Because of the fabric's extremely delicate nature, removing stains from silk can be nothing short of a nightmare. Coffee stains in particular are extremely difficult to remove. With anything other than the freshest coffee stains, you'll more than likely need to have your silk clothing professionally dry-cleaned to be certain that the stain can be removed without damaging the fabric. If you catch the coffee stain right away, however, you may have some luck in getting the stain out of silk.
Video of the Day
Things You'll Need
Cold Water
Absorbent Pad Or Paper Towel
Clean Sponge Or Cloth
White Vinegar
Step 1
Shake as much of the spilled coffee off the surface of the silk. Be careful not to rub it in or splash the coffee onto other parts of your garment. Flipping the fabric over quickly before shaking is generally the best way to do this.
Video of the Day
Step 2
Soak a clean sponge or cloth with cold water, wring it out and gently dab the coffee stain. Be careful not to get too much water onto the silk. Continue to dab the stain until it begins to lift.
Step 3
Mix one part water with one part vinegar if the stain remains on the silk. Dab the cloth or sponge into this solution and gently pat the stain. Again, make sure that you do not get too much of this solution onto the silk. Continue as needed until the stain lifts.
Step 4
Put a small amount of the vinegar solution -- just enough to barely cover the stain -- onto the fabric, if the stain still won't come off. Allow it to soak for a few minutes. Apply an absorbent pad or thick paper towel to the vinegar solution and press down. Repeat with a fresh towel until the moisture has been completely absorbed. Only attempt this step if the fresh stain is especially resilient.
Warning
For set or old coffee stains, take your silk garment to a professional dry cleaner and inform them that the stain is from coffee.
Never wash silk in a washing machine or dry it in a dryer.