Some of us like to savor the taste of freshly-brewed coffee early in the morning to set our minds in the right frame for the day. But what happens when the cup of coffee slips from your hand and falls to the floor? If you’ve got an urgent appointment to attend to, this could be a source of worry, as you don’t have all the time in the world to attend to the stains.
Even if you are in a hurry, rest assured that cleaning up a coffee stain doesn’t take much time. In this article, we show you how to clean coffee spills on the carpet in real time.
Identify the Type of Carpet Before You Start
One major mistake that homeowners make when cleaning coffee spills is to use the same method and hope that it works for all carpets.
On the contrary, the method of cleaning the stain differs by the type of carpet. For example, the technique for the normal carpet wouldn’t work for wool or synthetic carpets. Also, the cleaning products used tend to differ.
With these points in mind, we will now move into talking about some of the methods for removing coffee stains from your carpet.
1. Use Just Cold Water and a Cloth to Remove the Spill
This is the best coffee stain removal method for people who have an appointment to catch. In less than 10 minutes, you should be done. All you need is a bowl of cold water and two pairs of clean clothes. It is better to use a cloth than a paper towel, for this purpose.
Now, let’s get to work!
Blot the Spill
The key to getting it right with this method is acting fast. Immediately the cup of coffee drops on the floor, dig around for your rag, or get a clean cloth and pour a bottle of cold water into a bowl.
Note: you need to pay particular attention when blotting. Here is how to do it rightly:
- Lightly blot the excess (coffee) liquid from the area with one of the clean cloths.
- Press the cloth into different parts of the area to get the excess liquid out.
- Keep at it until none of the stains are noticeable on the cloth. Pro Tip: if one part of the cloth gets stained, turn it over and continue blotting.
- The best way to work the stains is not in a circular motion, but moving from the outside of the stains to the middle of the stained area.
Once the stains have come off with the clean cloth, proceed to sprinkle a little cold water on the area. Rinse the previous cloth with the water to get it damp. Now, use it to sponge the stained area. Continue until the stains are no longer visible on the surface – and do not come off with the cloth.
Use the other dry, clean cloth to blot up the area once more. Continue until the moisture is no longer felt in the area. If you notice the stains coming off with the cloth, keep at it until the cloth doesn’t change color anymore.
2. Remove Coffee Stains with a DIY Cleaning Solution
Using a carpet stain remover works, but how about making your solution? We recommend making a mixture of warm water, dish soap, and white vinegar. Here is how to “prepare” it:
- Get a bowl and fill it with two cups of warm water.
- Add a tablespoon of liquid dish soap.
- Throw in a tablespoon of white vinegar.
To use this DIY cleaning solution, do the following:
a. Blot the Area
Get a clean cloth and dab it into the coffee spill, collecting as much of the stains as you can.
b. Apply the Mixture
Get another clean cloth and use that to apply the mixture you made directly to the stained part of the carpet. Work from the outside and move towards the middle of the area.
c. Blot the Stains Away
You may need a third clean cloth but if you don’t have any, reuse the previous cloth. Use it to blot the area, getting off the moisture.
Wriggle off the moisture and redo the process, until you’ve gotten much of it out of the area.
d. Rinse the Area
The job isn’t completed if you haven’t rinsed the stained area. This is essential to further enhance the removal of the solution, especially the residues that will come from white vinegar and dish soap.
Get a clean cloth and a bowl of cold water. Dip the cloth into the bowl, wriggle it, and apply it to the stained area to get the remaining stain out and the residues, as well.
3. Removing Coffee Spill on Carpet with Baking Soda
You can apply baking soda to the stained area and be confident of getting the stains off without necessarily causing more damage to the carpet.
To start, blot the area with a clean cloth, before preparing the solution. Mix a part of baking soda with three parts of water.
Use a clean cloth to apply the mixture to the stained area and allow to dry.
Vacuum off the area and repeat the process until you are sure the coffee spills aren’t noticeable on the surface anymore.
