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How to Remove Coffee Stains From Clothing
- tradesend
- Aug 18, 2024
- 6 min read
Stain Removal Methods for Synthetic and Cotton Fabrics
Few things disrupt your morning more than spilling a hot cup of coffee onto your clothes. Removing coffee stains can be a trial-and-error process depending on the type of fabric. Fortunately, there are several easy and effective methods that use common household cleaners. Keep reading to learn how to remove fresh and dried coffee stains from different clothing fabrics.
Before You Begin
Start with the simplest solution: flushing with cold water. If that doesn't work, move on to cleaning products, such as laundry detergent, vinegar, dish soap, and stain removers. Acting quickly can make a big difference in how easily the stain comes out.
Chemically, the process of stain removal is a matter of diluting and dissolving the brown coffee tannins in water and flushing them out of the fabric. This is relatively easy with fresh coffee stains as a simple rinse may do the trick. With older stains, a mild solvent such as dishwashing detergent or vinegar is usually sufficient. Always check the stained area before tossing the fabric in the dryer. Drying the item on high heat if it is still stained will make the stain even harder to remove.
Stain type | Water-based |
Detergent type | Stain remover and dish detergent or laundry detergent |
Water temperature | Cold |
Cycle type | Normal cycle per the item's care instructions |
What You'll Need
Equipment / Tools
Toothbrush
Materials
Liquid laundry detergent
Powdered laundry detergent
White vinegar
Laundry stain remover
Dishwashing liquid (optional)
Oxygen bleach laundry detergent (optional)
Instructions
How to Remove Coffee Stains From Cotton, Cotton-Blend, and Linen Fabrics
Check the care label on the garment and test any detergent or cleaning solution in an inconspicuous area first to ensure that it does not discolor the fabric. While most cleaning methods are gentle enough for a diverse range of fabrics, knowing an item's specific care needs will help you choose the best stain removal option.
Rinse With Cold Water
For a fresh stain, run cold water from a faucet through the backside of the fabric to keep the coffee from penetrating the cloth.
Continue to run cold water through the back of the stain for 10 to 15 minutes or until the water running out is completely clear.
If the stain isn't fully removed, or your stain is old, move on to the next step.
Apply Liquid Detergent
Rub liquid laundry detergent or liquid dish soap and a little cold water into the coffee stain.
Allow fresh stains to sit for three to five minutes. You can let it sit for longer, but don't let it dry. For old coffee stains, soak the clothing in water after rubbing in the detergent.
Every five minutes, gently rub the stained fabric with your thumb and fingers to loosen the stain.
After 30 minutes of soaking in cold water, check the stained area. If the stain remains, try soaking for five to 15 minutes in warm water before rinsing thoroughly.
Make a Powdered Detergent Paste
If the stain is still there, mix powdered laundry detergent with equal parts white vinegar and water, and turn it into a paste. The paste will lift stubborn stains better than liquid detergent.
Test it on the garment to make sure it doesn't discolor the fabric.
Use an old toothbrush to scrub the stain.
Rinse the fabric thoroughly.
Pretreat and Wash
Apply a stain remover spray or gel to the coffee stain; you can also use an oxygen bleach laundry detergent as your stain remover.
Let it stand for five minutes.
Wash the garment as you normally would.
Inspect and Dry
Check that the coffee stain is completely removed. If any hint remains, repeat the treatment steps before drying.
Air-dry the clothing. (Do not machine dry the item; the heat will set the stain.)
Inspect the clothing for any trace of the stain by holding the dried clothing up to a light. Make sure that any hint of discoloration is completely removed.
If there's still discoloration, repeat the powdered detergent step, wash, and air-dry again.
Tip
If staining remains on pure white clothing, try mixing 1/4 cup chlorine bleach and a gallon of water. Soak for five minutes, rinse, and then wash.
How to Remove Coffee Stains From Synthetic Fabrics
Synthetic fabrics such as acrylic, modacrylic, nylon, polyester, spandex, and olefin are often more stain-resistant, and therefore easier to clean than natural fabrics such as cotton or linen. Here, too, it is important to address the stain as quickly as you can, as fresh stains that are still damp are considerably easier to remove than dried, set-in stains.
Absorb the Stain
Use a clean, dry cloth to blot up as much excess coffee as you can. Change cloths as needed, and apply firm pressure until the stained fabric is as dry as possible.
Mix a Solution
Mix a solution of 1 quart warm water, 1/2 teaspoon standard dishwashing detergent, and 1 tablespoon of white vinegar.
Soak and Rinse Fabric
Soak the fabric in the mixture for 15 minutes. Then, rinse the fabric thoroughly under warm (not hot) water. Examine the fabric for remaining stains; in some cases, simple soaking and rinsing may be enough to eliminate the stain.
Address Remaining Stains
Using a sponge and rubbing alcohol, blot up any remaining stain on the fabric. On delicate fabrics, use a blotting motion rather than rubbing.
Wash and Inspect Fabric
Immediately after blotting, wash the fabric using the washer cycle appropriate to the type of fabric. After the wash cycle is complete, inspect the fabric while it is still damp. If any trace of stain remains, repeat the above steps until there is no remaining stain visible.
Air Dry
Air-dry the fabric and ensure the stain is completely removed. With synthetic fabrics, it is especially important not to machine-dry the fabric until all traces of stain have been removed.
Additional Tips for Handling Coffee Stains
Take it to a professional: If the garment is vintage or labeled dry-clean-only, take it to a professional cleaner as soon as possible. Point out and identify the stain to help them choose the proper treatment.
Try baking soda: A paste made of water and baking soda is sometimes recommended for removing coffee stains from clothes. Please note that baking soda is abrasive, so it can potentially damage fabric as you scrub it into the stain.
Apply a stain remover spray or gel to the coffee stain; you can also use an oxygen bleach laundry detergent as your stain remover. Let it stand on the fabric for five minutes, then wash the garment as you normally would.
Applying white toothpaste (make sure it's white!) to a coffee stain can act as an exfoliant, and it will lift the stain from the fabric.
Use salt: Salt is an absorbent material, so applying salt liberally over a coffee stain and giving it time to soak up the liquid is a great first step in coffee stain removal.
Baby powder, like salt, will absorb the liquid from a coffee stain. Apply it on the stain, let it sit, and soak up the liquid, then wash the garment.
Try bar or liquid soap to remove a stubborn coffee stain. Apply it to the stain, let it sit for an hour, then wash the garment.
Rub shaving cream into the coffee stain, then rinse, and wash. It should dissolve the stain just like soap would.
FAQ
Are coffee stains permanent?
As troubling as a dark coffee stain may appear, the good news is that coffee stains can almost always be removed from most fabrics. Removing the stain is usually just a matter of encouraging the brown tannins to dissolve in water once again, where they are easily flushed away.
What is the best cleaner for coffee stains?
While there are many tricks to remove coffee stains, generally, the best line of defense is either laundry detergent or dish soap with warm water.
Should I wash a coffee stain in hot or cold water?
Use cold water to initially address the coffee stain, then switch over to warm or hot water when you wash the garment.
Why are coffee stains so hard to remove?
Coffee stains don't have to be hard to remove! You just need to act quickly, make sure the stain doesn't have time to set, and use the proper supplies for the fabric type.
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