Coffee is among the most loved beverages by many people around the globe. In fact, coffee is the mainstay product in most coffee shops. Due to the popularity of drinking coffee at home, work, and events, mugs of all materials and designs are subjected to accidents and wear that makes them scratched or chipped. However, there’re concerns about whether scratched or chipped coffee mugs are truly safe. The answer to this concern mainly depends on whether the scratches are on the exterior or inside of the coffee mug.
Porcelain or Ceramic Mugs
Coffee mugs made of porcelain or ceramic are among the most commonly used type of coffee mugs. These mugs are both long-lasting and inexpensive. Sometimes, these mugs are painted with lead-containing lacquers, which can pose health risks when ingested. Thus, you should throw away a ceramic coffee mug if the inside surface glaze gets scratched.
Steel Mugs
Coffee mugs made of steel are extremely durable. They may feature a metallic color or painted in various colors. Some are entirely made of metal while others feature an insulating plastic material. These mugs are specially designed to handle daily tear and wear. If a steel coffee mug is scratched, it’s safe to use it only if the scratches are on the exterior and don’t penetrate the inside.
In case the lip surface or the inside of a steel mug is scratched, wash it with extreme thoroughness and make sure the scuff is not caused by a foreign item. In case the scratch isn’t eliminated by washing, ensure it doesn’t have any metallic filing or plastic finish. In case the plastic finish gets scratched, don’t use the mug since it can pose health risks.
Plastic Mugs
There’re several varieties of polymers used in making plastic mugs, with the most common type being polyethylene. Polyethylene is also used in making water bottles, PVC pipes, and compact discs among other plastic products. Polyethylene can be harmful when ingested. While it’s not known to cause health risks in its finished form, scratches, chips, or cracks along the lip area or inside a plastic coffee mug may emit plastic substances that make it unsafe to drink from the mug. Also, fragments that may flake off into your favorite beverage might make it unsafe to consume coffee from the mug.
Glass Mugs
Glass is a delicate material. As a result, coffee mugs made of glass are always prone to scratches. For some glass mugs, even getting scratched on the exterior surface can make it completely unsafe to drink from the mug. In case a glass mug cracks, breaks, or splinters, throw it away immediately.