How to Quickly Address a Coffee Spill

Oh, man! A coffee spill on your carpet. Great way to start the day, huh?
Addressing a coffee stain can be very tricky. Depending on the type of coffee, it has the potential for permanently staining fibers. Did you know that deluxe or supreme blended coffee as well as decaf coffee all have artificial dyes to make the color uniform? (Makes you think, doesn’t it?)
To try to take care of it yourself, we at Cincinnati Maintenance recommend a two-part approach:
First, blot with a clean towel to get up what you can. Now, you will need two spray bottles. Fill the first one with water and one drop of liquid dish detergent. Fill the other bottle with equal parts of water and white distilled vinegar. Spray the area with the detergent mixture and use another clean towel to blot the stain. You may also use a brush to “tamp” the spot. Once you no longer see the coffee spot, spray the vinegar/water mixture on the carpet and blot. Remember, less is more. Using too much detergent will leave a residue. We do not recommend any type of oil-based cleaning agent. For example, WD-40 will definitely leave a residue behind if not properly rinsed (which is hard in itself to do!)
If the coffee stain is on a light-colored carpet and there is still a little color, you can MIST 3% hydrogen peroxide over the spot and blot. And, we mean mist only. You cannot use too much because it is a bleaching agent.
As always, feel free to contact Cincinnati Maintenance to discuss your carpet and upholstery cleaning needs, schedule an appointment, or receive a free estimate.