Coffee Stain Removal

Despite your most cautious instincts when relaxing with a nice, hot cup of coffee, spills do happen. We take care when pouring our coffee to make sure it lands in the cup without a hitch.

So, having gotten past the first hurdle of getting the coffee in the cup, it’s what can happen next that has had me on my knees cleaning my carpet.  

We stub our toe, we’re entertaining guests, we run into the dog or just slosh the coffee out of the cup (I just did this as I bumped into the back of my husband, I’m on my knees cleaning the carpet again) and next thing you know, it’s all over our beautiful, light-colored plush carpeting!

Now instead of relaxing and enjoying our coffee we are frantically looking for a way to remove that ugly brown coffee stain and get our carpet clean again. We have tips below that should help you out.

How to Remove Coffee Stains from Carpet

Drats! How will I ever get that coffee stain out of my light colored carpeting without having to call a carpet cleaning company?

I know there are times when a professional carpet cleaning might be necessary but a coffee stain should be easy enough to remove? Right? And besides, by the time you actually get an appointment, it could be a couple of days before they get here and the stain would be dried and set in.

Here are some simple tips you can do to clean up a coffee stain.

A = Absorb the Stain

The first thing you need to do is to grab some paper towels or a clean, absorbent dish towel or rag, and absorb as much moisture as possible. You may need to do this several times so continue until you see no more wetness on the paper towels or cloth. This action also helps keep the stain from spreading as you are actually removing the colored liquid from contact with stain-receiving fabric.

B = Blot Up the Moisture

Next flush the area with clean, cool water. Again, blot up as much of the liquid as possible. Then re-apply the clean water and continue to blot. Don’t pour a whole bunch of water on the carpet as it will sink in, perhaps even to the pad and that takes a long time to dry. Use about a cup and be ready to immediately blot it up. The water thins and lightens the colored coffee stain.

C = Clean with Common Cleaning Solutions

1. Fill a glass bowl with two cups of lukewarm or tepid water.
2. Add 1/4 cup of white vinegar and a squirt of liquid dish detergent.
3. Stir gently to mix, and then moisten a clean household sponge with the solution.
4. Squeeze it so that it doesn’t drip but still has a sufficient quantity of cleaning solution to apply to the stained carpet.
5. Rub gently beginning at the outside of the stain and working towards the center.
6. Continue until the whole stain has come in contact with the cleaning solution.

D = Dab up Excess Moisture

Rinse with clear, cool water and dab to blot up excess moisture. If there’s any stain remaining, repeat the cleaning and rinsing process, then blot well. Leave a clean absorbent towel on the wet spot and press your foot on the towel repeatedly to remove as much of the excess moisture as possible. Then allow the carpet to air dry.

When All Else Fails

If you are in a rush or you’ve spilled in your car, there are a number of really great commercial products to remove stains, even old coffee stains, from carpeting. One is called ForceOut Stain Remover which contains no enzymes, bleach or color brighteners, and is non-toxic and biodegradable as well as non-allergenic.  

MasterBlend makes a product called “Coffee Stain Remover” specifically designed to remove – guess what? Coffee stains! It’s usually marketed only to commercial cleaners.  You can get it online or from a local distributor

Removing Old, Dried or Set Coffee Stains From Carpet

When spot cleaning your carpet, follow the above “A, B, C, and Ds to remove the stain. In many cases, this will be all that you need to do as you’d be surprised how many stains are relatively easy to lift out

However, there are a lot of stains that are very resistant to simply water and a soapy cleaning solution. Don’t despair!   There are other ways to remove your stain.

Coffee is an organic-type stain, so it responds well to organic cleaners.

1. Moisten set in coffee stains with a paste made of common household baking soda and water.
2. Massage the paste in, covering the fibers as much as possible.
3. Allow to dry – which it does rather quickly.
4. Brush up the residue and either vacuum well or use a stiff scrub brush to restore the nap on the carpet.

The stain should not only be gone, it should smell better, too. Baking soda refreshes carpeting and removes odors.

Miscellaneous Tips to Remove Coffee Stains from Carpeting

1. If you can’t attack the fresh, wet coffee stain right away, grab a salt shaker and season it well! Salt draws the moisture to it along with the pigments that cause the stain. This works with tea as well. (pulls the stain to the surface)
2. Baby wipes are very handy to have around for unexpected stains. Use one to blot up coffee from your carpet – it absorbs the stains and the moisture.
3. Got a beer drinker in the house? Beer is an effective stain remover. Experts advise to pour the beer directly onto the stain, then blot it up with paper towels or a soft, clean absorbent rag.
4. Don’t forget the cleaning powers of vinegar! For set in coffee stains on your carpets or rugs, use 1 part water to 3 parts white vinegar. Moisten a household sponge with the solution and gently dab it on the spot. You may have to do this several times and even leave it on overnight. If that’s the case, you might want to leave an inverted bowl over the spot to keep people and pets from walking on the wet stain. Smelly? Don’t worry. The vinegar smell goes away quickly.

So the next time you pour yourself a cup of your favorite coffee, you can relax knowing that even if you do spill, you have the tips and tools to get the stain out quickly.