Coffee is one of those drinks that most of us just can’t do without. That steaming hot cup of joe is just what we need to get our mornings started. But while a mug of good strong coffee is the solution to those heavy work weeks, it can be a real problem if you spill some on your white carpet.
That’s because coffee is one of the toughest stains to remove. It does help to get at the mess when it’s still fresh because a wet spill is much easier to clean up. So the next time your morning coffee hits your white carpet, here is the best way to remove stains before they set in for the long term:
Always Blot
Yes, blotting is the best method for picking up that mess. Hopefully you’re present to witness the coffee splashing the surface of your white carpeting in which case you can get to cleaning up the mess before it becomes too much of a disaster.
The goal here is to prevent the coffee from getting driven into the fibers, once that absorption occurs the dark stain is much closer to marring the appearance of the carpet for good. So, you want to absorb the liquid with a cloth or towel and draw it from the surface fibers and the backing material. To do that, simply blot gently but firmly as you soak up the excess moisture.
Never scrub or wipe up the coffee with your cloth or towel. That will only make the stain worse.
Home Remedy
So now that you’ve blotted up as much of the coffee as possible, you’re probably looking directly at a big brown splotch on your carpet. Now to worry though, you have everything you need to mix together a strong and effective carpet cleaning solution that isn’t abrasive and will give you the cleaning power you want to lift that stain.
Get one tablespoon of liquid dish soap, combine with a tablespoon of white vinegar and two cups of warm water. Mix it up and apply to the stain sparingly. Blot at the stain with a sponge or cloth using the solution, adding a little more at a time as you continue to work away.
Before too long, you’ll start to notice the stain getting much lighter and eventually disappearing from the fibers. Once it’s entirely gone, you can sponge at the area with cold water, no soap or vinegar needed, and blot dry. Just be careful you don’t pour too much water on the carpet, that moisture can get locked in and promote mold and mildew growth.
Then you’ve got a whole other problem on your hands. Mold can be even tougher to remove than coffee stains and a lot more expensive as well.
Professional Attention
Should you be unsuccessful in removing the stain completely, call professional carpet cleaning Columbia to work on the stain with their heavy-duty solvents and equipment. They can usually remove those last remnants in a snap and your carpet will look and feel like nothing happened.
