Turmeric
Turmeric stains and other practical tips
Turmeric stains everything it touches and there are a handful of simple tricks that make life easier. Here's how to handle, store and clean up after it without the yellow chaos.
Why turmeric stains everything
The same pigment that gives turmeric its glorious colour, curcumin, is exactly what stains your fingers, your board and your favourite worktop. It's a strong natural dye, which is why turmeric has been used to colour food and fabric for centuries. Handy in a curry, less handy on a white shirt. The good news is that a bit of know-how sidesteps most of the mess.
None of this should put you off, it's just worth knowing before you start grating. And if you'd rather skip the handling altogether, a ready-pressed shot like our Turmeric Shots keeps the staining safely inside the bottle.
Handling turmeric without the mess
A little care up front saves a lot of scrubbing. Most turmeric mishaps come from handling fresh root or powder without thinking, so a few small habits go a long way.
| Situation | The trick |
|---|---|
| Grating fresh root | Wear gloves, or accept yellow fingers for a day |
| Protecting your board | Use a glass or plastic board, not porous wood |
| Mixing powder | Add it low and slow to avoid a yellow cloud |
| Pouring a shot | Do it over the sink and rinse the glass straight away |
| Wiping spills | Deal with them at once, before they set |
Getting turmeric stains out
If you've already turned something yellow, act quickly, since fresh stains lift far more easily than set ones. On worktops and boards, a paste of bicarbonate of soda and water, or a wipe with a little washing-up liquid, usually does it and sunlight is a genuinely useful trick, as daylight helps break the colour down over a few hours.
On hands, a scrub with soap and a squeeze of lemon works and the stain fades on its own within a day anyway. On fabric, rinse from the back under cold water, treat with a stain remover before washing and avoid heat until it's gone, since a hot wash or dryer can set it for good. White surfaces and light clothes are the ones to watch.
Storing turmeric so it lasts
Fresh root keeps in the fridge for a couple of weeks wrapped up, or freeze it to keep it far longer, grating it straight from frozen when you need it. Powder lives happily in a sealed jar in a cool, dark cupboard, away from light and heat that dull it over time. A cold-pressed shot is different again, kept frozen and moved to the fridge the night before, which is the easiest way to always have turmeric on hand without any of the prep.
Just a food that happens to be bright
All of this is simply the practical side of a colourful food. Turmeric is a food rather than a supplement or a medicine and the staining is just a quirk of a strong natural pigment, nothing to worry about. If you're on medication, pregnant or managing a condition, turmeric can interact with some medicines, so check with your GP before making a daily habit of it.
Turmeric without the mess
If you'd rather keep the yellow inside the bottle, here's the range. All cold-pressed from whole root and delivered frozen, or browse the full cold-pressed shots.
Frequently Asked
How do you get turmeric stains out?
Act fast, since fresh stains lift far more easily than set ones. On surfaces, a bicarbonate of soda paste or a little washing-up liquid usually works and daylight helps fade what's left. On fabric, rinse from the back in cold water, treat before washing and keep it away from heat until the mark has gone.
Does turmeric stain permanently?
Not usually, if you catch it early. Fresh stains come out with a bit of effort and even stubborn ones on hands or boards fade with time and daylight. The thing that makes it permanent is heat, so avoid a hot wash or a dryer on stained fabric until the colour is fully gone.
How do I stop turmeric staining my hands?
Wear gloves when you're grating or handling fresh root and use a non-porous board rather than wood. If your fingers do turn yellow, a scrub with soap and lemon helps and it fades by itself within a day. Or skip the handling entirely with a ready-pressed shot.
Will turmeric stain my teeth?
A shot can leave a brief yellow tint, but it rinses away easily. Follow it with a glass of water or drink it in one rather than sipping and you won't have any trouble. It's nothing like the lasting staining people worry about with coffee or red wine.
What's the best board to use with turmeric?
A glass or plastic board, since they're non-porous and wipe clean. Wooden boards soak up the pigment and hold onto the colour, so keep those for other jobs if you can. Wiping any board straight after use, before the stain sets, makes a big difference.
How do I store fresh turmeric?
Wrapped in the fridge for a couple of weeks, or in the freezer to keep it much longer, grated straight from frozen. Powder keeps in a sealed jar somewhere cool and dark. There's more on the forms of turmeric in fresh turmeric vs turmeric powder.
The bottom line
Turmeric stains because it's a powerful natural dye, but a bit of care keeps it in check. Wear gloves, use a non-porous board, wipe spills at once and treat any stains quickly with bicarb, lemon or daylight while keeping heat away from stained fabric. Handle it with respect and the yellow chaos never really happens.
And if you'd rather have the turmeric without the cleanup, our Turmeric Shots keep it all in the bottle. The full turmeric hub has the rest.
Where to buy
Browse the full cold-pressed juice shots range, or go straight to a favourite: Turmeric Shots, Ginger Turmeric, the Ginger & Turmeric Bundle or the Juice Shot Variety Box.
Related reading
- Turmeric shot benefits
- What is turmeric juice
- Curcumin and turmeric: what the research looks at
- How much turmeric is in a shot
- Turmeric and black pepper
- Turmeric and ginger: the pairing
- Fresh turmeric vs turmeric powder
Join the list for the latest from The Pulp and your 20% off code lands there and then.
Join the list for the latest from The Pulp, and pick a free 500ml bottle of ginger or turmeric shots on your first order over £50.