Things You'll Need
Paper towels
Rubber gloves
Bowl
Detergent
Sponge
Coffee stains are in the same stain family as tea; both are called tannin stains. Like many stains, the longer you wait to treat these on your tablecloth, the longer it will take to remove them because, once dry, they will settle into the cloth fibers. However, whether the stain is fresh or old, it shouldn't be considered permanent. It is possible to get rid of a coffee stain on a white tablecloth.
Step 1
Place paper towels on the underside of the tablecloth beneath the stain to absorb bleed-through and protect your table or other working surface.
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Step 2
Blot the coffee stain with paper towels. If the stain is still wet, use dry paper towels. If the stain has dried, use damp paper towels.
Step 3
Put on rubber gloves. Mix 1 teaspoon of laundry detergent in a bowl of hot water. If the coffee had milk or cream in it, use an enzyme-based detergent as this will help dissolve the milk proteins.
Step 4
Dampen a new, clean sponge in the soapy water and gently dab it onto the tablecloth's coffee stain to remove as much as you can.
Step 5
Wash the tablecloth in warm water with detergent and a capful of bleach on the gentle cycle. According to Ohio State University, laundering this way should be all that is required to remove this type of stain on fabric.
Step 6
Remove the tablecloth from the washing machine when the cycle has finished. Inspect the cloth for remaining stains. If any exist, rewash it. If it seems to be completely clean, hang it to dry.
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