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The other day I dumped consumed tea leaves into a brass utensil because I needed the tea-pan urgently. The vessel with the tea leaves didn't get around for cleaning until the next day. Ergo, the tea leaves soaked overnight in dirty water. When finally the vessel was cleaned (as in hand-washed with utensil cleaner), the quality of shine was exceptional.

Piqued, I repeated the tea-soaking in another vessel — and was rewarded with the same high gleam. This vessel was made of aluminium.

Why do vessels get a better shine when tea-leaves are soaked overnight in it before washing?

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    $\begingroup$ As tea leaves mature, they can oxidize and become more acidic. Leaving it in the water most likely made the solution acidic which cleaned the Aluminum oxide layer off the container, leaving a nice shiny layer of aluminum. $\endgroup$
    – user129490
    Commented Dec 6, 2022 at 4:23
  • $\begingroup$ How do you mean mature? $\endgroup$
    – Everyone
    Commented Dec 6, 2022 at 6:52
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    $\begingroup$ Polyphenols from tea leaves are great chelating agent for aluminium that has high affinity to oxygen. In a way, it is similar like the "be shining again" procedure for old coin being boiled in suspension of EDTA. $\endgroup$
    – Poutnik
    Commented Dec 6, 2022 at 9:46
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    $\begingroup$ What type of tea leaves are being used for this observation? Usually black tea leaves brown stains in metallic vessels. Do you have green tea leaves or oolong leaves etc? $\endgroup$
    – ACR
    Commented Dec 6, 2022 at 14:11
  • $\begingroup$ This stuff $\endgroup$
    – Everyone
    Commented Dec 8, 2022 at 8:52

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