Tea is an extremely odor-absorbing food beverage. It is both a loose porous substance and contains compounds with unsaturated molecular structures, such as some unsaturated fatty acids and terpenes, which readily absorb external odors. Utilizing this principle, tea can absorb floral scents to create the beloved floral teas; similarly, according to this principle, when tea is placed with other odorous substances, it will become contaminated with foreign odors.

To prevent tea from absorbing odors, it is crucial not to store tea with strongly odorous materials, such as mothballs, soap, perfume, cigarettes, and aromatic foods. Additionally, tea packaging materials and containers must be odor-free. Newly purchased tea canisters often have a layer of oil on the inner metal surface, which must be wiped clean, air-dried, and then seasoned with a small amount of waste tea to remove any odors before storing tea.