Crisis Averted: 3 Steps To Clean Coffee Stains From Your Carpet

Caffeine is what makes most people’s mornings bearable. 

After rolling out of bed, you likely head straight to your coffee maker to make sure you’ll have a boost before heading to the office. 

Unfortunately, if you’re in a rush one day and you spill some of that coffee as you’re leaving, you’ll need to rush even more to clean it before you’re late to work—and before the stain sets. 

If you’re short on time, here’s how to get coffee stains out of carpets.

Are coffee stains permanent? You’re in luck—they’re nowhere close. Like most household food smears, there’s a simple solution to removing them. 

The tools you’ll need:

• Dish soap

• Paper towels

• A vacuum cleaner (optional)

• Hydrogen peroxide

• Warm or cold water

• Store-bought stain remover or carpet cleaner

• A small bowl

• A spray bottle

• A light-colored towel

• A clean cloth or rag

1. How to remove coffee stains from carpets with OxiClean or DIY solution

If your coffee stains are fresh:

1. Take a paper towel and gently blot out the excess liquid. You likely already have some on hand since paper towels are an essential kitchen item. 

2. Once the excess liquid is removed, pour a little cold water onto the surface. The aim is to dilute the coffee, not drown the carpet.

3. Wait for the water to loosen the carpet fibers. 

4. Apply your store-bought stain remover, like OxiClean. Follow the usage instructions on the label. 

If you don’t have a store-bought item, you can make a carpet cleaner of your very own. 

Some options include:

• Hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is great for coffee stains on carpets. Use 1 cup hydrogen peroxide and ½ teaspoon of dish soap mixed in a small bowl. Gently dab the mixture over the stain and let the solution sit for 10 minutes.

• White vinegar. Mix 2 cups of warm water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of liquid dish soap. Let the solution sit on the stain for a similar length of time.

Rinse the stain remover out of the carpet with cold water once it’s absorbed and use a white cloth to ensure no fabric dye transfers. You may need to repeat this process several times.

Afterward, let the carpet air-dry. You can put a paper towel on top to absorb excess moisture. Use a vacuum cleaner on the upholstery to restore the texture of your carpet when the stain is removed.

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2. Cleaning old coffee stains from carpets

Need to remove dried coffee stains?

1. 1. Loosen what’s left on the carpet with water. 

2. Once again, use your carpet cleaning solution. You can try one of the more robust options listed below, too. 

For wool carpets:

1. Mix 1 cup of water and a small amount of dish detergent. 

2. Use a sponge to blot the coffee. Let the stain remover sit for a couple of minutes.

3. Use a fresh cloth to wipe it all away.

For all other carpets:

• Mix 1 cup of water and 1 tablespoon of ammonia. 

• Complete a patch test to ensure the mixture doesn’t discolor the fabric.

• Apply your ammonia solution to the coffee spills. Let it sit for five minutes. 

• Take a wet towel and wipe away the ammonia. Next, go in with a clean towel to dry the area of excess water. 

With these methods, you should be able to remove the hardiest stains.

3. Alternative cleaning tips

You can find several ways to keep your upholstery sparkling clean, including learning how to remove coffee stains from carpets with baking soda. 

In no particular order:

• Lemon juice. Mix ¼ cup of freshly squeezed lemon juice with 2 cups of warm water, and put it into a spray bottle. Only use this mixture on light-colored carpets. 

• Vinegar. Mix 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon of dish detergent, and 2 cups of water. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle for use.

• Baking soda. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of baking soda on a fresh coffee stain and add water. Gently scrub the mixture with a sponge to lift the coffee from the surface. Rinse. 

Some caffeinated drinks could have a high percentage of cream added to them, which means you’ll need to use an enzyme-based stain remover to break down the foods’ proteins. Other times, you can speed up the process by learning how to remove coffee stains from carpets with irons. 

How it works:

1. Dampen the stained area of the carpet with water.

2. Add your stain remover as per above.

3. Place a damp cloth over the stained area.

4. Steam the wet material with the iron on low heat for 20 seconds. The heat will lift the coffee. 

5. Continue this process until the stain is gone. 

Note: If your cleaning solution or your carpet says “don’t apply heat,” don’t try this method. Some carpet materials might also melt if treated with an iron, so check the rug’s tag.

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Don’t sweat the small stuff

The good news is that stubborn coffee stains are easy to remove with a simple stain remover, a minimal amount of elbow grease, and without leaving odor behind. 

Looking for odor eliminators for a different stain? GoPuff can deliver those products straight to your door, too, like other cleaning supplies you might need to have on hand.