How to Remove Coffee Stain from Carpet

Since most of us drink coffee every morning, there’s always a chance that you might accidentally spill your coffee on your carpet. While cleaning coffee stains might seem like a real pain, a variety of methods can help you remove them and freshen up your carpet again.

In this guide, we’ll show you how to get coffee stains out of carpet quickly and efficiently, providing various tips for the best results. Let’s jump right in!

Step 1: Act as Fast as Possible

The first thing you must consider while cleaning coffee stains is quick action. Coffee contains water-soluble pigments and tannins that will quickly seep into carpet fibres.

Once these chemicals dry and set into the fibre, they form hard stains that are pretty difficult to remove.

Additionally, leaving organic matter like coffee (especially sweetened varieties) on your carpet will attract bacteria and mould, which creates a terrible smell.

Removing Old Coffee Stains

You can still use this guide if you’re dealing with an old coffee stain. However, you’ll need to pre-soak the stain with warm water to make it easy to clean. As this guide discusses, you can also soak it with dish soap or other detergents.

Learn more: How to Get Tomato Sauce out of Carpet

Step 2: Blot the Coffee-Stained Area

Blotting the coffee helps you absorb as much liquid as possible, which makes the stain easier to manage and clean.

Use a clean, dry cloth to blot up as much spilt coffee as possible. If you’ve spilt a lot of coffee, work from outside the stain toward its centre to prevent it from spreading further.

Step 3: Pick a Suitable Cleaning Solution

After removing most of the spilt liquid, you’ll be left with a damp stain, which is easier to work with than dry and wet coffee stains.

When choosing a suitable cleaning solution, avoid harsh detergents. Also, avoid using bleach and other corrosive chemicals, as they can damage the carpet. Here are some helpful cleaning solutions to use instead.

Dish Soap

Dish soap is the most reliable cleaning solution for coffee stains because it is highly effective and safe for most carpets.

White Vinegar

The acetic acid in white vinegar can break down coffee stains, making them easier to remove from all types of fabric.

Make a vinegar solution by diluting it 1:1 with lukewarm water. Apply the solution to the stain using a sponge and let it sit for 30 to 60 seconds. Then, blot dry it with clean paper towels. You can also mix this solution with dish soap for extra cleaning power.

Learn more: How to Remove Blood from Carpet

Baking Soda Paste

This one is super effective in cleaning coffee stains. Mix two to three parts baking soda with one part water, then adjust the ratio to get a spreadable paste.

Apply the paste over the stain and gently work the stain for a few minutes, then rinse. Let it sit until it dries up, and then vacuum it directly.

Hydrogen Peroxide

This solution works best for light-coloured carpets where even faint stains can still be quite obvious.

Mix one part of hydrogen peroxide with 3 parts water. The water should be warm to the touch but not too hot not to damage the carpet.

Enzyme Detergent

Enzyme detergents are effective at cleaning coffee stains but they’re a bit of an overkill. Thus, you should only use them if the spilt coffee contains cream, milk, or sugar. Use the detergent as instructed on the package.

Toothpaste

Toothpaste contains mild abrasives that can clean tough stains, so it should only be used if the previous methods didn’t work.

Make sure you use regular toothpaste and not the whitening varieties, as these contain fluoride that could bleach your carpet.

Commercial Carpet Cleaner

Lastly, you can use a commercial carpet cleaner if you want to skip the hassle of creating a cleaning solution.

However, make sure that you pick the mildest variety, as some of these cleaners could be a bit too harsh for regular carpets.

Learn more: How to Remove Turmeric Stains

Step 4: Test the Cleaner

Regardless of the cleaning solution, always pre-test the cleaner to ensure it doesn’t react badly with your carpet.

Test the solution on a small, inconspicuous area. If it doesn’t cause discolouration or damage to the carpet, apply it over the stain comfortably.

Step 5: Apply the Cleaning Solution

You can use one or more of the methods mentioned above. Apply a little bit of the solution at a time, and use gentle motion to spread and work the stain inwards.

Avoid hard rubbing and scrubbing, as they can damage the carpet’s fabric. For harder stains, repeat the step several times until the stain disappears.

Step 6: Rinse the Cleaned Area

After removing the stain, you must also remove the cleaning solution. Leaving it on the carpet can damage it or create a stain itself.

Apply some clean water over the cleaner, then blot it with a clean towel or a sponge until it comes away clean.

Step 7: Dry the Carpet

Lastly, use another dry towel to absorb as much rinsing water as possible until the carpet is damp but not dripping.

Allow the carpet to air dry, and don’t use heat or direct sunlight to speed up the process. Also, avoid stepping over the wet area because damp carpets are more likely to collect grime and debris.

Wrap Up

This marks the end of today’s guide, which shows you how to easily remove coffee stains from your carpet using various cleaning methods.

Always test your cleaner before applying it on the carpet and work it gently to avoid damaging the fabric. Alternatively, you can skip the whole process and get the help of a professional carpet cleaning service!