How To Get Coffee Stains Out Of Carpet

There’s nothing like the feeling of sinking your bare toes into a plush carpet as you enjoy your morning coffee. There’s also nothing like the feeling of knocking over that cup and spilling it all over that carpet.

The good news is that with some patience, a little elbow grease, and a simple concoction of ingredients you likely already have on hand, you can restore your carpet so that it looks like you never even poured that cup of Joe in the first place. Here are the three most effective methods for removing coffee stains from carpets.

Before Getting Started

Spilled coffee can lead to stubborn stains, which is why it’s important to act quickly when it’s your carpet that’s in peril. The faster you can clean it, the easier it will be to avoid the liquid from soaking into the fibers.

What You’ll Need

Here’s the full list of supplies you’ll need broken down by the coffee stain removal method. Note that a white cloth and clear liquid dish soap are best; your goal is to avoid discoloring the carpet and causing an even bigger mess.

All Methods

• Dry white cloth

Method 1

• Warm water

Method 2

• Clear liquid dish soap 
• White vinegar

Method 3

• Club soda

Methods To Remove Coffee Stains From Carpet

When attempting to remove any stain, it’s important to dab, not rub to avoid spreading the mess even further. 

Don’t panic if the stain doesn’t magically disappear on the first try. It’s likely that you’ll have to repeat the process or even piggyback cleaning methods for optimal results.

Method 1: Warm Water and a Clean Cloth

This first method should set your mind at ease—no special ingredients are needed.

How To Do It:

1. Blot up as much coffee as possible, using paper towels or a clean rag.
2. Dampen the stain with warm water.
3. Blot the area with a dry white cloth.

Method 2: Dish Soap and Vinegar Solution

White vinegar is often touted as a powerful cleaning agent. While its odor will linger a bit, you don’t have to worry about it discoloring your carpet. 

However, do be careful with your choice of dish soap. We recommend clear soap, but if yours happens to be any color of the rainbow, mix the solution well so it turns into white suds. This way, you’ll avoid any color transfer to your carpet.

How To Do It:

1. Mix 2 cups of warm water with 1/2 tsp. of liquid dish soap and 1/2 tsp of white vinegar.
2. Dampen the coffee stain with the solution.
3. Blot with a clean cloth to remove the solution and the stain.

Method 3: Club Soda

Fizzy club soda is known to remove coffee and even wine from fabrics and carpets. But you’ll have to act quickly with this method, as it works better on fresh spills than old stains. 

How To Do It:

1. Pour a bit of club soda on the stain to soak it.
2. Dab the stain away with a clean cloth.
3. Health and Safety Concerns
4. The cleaning methods we’ve presented here rely on natural ingredients that you likely already have at home. While they are known for their gentle cleaning properties, you should consider using gloves, a mask, or even safety goggles if you are particularly sensitive. And while vinegar is not toxic, it does have a pungent odor, so ventilate the area before using.

It’s also a good idea to test out whatever cleaning method you’re using on a small or inconspicuous spot on the carpet first so that you won’t further damage your carpet by discoloration.