Quick answer: To remove a coffee stain, act fast: blot (don’t rub) up as much coffee as you can, rinse or dab the stain with cold water, then work in a little liquid dish soap or laundry detergent and rinse. For stubborn stains on carpet or clothes, add a splash of white vinegar to the soapy water. Baking soda paste lifts stains from mugs.
Spilled coffee is a fact of life (I spilled some on my shirt while writing this).
Here is how to get coffee stains out of carpet, mugs, wood, clothes, upholstery and jeans, plus what helps with coffee-stained teeth.
Rule of thumb: the fresher the stain, the easier it comes out.
Be careful, cautious and take your time if there is any broken glass (like with iced coffee) or if the coffee is too hot and can burn you. Otherwise, get to cleaning as soon as you can!
In this guide 8 sections
- How do you get coffee stains out of carpet?
- How do you remove coffee stains from mugs?
- How to Remove Coffee Stains from Wood
- How do you get coffee stains out of clothes?
- How to Remove Coffee Stains from Upholstery
- How to Remove Coffee Stains from Jeans
- How do you remove coffee stains from teeth?
- Frequently asked questions
How do you get coffee stains out of carpet?
What you will need
- One tablespoon of dish soap
- One tablespoon of white vinegar
- Two cups of warm water
- Two cloths, one for cleaning the other for drying
What to do
- First, try to soak up as much coffee as you can with one of your cloths.
- Next, mix your dish soap, white vinegar, and warm water together.
- Use one of your cloths to sponge up and dab the stain with the soap and vinegar mix. Keep blotting until the stain vanishes.
- Now, use your dry cloth to dry up the carpet and blot up the last of the mess.
How do you remove coffee stains from mugs?
Brown rings inside a mug often survive normal washing. A mildly abrasive baking soda paste usually shifts them. (Wondering whether your mug changes the taste too? See why coffee tastes different in steel, plastic and ceramic.) The same paste works on a stained coffee pot; for the white crust inside the machine itself you need to descale your coffee maker.
What you will need
- Dish soap
- Baking soda
- Sponge
What to do
- First, sprinkle a bit of your baking soda, and dish soap if you’d like.
- Next, add just a little bit of water. This way you can form an abrasive paste.
- Scrub your mug as usual with your sponge for a minute or two.
- Rinse, and enjoy your newly unstained mug!
How to Remove Coffee Stains from Wood
On wooden tables, floors and furniture, clean up quickly so the coffee doesn’t soak into porous wood.
What you will need
- Liquid dish soap or mild detergent
- Two cloths
- Wood polish or wax
What to do
- First, prepare a solution with water and your mild detergent.
- Dip one of your cloths into the water and detergent and wipe the surface.
- Dip your other cloth in clean water and wipe and rinse the detergent solution.
- Remember to wax or polish the wood surface. Don’t delay on this step, either!
How do you get coffee stains out of clothes?
This works for cotton and linen shirts and most washable fabrics. Check the care label first, and avoid hot water or the dryer until the stain is gone, since heat can set it.
What you will need
- White vinegar
- Laundry stain remover
- Powdered laundry detergent
What to do
- First, wash the garment on the front and backside with cold running water. In some pieces you get lucky and this can do the trick, otherwise…
- If cold water didn’t do the trick, try liquid laundry detergent and cold water. Liquid dish soap also works.
- Rub the water and detergent into the stain and rub the solution in and let sit for one to two minutes before rinsing.
- Now, if that still hasn’t done the trick, mix powdered laundry detergent with white vinegar and water to make a paste. Test the paste on your garment just to make sure it won’t make a worse stain!
- Scrub that coffee stain down with an old toothbrush if you have it and wash the whole garment normally.
- Some of us may be lucky enough to have a handy stain remover spray or gel. Apply that to your stained clothing and wash it like you would if it wasn’t stained.
How to Remove Coffee Stains from Upholstery
Check the cleaning code on your sofa or chair before using water on it, and test any solution on a hidden spot first.
What you will need
- One tablespoon of liquid dish soap
- Two cups of cool water
- Two cloths
What to do
- First, mix your dish soap with your water.
- Use a clean cloth to sponge and wipe the stain. keep wiping it until the stain vanishes.
- Now dip your other cloth into some cold water to finish dabbing and blotting the stain. That should do the trick.
- An optional step is to include some dry-cleaning solvent on the stain.
How to Remove Coffee Stains from Jeans
Denim is sturdy, so a mild vinegar rinse followed by a normal wash usually does it.
What you will need
- Baking soda
- White distilled vinegar
- Stain remover
- Water
- Two cloths
What to do
- First, mix one teaspoon of white distilled vinegar with 4 cups of cold water.
- Next, use one of your cloths to apply, dab and sponge the stain.
- Then, use your other cloth dipped in clean, cold water and gently dab and blot the remaining stain.
- Make sure to wash or launder your jeans as per usual.
How do you remove coffee stains from teeth?
Coffee stains teeth over time. Everyday habits help: rinsing with water after coffee, brushing twice a day and eating crunchy fruit and vegetables. Some people also brush occasionally with a baking soda paste. It is abrasive, so use it gently and not as a daily replacement for toothpaste, and ask your dentist about whitening options if stains bother you.
What you will need
- Teaspoon of baking soda
- Two teaspoons of water
- Toothbrush
What to do
- First, mix your baking soda with water to make a paste. A “toothpaste” if you will…
- Second, apply this “paste for your teeth” or “toothpaste” to your toothbrush. All jokes aside, this baking soda solution is a bit different than standard toothpaste.
- Next, brush moderately on all the dark or stained portions of your teeth, don’t be too forceful as this can scrape off your tooth enamel.
- Finally, rinse your mouth and toothbrush off, and enjoy your pearly whites.
Frequently asked questions
Does vinegar remove coffee stains?
White vinegar helps on carpet, jeans and other washable fabrics when mixed with water and a little dish soap or detergent. Test it on a hidden area first.
Can old, dried coffee stains be removed?
Often, yes, but it takes more work. Soak or dab with detergent and water, try a detergent and vinegar paste or a laundry stain remover, and repeat before drying, because heat can set the stain.
Should you use hot or cold water on a coffee stain?
Start with cold water. Rinse from the back of the fabric where you can, then treat with detergent.
Sources:
- Aguirre, Sarah. “Simple Remedies for Coffee Stains New and Old.” The Spruce, The Spruce, 28 Jan. 2020, www.thespruce.com/remove-coffee-stains-from-clothing-1901014.
- Dental, Downtown. “Greenville, SC Dentist: Four Ways to Get Rid of Coffee Stains on Teeth.” Downtown Dental, LLC!, 23 Aug. 2017, downtowndentalsc.com/greenville-sc-teeth-whitening/.
- Guide, Editors of Consumer. “How to Remove Coffee Stains.” HowStuffWorks, HowStuffWorks, 24 Mar. 2006, home.howstuffworks.com/how-to-remove-coffee-stains13.htm.
- McDonough, Lauren Smith. “The Best Way to Get Coffee Stains Out of Everything.” Good Housekeeping, Good Housekeeping, 23 Oct. 2019, www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a16166/stains-coffee-may07/.
- Rodrigo. “How to Remove Coffee Stains From Almost Anything.” Little Coffee Place, Little Coffee Place, 31 July 2018, www.littlecoffeeplace.com/how-to-remove-coffee-stains.
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