How to Remove a
Coffee Spill or Stain
from Your Carpet

If you just now spilled coffee
on your carpet ...

... stop reading this article, grab some plain white paper towels (or a clean white rag) and blot up as much coffee as you can, immediately!

Note: Please don't wipe or scrub the carpet — scrubbing may damage carpet fibers.

To enjoy a daily cup of coffee in your living room, or any other carpeted room, is a pleasure.

But, chances are, one day, you will inevitably end up with a coffee-splattered mess on your carpet.

Coffee is sometimes used as a natural dye for fabrics — there are tons of articles on the internet on how to deliberately dye fabric with coffee.

But, because it's a natural dye, that coffee spill on your carpet may leave an unsightly and sometimes sticky stain if it's not handled quickly.

But don't fret. If you act right away, permanent stains can be avoided.

Below is a quick first-aid guide for handling a coffee spill on your carpet.

In just a couple of minutes, with just a few household items, you can tackle the coffee spill. But I can't emphasize this enough — taking action immediately while the spill is still fresh is your best bet to prevent a permanent stain.

This is one reason why I recommend creating a "carpet first-aid kit" and store it in your pantry — always ready to go — so stains don't have time to set.

Warning: Before trying any cleaning solution on your carpet, always test the solution for colorfastness on a small, hidden area of your carpet.

Note: There are commercial products for sale that can handle coffee stains, but in this article, we'll focus on a few items you may already have in your pantry.

We will use:     

• hydrogen peroxide — 3% solution
• cold water
• spray bottle
• white towel or rag
• wet/dry vacuum (optional)

Blot the stained area of the carpet

Use a white cloth or white paper towels (with no colors or dyes) to blot the coffee spill, moving from the outside to the middle of the stain to prevent the spill from spreading. Please don't scrub your carpet, as this could damage the fibers. Once you've gotten most of the coffee spill up, pour cold water over the coffee stain and blot again to dilute it.

To help get up as much liquid as possible, you can also use a wet vac, if you have one available.

We will be using a 3% Hydrogen Peroxide solution

Using 3% hydrogen peroxide is the easiest way to remove coffee stains from carpets. Since hydrogen peroxide is a gentle bleach, it's always a good idea to test the product in a small, hidden part of your carpet to make sure it doesn't do any damage to your particular carpet.

Most carpets have a solution dye, so they won't discolor with hydrogen peroxide.

Now that you've tested for colorfastness, and you've blotting up as much of the coffee spill as possible, spray the area with the hydrogen peroxide. Spray a moderate amount, but please don't saturate the carpet.

If you don't have a spray bottle handy, you can dab the hydrogen peroxide onto the stain using a sponge or light-colored towel.

Leave the hydrogen peroxide on the carpet to work its magic until it has dried.

Then rinse the spot by spraying (or dabbing with a towel or sponge) the area lightly with cool water. Blot again with a clean white towel, gently lifting and pinching the carpet fibers until the moisture is mostly removed.

Do you still see a stain? Repeat the steps above once more.

Conclusion

If you are at all in doubt about tackling this yourself, and want to talk to a professional, we love answering questions at My Pro Cleaner! Give us a call.

This "first-aid" method to remove coffee stains from carpet may be enough, but we can't guarantee any do-it-yourself methods.

For a stubborn coffee stain, you might need a professional carpet cleaner.

To arrange top-rated professional carpet cleaning, please give us a call today for a free estimate.

713-545-1316

I serve fellow Texas residents and businesses in Spring TX, The Woodlands, Kingwood, Humble, and Tomball areas, as well as the greater Houston TX area.

I take great pride in my work and my entire business. Since 2004, I have been committed to providing the highest quality service in fabric care for your home or business, including carpet, upholstery, tile, and rugs.

If you have any questions about this article, or anything related to cleaning carpet, upholstery, tile and grout, and maintaining a healthy home, please feel free to give me a call, and let's talk!