Coffee stains are easy to get but harder to do away with. We’ll show you how to remove coffee stains using common household products, instead of chemical stain removers from the supermarket.
Removing Coffee Stains: Act Quickly
Like with most other stains, rule number one for how to remove coffee stains is to act as quickly as possible, while the stain is still fresh. First, use a paper towel or dishtowel to try to soak up as much of the coffee as possible. Don’t rub the stain; instead, blot it gently, so that any excess liquid will be absorbed.
How to Remove Coffee Stains with Household Products:
- Carbonated Water: An effective emergency measure that you can take on the spot, immediately after the stain happens, is using carbonated water. To remove the coffee stain, simply soak the affected spot with the water and rinse it out. If there was milk in your coffee, use a little bit of soap to combat the milk fat. When you get home, wash the piece of clothing normally in the washing machine, using the highest temperature that is advisable for that piece of clothing (check the label in case you aren’t sure). Trying to figure out how to remove coffee stains from your carpet? Carbonated water will help here too!
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda (White Clothes Only): These two tried and true household staples have been proven time and time again to be effective at removing all kinds of stains (for example sweat stains), and they’re cheaper than conventional chemical products. Here’s how to remove coffee stains using baking powder or baking soda: Sprinkle a small bit onto the affected area and let it sit for about fifteen minutes. Pour lukewarm water over it and let sit again for fifteen minutes. When baking powder or baking soda reacts with water, carbon dioxide is produced, which helps to release the coffee stain from the fabric. Afterward, wash as usual in the washing machine. Warning: Baking powder and baking soda have a bleaching effect on colored textiles. Use only on white clothes!
- Salt: Salt has been used for generations as a natural stain remover. How to remove coffee stains with salt: wet the stained spot (if it’s already dried) and sprinkle with salt. Let sit overnight and rinse well with lukewarm water on the following day. If there are still traces of coffee, a regular cycle in the washing machine should take care of it.
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Other Stain Removal Products: If your stain has already dried, you may need some help getting rid of it. If you ask your mom or grandma how to remove coffee stains that have already set, she might tell you to use traditional gall soap, but you might want to think twice before doing that. The active ingredient in gall soap is bile, usually from an ox. Bile is a fluid produced by the liver which helps emulsify fats in the small intestine, to aid digestion. Because of its powerful ability to dissolve fats, it is an incredibly effective stain remover, but it’s not what you might call an ethical, cruelty-free solution. If you feel like you need something stronger than the above household remedies to remove your stain, but you’d rather not use chemicals or digestive fluids from cows, check out these sources:
– Ethical Superstore
– Natural Collection
– Amazon**: Ethique Flash Laundry Bar, Puracy Natural Stain Remover, Aleva Naturals Stain & Laundry Bar
This article has been translated from German to English by Christie Sacco. You can read the original here: Kaffeeflecken entfernen: mit diesen Tipps klappt es
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