Christina asked: How can I remove old coffee stains from a Stain Master carpet? They weren’t tackled immediately (or were wrongly tackled) and now assault my eyes every day. Carpet is a Stain Master (ha!) new in 2007, light camel/gold color and Berber, not shag.
When
it comes to spilled coffee, time is of the essence; the sooner you can treat these spills, the less likely that there will be a stain. However, there are times when we don’t (or can’t) clean up a spill right away and we’re left with a mark as a reminder of our delay. Here are several cleaning options to get the stain gone and your carpet back to normal.
You Will Need:
- White foam shaving cream
- Mild soap or dish detergent (bleach-free)
- Baking soda
- Vinegar
- Water
- Spray bottle (optional)
- Paper towels or soft cloths
Steps to Remove the Coffee:
*Always test a small hidden section first to ensure the cleaner will not cause any adverse effects to the color or texture of the carpeting.
- The sooner you can catch a spill, the better. If the spill is fresh, begin by blotting the area to absorb as much as possible. It is best to work from the outside of the spill towards the middle to avoid spreading the stain.
- Next, spray on plain water and blot with a clean cloth.
- Repeat until much or all of the coffee is removed. If it is treated promptly, it can often be removed without any staining.
- If there is a stain left, or if you are unable to get to the stain right away, continue with the following steps.
- Apply a mild soap or detergent to the area and gently work it by rubbing the fibers between your fingers. Avoid pushing down as you rub as this will push the stain further into the carpet.
- Spray with water and blot several times to rinse.
- If there is still some staining, apply a foamy shaving cream to the area and rub it gently with a clean cloth.
- Blot to remove. Repeat as necessary.
- Rinse by spraying with clean water and blotting with a clean cloth.
- Still got staining? Make a paste with baking soda and water. It should be the consistency of toothpaste.
- Spread the paste onto the stain and allow it to sit and dry.
- When it is dry, vacuum it away and the stain should be gone.
- If not, mix 1 part white vinegar with 2 parts water and spray the stained area.
- Blot with a clean cloth to remove. Repeat as necessary.
- Rinse the area with clean water and blot with a clean cloth.
- When the stain is completely gone and the area has been rinsed thoroughly, lay a small stack of paper towels over the wet area and either step on it to absorb the water or lay a heavy book on top for a couple of hours. This will help draw out the last bit of water from the carpet fibers.
- Allow the area to air dry completely.
- Finally, vacuum to restore the carpet’s texture.
Additional Tips and Ideas
- There are commercial cleaners available for removing coffee stains. Two that you may want to consider are Coffee Stain Remover by Masterblend and ForceOut.
- Have a spill that you can’t get to right away? Cover it with salt. The salt will absorb the coffee and lessen the stain significantly.
- If working to remove an old stain, make sure to moisten the area well first. You want to get the stain wet to make it “fresh” again.
I use OxiClean to clean any food or pet stain off carpet. Soak the area with a cleaner made of Oxy-Clean power and hot water (let it cool a bit), leave for 3 or 4 minutes and clean up with a towel or your steam cleaner. Repeat if needed until stain is gone. Works every time.
I tried all of them and they did not work. Take this web site down.
Dang really? How long was the stain set? I have one that is months old and it even leeked to whatever is under the carpet because like a month after trying to get it out, I pulled the carpet up and it made that sticky sound! Scared. No idea what to do. What if I ruined the wood underneath the carpet and it’s rotting as we speak! It’s at my dad’s house to so I just feel aweful, but too scared to just give up and come clean…since the damage is already done. Just want to know how to get it out and I can sort of pull the carpet up and free about 6 inches from the start of the stain, so maybe I could keep pulling the carpet up to try to see and fix the wood underneath??
What do you think?
And what do you think, people who wrote this article?????
Desperate here…Amanda
Hi Amanda,
First, don’t worry about the possible wood underneath the carpet: it’s been covered with carpet, which means it’s been abandoned as a floor (any damage you could have cause will pale in comparisson to the damage that has been caused by the carpet glue). However, if you’ve decided to give up on removing the stain, you can replace that section of carpet more easily than by pulling it all up: just cut a hole out (square) around the stain, cut a matching hole from a new piece of matching carpet, and replace it. That method is only a very last resort method, and it doesn’t always work out perfectly as the old carpet may be much more worn down or discolored from long tme use than the new piece. The best thing to do: tell the homeowner and let them make the decision. Professional carpet cleaners (with extraction machines and strong enzyme or oxygen products) can often remove stains that are thought impossible. Good luck!
Vinegar and water works well.
Thank you Donna! When I spilled dark, dark coffee on my white carpet three days ago, I thought for sure I would have to replace the carpet. Nothing worked to get it off. When I tried your suggestion of OxyClean, I saw the stain lift right off the carpet as I was pouring the solution on it. Use the proportions listed on the back of the OxyClean container and wait 1-5 minutes. Blot it dry. I am still amazed!
I got to step 12 & it worked! Thanks.
I had a really bad coffee a stain on my rug that I thought I got out with dish soap and scrubbing, but this morning it looked horrible; totally made it worse. The baking soda and salt took it right out; so happy because it was on our living room floor and we rent. Saved my neck dude.