tea-making area and kitchen worktops

[lummox]

Has anyone got a good answer to keeping the tea-making bit of their kitchen nice? Our old worktop has horrible tea stains despite trying to always use a large tray. Tea seems to splash everywhere and the bit under the tray is now uncleanably horrible.

I appreciate that the answer must be some mixture of being more careful and getting a bigger tray, but has anyone found a way of dealing with this?

We have wooden work surface and have an IKEA LÄMPLIG chopping board that doubles up for tea making and bread board (an older one that’s not bamboo - oak? beech?) Plus we use a tea bag bin.

That’s my worktop too. Tea coloured for a reason 😁

I crochet my own tea cosies. Dead easy. Current one is camo wool to appeal to ex Army DH

We have good quality gloss laminate worksurfaces and everything just wipes off. Can't be doing with anything higher maintenance than that.

We had laminate for years last one was dark green and grey and brown mix so you didn't notice it.We have smoky green quartz or granite now. I put a tray with a lip but DH now makes it on the black granite chopping board. However my problem is he empties the teapot into the white Belfast sink and doesn't rinse it and also splashes it as he tips the residue out.It drives me insane! I used Bar Keeper's Friend but even that hasn't worked unless you clean it more than once a day. I had to let him into my secret as it was so bad the other day. We are on a septic tank and shouldn't use bleach but I use about a 10p size and wipe it around and leave it to soak than some hot water left in to clean the plug for about 10 minutes every week. I have asked him again and said I can't see the point of having spent money on this kitchen for you not to look after it too. He washes up at night and doesn't wipe the table or the sink. How can you not do that...runs screaming into the night!

I feel you pain OP.
It could be the teapot too. We bought a great one from John Lewis for loose tea about £15 in December and we have a Wedgewood one for tea bags.

@Redsquirrel5 - creme cleaner ie ciff works well on ceramic sinks

My worktop is dark granite coloured laminate,so it shows no stains. But surely the answer is that if you can't stop the tea-dribbling, you just clean it up immediately so that it doesn't have time to stain? Also - have you tried magic eraser sponges? They are... well... magic! No cleaning product needed, just sponge and water.

This is what we have , also being careful and mopping up any spills in a timely fashion .

You need to stop the tea pot spout dribbling when you pour.

I'm sure I read somewhere that rubbing the side of your nose with your finger then rubbing it under the end of the spout stops drips. Sounds gross though.
Butter has also been suggested.

You can buy attachments for the spout on Amazon which claim to stop it too.

I use the Pink Stuff cleaning paste. It's the only thing that gets the tea stains out of our white ikea worktops. It lasts forever as well.

I am really surprised at the number of people that use teapots. We have one, somewhere, I think it might have been a wedding present. Pretty sure we’ve never used it. Not one of my friends or family use a teapot. I feel I’m missing out.

If I make tea, I just put the tea bag straight in the bin. We don’t have anything on worktops in our kitchen - not even a kettle.

I have umpteen tea accessaries. Several tea pots including Gong fu small one , a tea flute, a gaiwan. I mainly drink loose leaf but even if using tea bags prefer the quality from a brewed bag in pot rather than squeezed out bag in cup. The squeezing makes it more tanniny to me.

Nothing on work top? I have bread maker food processor ( that I grind coffee on the top of) tea pot, large and small cafetiere, toaster, kettle, water filter, microwave

I love this thread but what the jeff is a tea flute?

Do you play it whilst waiting for the brew.

meileaf.com/teaware/flute-brewer/

How do you cook anything if it's all in drawers?

We've got: rice cooker, Kenwood, grill/toaster, tea making, utensils, chopping boards, sink, cake stand and some (some) clear working space. On the island is just a fruit bowl. On the crappy extra worktop is the egg bowl, sodastream, coffee machine, bread bin and general hot spot.

Can't begin to imagine putting it all away as most things used every day.

@Redsquirrel5 I have found that limescale remover shifts tea stains from a white porcelain mug where my normal go to ,bleach,failed .
Maybe with a septic tank limescale remover is a no no as well? Wonder if lemon juice might do the trick ?
Or a new husband?

We just clean up sfter ourselves Immediately. Im a little grossed out op that you and others don’t. And I’m not anal retentive, but I certainly don’t make tea and just leave the drips.

DiDonk Absolutely everything is hidden that I find unattractive 😂. No canisters, utensils, kettle, toaster, bread bin, bread maker, chopping boards, bin…. they are all in cupboards or drawers.

In my control freak kitchen the only things allowed out are a Sage bean to cup coffee machine, and the kitchenaid which has a shelf under the island. I also permit a large dish with lemons and limes, a nice candle and flowers. Sadly there’s also an Alexa, but I’d hide that if I could get away with it.

Can you tell I hate clutter? It does make the kitchen incredibly easy to keep clean and tidy though.

@lummox I’m ignoring your current worktops, as you’ve said you’ve ordered Bamboo worktops … have you looked into how you will need to clean/maintain them?

Best thing I’ve bought are these - sold as desk protectors, therefore much bigger than anything I’ve seen for kitchens (they’re 65x45cm/approx 25.5/18inches):

As a cleaner, I’m constantly filling (and spilling) cleaning bottles with solutions that aren’t compatible with the Danish oiled wood that mine are, and have therefore had a few disasters … fixable, but a PITA.

At first, I just used the mat for stopping spills related to things I KNEW could affect my wood surfaces, and removed it when I’d finished.

Then realised that it’s actually MUCH better left in place - dimpled side down, it doesn’t move and the smooth side wipes clean easily.

Now have two in place permanently as ‘protectors’ so all cooking prep also takes place on these (I don’t cut directly on them, obviously). Have also cut them up to sit under appliances prone to leakage (I’m looking at you Nespresso), and have also put a piece in my bathroom specifically for when I’m using hair dye.

You do need a heavy duty Stanley type knife to cut them cleanly.

@lummox - please look at the care instructions for the worktops you’ve ordered.

Caspianberg
Thanks but we were told not to use that as it would scratch it. Take a while but apparently it scratches the surface. I did use it on the stainless steel one we used to have.

Through recent reading because we need a new septic tank I have discovered a small amount of bleach is acceptable and is much less than I am using.

amberover.
Considering the last option.

Start using the the warmer, it will catch the drips from that drippy spout.

You need one of these www.amazon.co.uk/Beaumont-3629-Black-Rubber-15x30cm/dp/B076JF6QLW/ref=asc_df_B076JF6QLW/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309816005418&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=3338448549977850742&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=m&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006603&hvtargid=pla-697927270759&psc=1

By warmer I mean tea cozy. Sorry I have not had coffee yet so my brain is a bit dim.

use A teapot like a civilised person! 😆 The bonus will be much nice tea.