We’ve all been there; you’re still half asleep, taking your first sip of coffee of the day, when suddenly you’ve missed your mouth. That luscious nectar has cascaded down your crisp white top, and instead of lifting up your morning, that caffeine hit has put you straight into a laundry crisis!
Before you give up for the day and crawl back into bed, take a deep breath. Whether it’s a dark espresso stain or a milky latte blotch, it can be removed.
Whatever your coffee spillage disaster, here’s the Tom’s Guide ultimate guide to removing coffee stains, whether from clothing, carpets or even your cups.
And if you have a taste for the good stuff, you might be interested in following all the coffee-related updates that my colleague Erin, Tom’s Guide’s ex-barista, shares in The Coffee Lab.
What causes coffee to stain
Before getting to grips with how to remove coffee stains, I want to explore which elements in coffee cause the problem and under which circumstances stains can become permanent.
According to Cambio Roasters, coffee contains two key compounds that make stain removal tricky — tannins and melanoidins. “Tannins are plant-based compounds that bond aggressively with fibers and porous surfaces,” it explains, “Melanoidins form during the roasting process and give coffee its brown color, also contributing to how deeply that color embeds into whatever it touches.
“Together, these compounds create what cleaning experts call a ‘tannin stain’, and they’re notoriously stubborn on fabric, carpet, and ceramic alike.”
Apart from battling against these two compounds, the company says that time is working against you. Treat the stain quickly in cold water, and you’ll reduce discoloration by around 70%; wait 24 hours, and that figure reduces to less than 40%.
Removing coffee stains from clothing
I’m always careful not to waste any of this precious liquid, especially if I’ve used one of the best espresso machines to make my morning cup of Joe. But sometimes, mishaps, well, happen. So when I do spot a drop on my clothes, I get to work fast.
Whatever method you are using, the key is to blot the stain first; NEVER rub. Rubbing will push the stain further into the fibers and encourage it to set.
Cold water
Cambio Roasters recommend starting with the cold water method.
1. Blot the fabric with a kitchen towel to remove as much of the liquid as you can.
2. Run cold water through the back of the stain. This forces the coffee out of the fabric’s fibers rather than pushing it in. Don’t use hot water; it will encourage the stain to set.
3. Let the garment air dry and check the state of the stain before moving on.
Pre-treating coffee stains on fabric
Dish soap
Besides cutting through grease, dish soap can help to remove stains.
1. Mix a small amount of dish soap or laundry detergent with water to form a paste.
2. Apply the paste to the stain and allow it to sit for 5-10 minutes.
3. Rinse thoroughly with cold water.
Salt
Apart from improving the flavor of food, salt has more than just culinary powers — it makes an excellent stain remover. So, how do you use this condiment to remove coffee stains?
1. Grab some salt and cover the fabric with a thick layer.
2. Allow it to soak into the stain for a few minutes.
3. Gently remove the salt using a paper towel or dry cloth.
Even if the salt doesn’t completely remove the stain, it should prevent it from spreading.
Baking soda
We love using baking soda at Tom’s Guide, and we regularly recommend it for cleaning items in the home, such as achieving streak-free windows, and for other laundry hurdles, including removing grease stains on clothing. It can also be used to remove coffee stains.
1. Start by blotting the stain with a cold, damp towel.
2. Sprinkle on some baking soda and let it absorb for a short while.
3. Blot the area with a dry cloth.
4. As soon as you are able, put the clothing item through a wash cycle.
How to remove coffee stains from carpets and rugs
Treating a coffee stain on clothing is one thing; if all stain-removing efforts fail, the item is replaceable. However, replacing a carpet is a whole different matter.
Here’s how Cambio Roasters recommends removing a coffee stain on carpet. And just like with any coffee stain, the key is to act fast.
1. Take a clean towel and press it firmly on the stain to remove as much liquid as possible.
2. Take a clean cloth and blot the stain once more.
3. Mix one tablespoon of dish soap with one tablespoon of white vinegar and two cups of warm water.
4. Apply the solution to the stain with a clean cloth, working your way from the outer edge inwards.
5. Blot the area with a dry cloth.
6. Rinse the area with cold water and blot dry again.
7. Place a clean, dry towel over the spot, and press firmly to absorb the water.
8. Allow the carpet to dry before vacuuming.
Set-in stains
If you weren’t able to tackle the fresh stain, here’s what to do if the stain is set in:
1. Soak a towel in warm water and apply it to the stain.
2. Apply the dish soap and vinegar solution used above and let it sit for 10 to 15 minutes before blotting.
How to remove coffee stains from cups
If you love coffee, you won’t leave a single drop, but this means you’ll spot any stains that build up in the bottom of your cups. However, you don’t need to resort to bleach to blitz the unsightly marks, as there’s a natural remedy for removing coffee stains from crockery.
Blitz with baking soda
The beloved baking soda is a cheap and easy way to remove coffee stains from cups.
1. Start by washing the cup with dish soap and hot water, then rinse it.
2. Add one or two teaspoons of baking soda with a small amount of water, and mix it to form a paste.
3. Leave it to sit in the cup before giving it a rinse to remove the stains.
4. Repeat if needed.
5. Finish by repeating step 1.
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