We all know exactly how difficult it can be to remove a stain on carpet; and if it’s a coffee stain, that can make the task even more challenging. But there are some things you can do to ensure the stain is removed effectively and your carpet is back to its original state. If you get to the stains early, you’ll have a much better chance of removing them from the carpet.
Removing fresh coffee stains
- Always work from the outer edges of the stain and progress towards the middle. Coffee stains can spread very quickly even as you start treating them, and following this method helps.
- It’s very important that you don’t scrub your carpet as that only damages the fibers and some of them can also get pulled out. It’s best to use a pressing/blotting motion and avoid scrubbing altogether.
- Blot up as much coffee as possible using a clean white cloth; and continue pressing new clean portions of the cloth on the stain until you notice that no more coffee is getting transferred onto it.
- Pour a little bit of cold water over coffee stain on carpet and continue blotting up all of the liquid.
- Repeat this process a couple of times, based on how much of the coffee landed on the carpet and the type of coffee.
- It’s important that you don’t over-saturate the carpet while you dilute the coffee and soak it up with the cloth.
- Use a good, organic carpet cleaning solution and follow the instructions on the label.
- Never overspray the cleaner as the residue in the carpets fibers may end up attracting more dirt in the long term.
Removing old and well-set coffee stains
An older coffee stain on carpet might require some extra help to be completely removed and you can follow these methods:
- If the carpet is either made of wool or is wool blend (or if you aren’t sure of the material used), attempt cleaning the stains with a few drops of any mild dish soap mixed in a cupful of water.
- Sponge the solution onto the carpet’s fibers & continue to blot it away.
- Alternate between a dry and wet cloth.
- If you are aware that the carpet isn’t made of wool/wool blend, mix a tbsp. of ammonia in a cupful of water.
- Test the solution in a small hidden spot on the carpet to ensure it doesn’t damage the coloring.
- Now gently blot this solution onto your carpet and wait for 3-5 minutes. Using a clean towel and alternate blotting with some water and blotting using a dry towel to rinse and thoroughly dry the carpet.
- Finish by blotting the surface with a dry towel and then allow the carpet to fully dry.
Steps to follow if the coffee stains reappear
If the coffee stains reappear, it often indicates that the original stains had soaked-in far more deeply than you believed. It could also mean that not enough of liquid had been blotted out of the carpet while removing the stains. Eventually, the liquid seeps up, creating a much lighter ring around the original coffee stain on carpet. In this case, you should:
- Repeat the previous stain removal methods.
- Dry the carpet fully.
- Put a towel on the carpet’s wet area and place a heavy object on top of it; this helps in forcing up most of the liquid.
- Use a fan to blow across the entire wet area of the carpet as that will dry it quicker.
Even after following these steps, if the coffee stain on carpet doesn’t vanish, it’s best to hire professionals like the ones at Royal Nettoyage for cleaning solutions to remove a coffee stain on a carpet. Please contact us on the numbers or the online form on this page.
