How to Remove Set Coffee Stains

Old coffee stains can become set in fibers.

Coffee stains are difficult to remove from clothing when they're fresh. When the coffee stain in your clothing has been set by running it through a hot dryer or leaving the item unwashed for a long time, the stain is particularly difficult to remove. While it's a challenging task, it's not altogether impossible to remove set coffee stains. Use supplies found in most homes or at the grocery store to tackle and remove that set coffee stain.

Things You'll Need

• Borax
• Measuring cup
• Water
• Bucket
• Towel
• Baking soda
• Old toothbrush

Instructions

1. 

   Create your cleaning solution in a bucket.

   Fill a one-gallon bucket with water.

2. Add one-quarter cup of borax to the water, and stir with your hands to dissolve.

3. Soak the garment or fabric with the set coffee stain in the borax solution. Allow it to sit overnight. The borax helps to loosen the coffee stain from the fibers.

4. 

   Always use a cool water rinse.

   Remove the garment from the bucket, and rinse thoroughly with cool water.

5. Lay a clean towel on your work surface. Place the garment on the towel. Assess to see if any coffee stain remains.

6. 

   An old toothbrush makes the perfect scrub brush.

   Sprinkle any remaining set coffee stain with baking soda. Use an old toothbrush to scrub the baking soda into the fibers. Allow the baking soda to sit for 15 minutes.

7. Rinse the baking soda off the garment with cool water, and launder according to the directions on the care label.

Tips & Warnings

• Blot a coffee stain, immediately, when you're away from home. Wet a paper towel with cold water, and apply it to the backside of the stain. Apply pressure to wick up the stain.

• Really old coffee stains can be very stubborn. Try straight glycerine on coffee stains that don't respond to any other stain removal method.

References

• Stain Expert: Dealing With Tea and Coffee Stains