Coffee Mug--To Wash, or Not To Wash?

[RChickenMan]

Okay, so about a month ago, I was in the office kitchenette washing my coffee mug in preparation to get a cup. A co-worker who was in there gave me a strange look and informed me that it is best to never wash a coffee mug, to "preserve the flavor". A few others walked in and agreed with this advice. In fact, some veteran began recalling stories of when he was in the Navy and one of their favorite practical jokes was to fill someone's coffee mug with shaving cream, forcing them to wash it and remove this alleged "flavor build-up".

One small detail--I'm an intern. So, were these guys just messing with me, or is there any truth to this?

[PriceChild]

I spent about a month in South America... everyone you saw had these little cups with silver straws which they used to get the "tea"... I can't remember what it was actually called and I hate myself for that... I'll have to check when I get home as I brought some back.

Anyway.... The whole idea of these was that you reused all the leaves again and again, each subsequent cup tasting just that bit better.

Pricey

[Josh1]

They are taking the **** out of you. Not washing it spreads germs.

[Tomosaur]

They are taking the **** out of you. Not washing it spreads germs.

The build up of germs is unlikely to harm you once you pour the oh-so-good kettle of boiling water onto them.

I rarely wash my cup. Maybe a quick rinse every now and then but it's not like I scrub away at it. I can't say I notice an improvement in flavour, but I still don't have scurvy.

[Josh1]

The build up of germs is unlikely to harm you once you pour the oh-so-good kettle of boiling water onto them.

I rarely wash my cup. Maybe a quick rinse every now and then but it's not like I scrub away at it. I can't say I notice an improvement in flavour, but I still don't have scurvy.

I was talking about in a office enviroment. I always wash my cups, because someone could be sick and could pass it onto me lol.

[an.echte.trilingue]

Coffee molds. Molds have excretions that can make you sick. Even pouring boiling water on those excretions will not remove them, only washing will.

The greatest medical advance in history, in terms of preventing desease and prolonging life, was the recognition that you have to keep waste water and water for consumption separate. You can generalize this to mean that you should keep things that are going in your mouth clean.

Will it make you sick? Probably not, but swimming in sewage will probably not make you sick either. But, it can and you should avoid it, IMHO.

[RChickenMan]

You must have a really tightly knit office. We don't share coffee mugs...

[djsroknrol]

I spent about a month in South America... everyone you saw had these little cups with silver straws which they used to get the "tea"... I can't remember what it was actually called and I hate myself for that... I'll have to check when I get home as I brought some back.

Anyway.... The whole idea of these was that you reused all the leaves again and again, each subsequent cup tasting just that bit better.

Pricey

My grandma used to drink "Mate" all the time...she only rinsed the cup out. My coffee drinking cup is only rinsed and soaked full of water only overnight. My wife gets upset with my habit and sneaks it off to wash when she can get it away from me.

[maagimies]

I always wash mine o_O
If not washing, I atleast rinse it, I can't understand how anyone could drink from a dirty mug :D

[Tomosaur]

I always wash mine o_O
If not washing, I atleast rinse it, I can't understand how anyone could drink from a dirty mug :D

Easy, my mug isn't dirty. It just has coffee stains.

I'm probably not the best person to give advice on this though, you guys really don't want to see my kitchen.

[weatherman]

I'd wash it man

[d3v1ant_0n3]

I would say personally- If you drink it black it's probably ok to not wash your cup for a while. If you take milk/creamer and sugar, wash it regularly. I use the same cup all day, then wash it at night.

[atoponce]

I spent about a month in South America... everyone you saw had these little cups with silver straws which they used to get the "tea"... I can't remember what it was actually called and I hate myself for that... I'll have to check when I get home as I brought some back.

Anyway.... The whole idea of these was that you reused all the leaves again and again, each subsequent cup tasting just that bit better.

Pricey

It's called "Yerba Mate" (pronounced yair-buh mah-tay), and it's from Argentina. It's a very good drink loaded with vitamins and minerals. I personally can't live through my morning with out it. :)

[ericesque]

I'd also have to say it depends on whether you leave coffee sitting in the cup for any duration. I know I'll rinse a mug out if it's just black coffee that has sat for a few hours. Wash it if the cup had any creamer or sugar. Then again, sometimes I'll just nuke it and drink it too :D

Ultimately I'd say screw the crew and do what feels right to you. Wow. Rhyming there was completely unintentional. If the mug feels dirty enough that washing it makes you happy, wash it. You don't need anyone's approval.

That all being said, sometimes a day old pot of coffee tastes better than it did the day it was made...

[gjtoth]

<giggle> this is a funny thread :-D

[23meg]

With Turkish coffee you always have to wash; it's powdery and sticks to the sides as well as leaving a thick sediment on the bottom.

[FredSambo]

With Turkish coffee you always have to wash; it's powdery and sticks to the sides as well as leaving a thick sediment on the bottom.

mmmmmmm turkish coffee...

[esaym]

I kinda think the same too. However I wash my coffee maker and cup from time to time and I have never noticed a difference in taste afterwards

[xhaan]

I've heard of seasoning tea pots, but not coffee mugs.
When I'm done with mine for the day it gets washed.

[iPower]

i wash mine every day

[PriceChild]

"Mate" - that's it!

