How to Remove Old Coffee Stains from Carpet?
Imagine having a delicious mug of coffee sitting in your favorite spot at home when you accidentally spill some of it on the floor. Yup, that is definitely going to leave a mark.
Coffee stains are tough to remove, but it surely isn’t impossible to bring your carpet back to its former glory. Let’s see how you can achieve this.
Foolproof Tip
Coffee spills are a regular thing when you live with pets or are just plain clumsy (hey, it’s a thing!).
So, here is a tip that will save you, 99% of the time. Treat it immediately!
Trust us when we say this: When you take action instantly, you don’t even need a cleaner most of the time, and the fresh stain comes off with just water.
Removing Old Carpet Stains
Dried coffee stains may require you to put your back into cleaning them. They are a real challenge to remove.
This is because your coffee drink has tannins, a brownish organic substance that can make removing the dried stain a nightmare.
That said, we should never stop believing. So here are a few ways you can remove old and dried coffee stains from your carpet:
Threaten it with Hydrogen Peroxide
Chemicals hold a lot of power over stains. Hence, this is the first thing you should try when attempting to remove an old coffee stain.
Here is what you need to make a DIY hydrogen peroxide cleaning mixture:
- Hydrogen peroxide – 2 cups
- Dish Cleaning Liquid – 1 cup
- A Kitchen Towel
- A Clean Spray Bottle
- Water
Remember, hydrogen peroxide is a dangerous chemical, and you must take safety precautions when handling it.
Before using the DIY coffee stain cleaner, you must test it on a little piece of the rug to make sure it is not too strong and doesn’t mess with the colors.
Step 1: Combine hydrogen peroxide and dish cleaning liquid in a clean spray bottle. Shake it well to ensure the solution is mixed well.
Step 2: Use water to soften the coffee stain. You only need to dampen it so that the toughness in the stain can loosen up.
Step 3: Now, it’s time to blot the stain. Remember, rubbing the stain will make the carpet absorb the stain even more. Hence, use a soft kitchen towel and blot the stain.
Step 4: It is time to bring in the big guns. Spray the DIY cleaner on the carpet liberally. Make sure the stain is entirely covered and soaked in it. The DIY cleaner must reach all the stained fibers in the carpet.
Step 5: Leave the solution on the carpet and let it sit for a good 10 minutes. The chemical reaction will cut through the stain, and you will see it disappear soon enough.
It is essential to give it the time to work its magic.
Step 6: Now, you must get back to blotting. There is no need to use water to rinse. Just keep blotting with a clean cloth until all the solution is gone and the area is damp.
You will see a visible difference in the stain on the very first try. However, if a light stain still hasn’t budged, you can spray the DIY cleaner one more time and repeat the process from step 4.
Try Some Good ‘ol Baking Soda
Baking soda is a magical ingredient, and a must-have in your pantry. Not only will it help you give life to your baking, but it will also help you clean multiple different surfaces around the house.
It is even said to be an excellent method for teeth whitening.
Similarly, baking soda can also be used for cleaning dried-up coffee stains. Here is what you need and how you do it:
- Baking soda
- Water
- A clean kitchen towel
The process is simple.
Step 1: All you need to do is mix baking soda with just enough water to form a paste.
Step 2: Cover the entire stain with the paste. Make sure there are no tiny spots left. You can massage the area using the paste to ensure it reaches well into the carpet.
Step 3: Let the paste dry over your stain.
Step 4: Once the paste is dry, you can use a toothbrush or any soft bristle brush to remove the hardened paste from the carpet. Gently rub and swipe over the stain.
You can also use a vacuum to pick up the residue. If you notice the stain isn’t completely gone, you can repeat the process and say farewell to the stain forever.
See How It Fares with Vinegar
Vinegar is another multipurpose ingredient and can be used in several ways. There is nothing fancy about vinegar, and a simple solution will eliminate different kinds of stains.
You can make a DIY cleaning solution to keep in your house and use it to clean coffee stains from a counter, couch, and of course, carpets and rugs.
Here are the ingredients you will need:
- Water – 1 part
- Vinegar – 3 parts
- A spray bottle
- A sponge
Step 1: Mix water and vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake it well. This little DIY spray will last a long time and treat different stains in minutes.
Step 2: Make the sponge wet with the DIY solution by spraying it liberally.
Step 3: Gently dab the stain using the sponge. Do not rub. Instead, blot and dab to ensure the solution reacts with the stain.
This solution is not as strong as hydrogen peroxide, so you might have to keep repeating this process a few times until the stain is gone.
In case the smell of vinegar lingers after the area has dried, you can spray a commercial cleaning solution over it lightly and dab with a clean cloth.
Experiment with Enzyme Laundry Detergent
Not everyone is a black coffee fanatic. Some people like to mix cream and sugar into their coffee for reasons best known to them.
The dairy protein makes it even harder to get an old coffee stain out. It is essential to treat such stains immediately.
However, if you have ever missed cleaning up some of these stains and now they are old and dried, an enzyme laundry detergent might just do the trick.
Here is what you need to do:
- Enzyme laundry detergent – One capful
- Warm water – 1 cup
- A fresh, clean cloth
Step 1: Firstly, mix the enzyme laundry detergent with warm water in a pan. You may have to use a spatula or a spoon to combine the two ingredients and to ensure they are mixed well.
Step 2: Dip the clean cloth into the solution and squeeze out all the excess.
Step 3: Dab the stain with the cloth. The solution will help cut through the dried-up stains.
Keep repeating the process until the stain is gone. You will see it lighten and loosen up quite a bit on the first try.
In addition to this, you can also rinse by dabbing cold water over the area using a clean cloth.
Bring Toothpaste to the Battlefield
Toothpaste has the power to act as an exfoliator and can remove the stain from a carpet. Although this works better with fresh stains, you can always try this method for a dried coffee stain as a last resort.
The toothpaste you use must be white and should not be colored. You wouldn’t want another hassle on your hands by rubbing colored toothpaste on your carpet.
Simply squeeze out some toothpaste on the stains and rub it gently with a soft bristle brush to cut through the stain.
Once the stain is gone, rinse it with cold water and gently dab with a clean cloth to soak up the water.
If the stain still isn’t gone, you can repeat the process or try something else.
Call Reinforcements
Asking for help isn’t bad. You don’t need to handle all the cleaning stress on your own. There are plenty of cleaning services available that can come over to your house and clean your carpet.
They use professional machinery that will leave no stone unturned to tackle all the stains and clean your carpet thoroughly.
These cleaning services can also clean other household items, so you can hire them and be worry-free about keeping your house nice and tidy.
The Final Takeaway
Removing all stains can be tricky, but these simple tips can make the process easier. As mentioned, old coffee stains with traces of dairy are even more challenging to remove.
It is natural not to be able to recall if the coffee stain is from black coffee or otherwise. Hence, the first cleaning tip you should try is the hydrogen peroxide solution.
Some stains can be extremely stubborn. If nothing works, you can always call a cleaning service for help.
That said, the best solution is to tackle the stain immediately before it has a chance to dry and toughen up.