Coffee is a staple for many of us, but it’s not a friend of your carpet, especially if it’s bright or light, which is what many households and offices have. If you’ve experienced coffee stains on your carpet first-hand, you don’t need reminding of what an eyesore they can be.
The good news, however, is that it’s possible to get the messy stains out and get back your amazing, bright, uniformly colored carpet. Read on to see some of the effective cleaning solutions you can use as well as the steps you need to follow to get a stain-free carpet.
The Basic Steps
While there are different solutions you can use and each will differ a little bit from the other, almost all of them call for similar steps. Have a look at them so you have a good idea of what you should do.
The first step is usually to dampen the stain with water, but not to soak it. If it’s a fresh stain, this dilutes the coffee and if it’s an old one, it helps revive the stain and bring the coffee pigment to the surface.
Next, you need to perform a patch test to know if the method you’ve chosen will work without ruining your carpet.
The third step is to apply the best solution and then blot out as much of the moisture as you possibly can, or use a wet vacuum if you have one.
Finally, you need to dry the carpet out completely either by leaving the windows open, turning on a fan, or blowing the spot dry to ensure no moisture remains.
When you follow these steps, you should have a clean carpet and, hopefully, be more careful with your cup of coffee in the future!
What Will Remove Coffee Stains?
As mentioned, there are a few things you can use to remove coffee stains from your carpet. While you can buy coffee stain cleaners from the store, it’s easy enough to make your own solution which will work just as well.
The following are six things you can use to clean coffee stains from your carpet. Simply follow the instructions and you will get rid of the stains.
Baking Soda and Vinegar
Vinegar has to be at the top of this list because of its amazing cleaning power for a number of stains around the house. When mixed with baking soda, it can remove stubborn coffee stains from your carpet. Simply spray the vinegar on, then add baking soda and vacuum it all up after some minutes. If once is not enough to remove the stain (which is common with old, dried stains) repeat the application until you’re satisfied with the results.
Hydrogen Peroxide
This solution calls for an iron, a wet towel, and caution to execute. After dabbing the stain to remove as much coffee as possible (with a fresh stain), spray a solution of half water and half hydrogen peroxide on it and then place the wet towel on top of the stain. Heat the iron to medium and then place it on top of the towel for about 20 seconds, then remove it and check the stain. If it’s still there, repeat as many times as necessary to make sure it’s all gone.
Lemon Juice
For lighter carpets, a lemon and water solution will do the trick. Squeeze the juice from a fresh lemon or two to get a quarter cup of lemon juice, and then mix this with two cups of lukewarm water. Spray this on the stain and let it sit for a while and then blot it out, dampen the area with plain water, and blot this out as well with paper towels or an absorbent cloth, repeating until you get the entire stain out.
Dish Soap
If you’re dealing with a mild coffee stain on a light or wool carpet, some dish soap will work well for you. Simply mix about three drops of dish soap with a cup of water and stir well, then dampen the stain with this solution. As with the previous method, use dry absorbent cloths or paper towels to blot out the excess liquid and repeat until you get the desired results.
Commercial Carpet Stain Remover
If you find it easier to get a ready-made solution for your carpet’s coffee stain, there are a number of solutions available in any store, either grocery stores or home improvement stores or even rug shops. Different brands may have different instructions, so follow the ones on your chosen brand to the letter for the best results. Generally, however, it’s going to be a matter of spraying the solution on your stain and cleaning it up after it has sat for a while.
Club Soda
This may sound unusual, but straight club soda can get coffee stains out of your carpet. Just remember to pick a plain and colorless flavor or you will simply exchange the coffee stain with soda stain, which is probably not what you want to do. You can either pour it directly over the stain or put it in a spray bottle and then spray it on, letting it sit for a few minutes. Blot this with paper towels and repeat the application until your carpet is stain-free. As the final step, dampen the spot with plain water and blot it out, then dry your carpet.
A Few Things to Keep in Mind
While most of the methods to clean coffee rely on kitchen-grade materials, it’s still important to exercise caution so that you don’t worsen your situation. The following are some of these precautions, so take note of them to get the desired results.
- Hot water will set coffee stains. To avoid this, use cool water in any of the methods that call for pouring some water on the stain at one point of your cleaning or another.
- Some materials may have bleaching qualities, so try your solution in a hidden spot first and observe the results keenly. If you notice any discoloration, try another solution and stick with the one that works best by removing the coffee stain alone.
- Never rub or scrub a coffee stain as doing this will drive the stain deeper into the carpet’s fibers and spread it around, making it harder to remove. Blot at it instead, starting from the outside of the stain and moving towards its center.
- For severe, dried coffee stains, dampen the area and then sprinkle some salt over it. Let it sit for a while so that it draws some of the pigment out along with the moisture.
- When cleaning your carpet, always make sure to dry it completely to avoid developing mold and mildew complications, which will be a bigger headache than coffee stains.
The guide above should help you deal with coffee stains which you (or someone else) may have caused. Since a spotless carpet is something to be proud of, it’s good to make the effort to keep it that way.