4. Use Hydrogen Peroxide for Coffee Stains on Carpet
The moderate use of hydrogen peroxide will work for coffee spill removal on a carpet. The method is similar to the mixture of baking soda and water.
a. Blot the Liquid
Start by blotting or dabbing the spot to get rid of as many coffee stains as possible. Keep at it until you no longer notice the stains coming off on the cloth.
b. Prepare the Hydrogen Peroxide Solution
The right measurement is half a tablespoon of liquid dish soap to 1 cup of hydrogen peroxide. You can choose to pour the mixture into a spray bottle or leave it in the bowl.
If you are leaving it on the bowl, then you need a clean cloth for the application. But, if you are using a spray bottle, the process is simpler.
c. Apply the Cleaning Solution
If the spray bottle is your option, use it to spray the solution in bits on the stained area. If you are using a bowl, dip a clean, white cloth into it, wriggle excess moisture out of it, and dab it into the area.
Use the cloth to blot or dab at the stain and leave it to sit for 10 minutes afterward.
d. Rinse the Stained Spot
After 10 minutes, dip the clean cloth into clean water and wriggle excess moisture out of it. Use it to blot the remaining stains out of the area.
e. Dry the Air
Once you are certain the stained area is spot-free, get a vacuum cleaner and use that to air-dry the formerly-stained spot.
5. Pour a Cup of Beer on the Stain
Since you’ve tasted coffee and it tastes good (with a bitter taste to it too); it makes a lot of sense to use something similar to tackle its spills. Beer is one of the best options, but it is not as popular as the other cleaning solutions.
Not to worry – we will show you how to use it to your advantage.
a. Pour a Cup of Beer to the Stain
You may not need to blot right away. All you need do now is to pour a cup of beer on the stain. If that appears to be too much, depending on the extent the spill has made an imprint on the carpet, then you may just apply a little of the beer on the stained area.
b. Rub-in the Beer
With a clean cloth, rub the beer into the stained area to further the wetting of the stain.
c. Clean-up the Area
Get another clean, white cloth and use it to blot up the beer and the coffee spill out of the area.
d. Apply Your Favorite Carpet Cleaner
You may need a carpet cleaner, because, as you know, beer “smells.” Except you are cool with that, you need to use a moderate application of a carpet cleaner to get rid of the smell.
6. Use White Toothpaste for the Stain Removal
Do not use any other color of toothpaste, than a white color. Why use toothpaste, you may ask? It is because it acts as an “exfoliator,” hence, you can be sure of using it to “break down” and “lift” the coffee spill out of the carpet.
a. Rub-in the Paste
Apply the paste with a cloth on the stained area and rub it in from the outside to the middle.
b. Rinse with Water
Get a bowl of warm water, dip a clean towel into it and after wriggling the moisture out of it, apply to the area. This helps to lift the paste and the stain out of the area.
FAQs
1. Does Vinegar and Baking Soda Remove Old Coffee Stains from Carpet?
Yes, you can combine a part of baking soda with three parts of water or a tablespoon of liquid dish soap, two cups of warm water, and a tablespoon of white vinegar to remove coffee spilling from your carpet.
2. How to Get Coffee Stains out of Carpet with Baking Soda?
Combine one part of baking soda with three parts of water, blot the stained area with it, and vacuum after.
3. What is the Best Carpet Cleaner for Coffee Stains?
The best cleaning solution can be your homemade solution. Prepare a mixture of white vinegar, with warm water and liquid dish soap.
4. Are Coffee Stains Permanent on Carpet?
Coffee spills become permanent if you don’t remove them on time. Use any of the mixtures discussed in this article to tackle the stains before they become a “part of the carpet’s décor.”
Conclusion
You don’t have to let the coffee spill “sit” on the carpet. Using any of the methods in this article is a surefire way to remove the stains. But if the stains remain stuck after all attempts, call in a professional carpet cleaner to get out the difficult spots.