How to Get Coffee Stains Out of Clothes, Carpet, and Mugs

Coffee is a tannin stain, like tea and wine. Flush it fast, use a little soap and vinegar, and it usually disappears. Milk and sugar add a protein and sticky residue, so the steps below cover those too.

In this guide

1. Coffee on clothes
2. Coffee on carpet
3. Coffee stains in mugs
4. FAQ

Coffee on clothes

1. Flush the stain from the back with cool running water.
2. Pre-treat with liquid laundry detergent or dish soap. Work it in with your fingers.
3. Wait 5 to 10 minutes, then rinse.
4. For leftover tan marks, dab on a 50/50 mix of white vinegar and water, wait 10 minutes, and rinse.
5. With milk or cream: use an enzyme detergent and cool water, because heat sets milk protein.
6. Wash in the warmest water the label allows (cool if there was milk) and air-dry.

Dried coffee stain? Soak the item for 30 minutes in cool water with an oxygen booster, then repeat the steps above.

Coffee on carpet

1. Blot up as much as you can with a dry towel.
2. Mix 1 tablespoon dish soap, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and 2 cups warm water.
3. Sponge it on a little at a time and blot with a dry cloth. Keep going until no more color transfers to the cloth.
4. Rinse with plain water and blot dry. Put a stack of paper towels on the spot with a heavy book on top overnight to pull up any remaining moisture.

Coffee stains in mugs

• Baking soda scrub: sprinkle baking soda in the damp mug, scrub with a sponge, and rinse.
• Overnight soak: fill the mug with hot water and a spoonful of dishwasher detergent or an oxygen booster, let it sit overnight, and rinse well.
• Travel mugs: use the same soak. Take out the lid gasket and clean it separately, since it holds odors.

FAQ

Will coffee stains come out after drying? Usually yes. Soak in an oxygen booster first.

Can I use bleach on a white shirt? On white cotton only, as a last resort, and follow the label. Don’t mix it with vinegar.