/oss/taxonomy/term/3247/all en /oss/article/did-you-know-general-science/key-cleaning-your-teapot-chemistry <p>Do you ever try to wash a mug only to be confronted by tea stains that just won’t budge? A little bit of chemistry may be just what you need to get your mugs back to white.</p> <p>Brewed tea, green or black, contains many compounds, including many polyphenols. These are compounds found naturally in tea leaves that have antioxidant properties and contribute to the taste of tea. However, they are also responsible for the stains left in your mugs and teapots.</p> Mon, 18 Feb 2019 19:51:50 +0000 Ada McVean B.Sc. 7597 at /oss /oss/article/technology-quackery-you-asked/can-dog-rocks-help-stop-my-dog-staining-my-lawn <p>“Dog Rocks” are supposed to solve the problem of grass dying from dog pee. <a href="/oss/article/you-asked/why-does-dog-urine-stain-grass">Urine contains a variety of nitrogen compounds</a>, mostly metabolites of protein in food. These are effective fertilizers, but in the case of urine, they supply too much nitrogen relative to other nutrients and grass suffers the consequences. Drinking water also contains naturally occurring nitrates that can eventually show up in the urine.</p> Thu, 07 Jun 2018 14:07:05 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 7128 at /oss