Thanks guys :)

I never liked the taste though :P

[matthew]

It's called "Yerba Mate" (pronounced yair-buh mah-tay), and it's from Argentina. It's a very good drink loaded with vitamins and minerals. I personally can't live through my morning with out it. :)Just make sure if you try to bring it in to the USA with you after a trip down south that you bring it in a sealed, labeled package. Going through customs with a plastic baggie filled with a dried, leafy substance is pretty tough, especially if the agent searching your bag has never heard of mate.

"No, really, it's kind of like tea. Here, get me some hot water."

"I think you have all the hot water you need for the moment..."

EDIT: don't ask me how I know...Argentina, mi alma esta contigo! BTW, I vote for washing the cup, especially if you drink your coffee any way other than black and filtered.

[fuscia]

tell them all you peed in their cups over the weekend.

[stalker145]

Okay, so about a month ago, I was in the office kitchenette washing my coffee mug in preparation to get a cup. A co-worker who was in there gave me a strange look and informed me that it is best to never wash a coffee mug, to "preserve the flavor". A few others walked in and agreed with this advice. In fact, some veteran began recalling stories of when he was in the Navy and one of their favorite practical jokes was to fill someone's coffee mug with shaving cream, forcing them to wash it and remove this alleged "flavor build-up".

Well, being a department of the glorious naval services (The Men's Department - USMC) I tend to agree with your office counterparts... of course, I've been brainwashed into that belief, i'm sure ;) Though I don't wash my coffee cup out of sheer laziness, if you want the truth.


The build up of germs is unlikely to harm you once you pour the oh-so-good kettle of boiling water onto them.

I rarely wash my cup. Maybe a quick rinse every now and then but it's not like I scrub away at it. I can't say I notice an improvement in flavour, but I still don't have scurvy.

Good point - long time in dirty locations, rarely washed coffee cup, INVULNERABLE TO DISEASE!! :D


I was talking about in a office enviroment. I always wash my cups, because someone could be sick and could pass it onto me lol.

Wow, I think I'd sooner share my drawers than my coffee cup - at least there's no germs from another person going down my throat :rolleyes:


I would say personally- If you drink it black it's probably ok to not wash your cup for a while. If you take milk/creamer and sugar, wash it regularly. I use the same cup all day, then wash it at night.

Of, come now... what bad could come from fermented creamer in a month-old coffee cup? But now that you mention it, I don't remember those clumps under the lid being there a few days ago :eek:


I'd also have to say it depends on whether you leave coffee sitting in the cup for any duration. I know I'll rinse a mug out if it's just black coffee that has sat for a few hours. Wash it if the cup had any creamer or sugar. Then again, sometimes I'll just nuke it and drink it too :D

Ultimately I'd say screw the crew and do what feels right to you. Wow. Rhyming there was completely unintentional. If the mug feels dirty enough that washing it makes you happy, wash it. You don't need anyone's approval.

That all being said, sometimes a day old pot of coffee tastes better than it did the day it was made...


Agreed on all counts. Stalker's personal opinion - if it smells OK, then it's probably OK. If there's nothing chunky in or on the cup, you're fine... I think I'll be off to wash off my newly discovered creamer chunks now.

[kuja]

I tend to wash my cup before reuse, or at least rinse it such that most of the previous drink comes off. I tend to make things very, very sweet ... so I always have sugary substance to remove from the sides/bottom. I do sometimes go up to a week without using any sort of soap though, and I'm not dead/ill yet :D Must be safe?

[christhemonkey]

I am a tea drinker, so tend to rinse my mug every few cups full (in a row)
If its been a day or so (god forbid!) without any tea in my mug, then i will rinse it or put it to wash.

[burek]

Coffee molds. Molds have excretions that can make you sick. Even pouring boiling water on those excretions will not remove them, only washing will.

The greatest medical advance in history, in terms of preventing desease and prolonging life, was the recognition that you have to keep waste water and water for consumption separate. You can generalize this to mean that you should keep things that are going in your mouth clean.

Will it make you sick? Probably not, but swimming in sewage will probably not make you sick either. But, it can and you should avoid it, IMHO.

Very good reply...

But because of more and more powerful active products to clean, the soap can be more dangerous if it is not well rinced ?

For instance, look on your food stickers what we are eating E121 E112 E117 ... That's the very best to develop cancers no ?

I dont know; but I guess you were right anyway:KS

[sanderella]

A clean mug for every cup of coffee. Put them all in the dishwasher at the end of the day. Germs are yuch:(

[smoker]

nothing wrong with a few germs, they build up the immune system.

but if there's anything turning 'hairy green' at the bottom of the mug, then that's the time to clean it! :-)

[xhaan]

A clean mug for every cup of coffee. Put them all in the dishwasher at the end of the day. Germs are yuch:(

I don't have that many mugs.
Or a dishwasher.
And if I had a dishwasher, the mugs would take up a whole rack in it if I did that. :lol:

[Macintosh Sauce]

It is disgusting to not wash your coffee mug. Yuck! Even in my home, I wash mine every day. When I make a cup of Gevalia (http://www.gevalia.com/) or The Coffee Fool (http://www.coffeefool.com/) coffee, I definitely want a clean mug for it.

[dbbolton]

build up flavour ? that's abhorrent.

[56phil]

Wash it. You could have made it a poll.