This may sound like a daunting task but learning how to store loose leaf tea is a relatively painless and necessary endeavor. Proper storage of your favorite varieties of tea can not only keep it fresh but can likely extend its shelf life considerably. Here are 5 helpful tips that will help you keep your favorite tea around until the last leaf.

Learn how to store your loose leaf tea with these 5 storage tips

1. Keep tea away from moisture until you are ready to steep it
2. Sealed Storage Container
3. Tea + Heat = Bad
4. Storing Loose Leaf Tea away from light sources
5. Stay away from strong odors

1. Keep tea away from moisture until you are ready to steep it

Tea leaves absorb moisture from the air. So it is no surprise that this is the very first tip for our "how to store loose leaf tea" list. So in order to prevent this from happening, follow these recommendations:

• Don’t store your tea in the refrigerator or the freezer, as it will absorb moisture and odors. The only exception to this is if you have a vacuum sealer, you can store vacuum-sealed tea in the refrigerator or freezer without worrying about moisture and odors. Note: if storing tea in this way, be sure to allow the tea to rise to room temperature before opening it.
• Be cautious when touching loose leaf tea with moist hands. Ensure that freshly washed hands are dried thoroughly before opening your tea containers.
• Watch any spoons or other utensils to ensure that they are clean and dry before using. Just a little bit of moisture from a spoon can cause mold and ruin your tea.
• Airtight storage containers are the best and simplest way to keep your loose tea moisture free and limit its exposure to oxygen (see below), which will prevent continued oxidation.
• Throw out any moldy tea leaves immediately. If any mold is present, your tea leaves are ruined and no longer viable. Watch for a strong pungent smell as this is a sign your tea has mold and may be accompanied by a fuzzy white growth. Also, if your tea leaves start to feel soft instead of dry, this could be a sign of mold, and it should be checked thoroughly. All of your hard work learning how to store loose leaf tea should help keep this from happening!

2. Sealed Storage Container

• If your tea came in resealable packaging with a food-safe lining, it is safe, and you don’t have to invest in other containers if you don’t want to.
• If your tea came in a paper bag, this is helpful only on a very temporary basis (let’s say 30 days). Do not leave your tea leaves in this container for a long period of time as it will not withstand the elements, and this will cause your tea leaves to deteriorate quickly and your tea will become stale and tasteless.
• Use tea tins (stainless, tin, or aluminum) that have an airtight lid as your first option when transferring tea from its original packaging. Ceramic containers also make an acceptable choice as long as the lid is airtight.
• Avoid storing loose leaf tea in a plastic food container, as the tea leaves can absorb odors through the plastic.
• Glass jars are ok, but not great. Avoid clear glass unless you are able to store your tea in a dark and cool location. Colored glass jars would be a better option. This also means steer clear from purchasing tea that is sold in clear glass or plastic containers that you can see through, as the degradation of that tea has likely already started.
• It is helpful to store tea in bulk when possible, as the more tea that is stored in a container the less air that tea is exposed to, which will keep it fresh for a longer period of time.
• If your storage container doesn’t have an airtight lid, place your tea in a sealable bag and then place the bag in your container.
• Many first-time tea drinkers learning how to store tea at home, don’t have access to one of the above containers. At the very least I would suggest that you take an airtight bag, line it with aluminum foil, and place your tea inside.

3. Tea + Heat = Bad

Tea should always be stored in a cool location. Try to keep it at room temperature or cooler, but not below 50 degrees Fahrenheit. Sudden changes in temperature will cause damage to your tea, so avoid storage of your tea in cabinets near or over your stove/oven. Additionally, keep your tea packaging away from steam as humidity in the air can cause mold to form. If you have a pantry that is climate controlled (part of your heating and air conditioning system), this would be the best storage location for your tea. A kitchen cabinet away from heat sources would be the next best choice.

4. Storing Loose Leaf Tea away from light sources

Sunlight creates heat and heat is not a friend of loose leaf tea. Intense lighting can cause changes in the tea leaves that actually degrades the tea quality and considerably shortens the life and freshness of loose leaf tea. It is best to keep your tea in an airtight container that blocks all light. If your tea is currently on top of your refrigerator or next to a window, move it immediately if you can. If your tea has started to taste metallic, it is likely because it has been exposed to too much light.

5. Stay away from strong odors

Loose leaf tea will absorb odors in the air. Don’t store it near anything with strong smells, such as spices, scented candles, spice cabinets, bathroom closets, etc. Also, make sure that the container that you have chosen for your tea does not have a lingering odor from what was in it prior. Plastic containers can keep odors for a long time, as can wooden containers. It is also recommended that you periodically “smell test” the lids on your airtight containers if they have rubber seals. If this happens, try removing the rubber seal and placing it in your dishwasher (if possible), or soaking it in white vinegar overnight.

Also, be careful when keeping flavored teas with non-flavored tea varieties. A traditional Oolong for example, if stored in close proximity to an Earl Grey may be affected by the strong scented bergamot odors if both are not carefully sealed. Additionally, a tea like Lapsang Souchong, because of its intense smoky aroma, could affect a more fragile unscented tea.

Become the Best at Storing your Loose Leaf Tea

While it doesn’t make the top 5 "how to store loose leaf tea" tips above, we also recommend that you keep your tea organized and keep notes when at all possible. When you purchase a tea, if it doesn’t have the information already on the label, make sure to write down the name, the vendor, the ingredients, and the date of purchase. It is also a good idea to store your tea in an organized way that makes sense to you. This can be alphabetically, by type of tea (black, green, rooibos, etc), by the vendor, or by purchase date. It doesn’t have to be a complicated system, but it definitely beats a sandwich bag of tea with no name or a pile of loose teabags in your cabinet.

If you follow the suggestions and guidelines above, you will be well on your way to protecting your loose leaf tea and keeping fresh and flavorful whenever you are ready to take a sip of happiness!

If you have additional questions on how to store loose leaf tea, just use the comments below to let us know. You may even help someone else by asking a simple question.