You are sitting enjoying a hot cup of Joe on your favorite couch, and suddenly, the cup turns over. The upholstery is now all stained. These and many other such scenarios tend to happen across the world, with coffee and furniture leaving a common problem: coffee stains. Coffee stains are a headache to remove, but not if there is someone to guide you.
We are that guide, providing you with the knowledge on how to remove dried coffee stains from upholstery.
Coffee Stains – Why Is It Hard To Remove Them From Upholstery?
Coffee’s strong color is due to the presence of tannins, an organic substance found within plants. When exposed to surfaces like fabrics, tannins cling to their fibers and penetrate deep within them. If the upholstery is absorbent, coffee spills lead to even more stubborn stains. We have listed a step-by-step process for effectively removing coffee stains from upholstery.
A Step-by-Step Guide To Remove Dried Coffee Stains
The method we are explaining today has been tested by us personally to remove dried coffee stains from upholstery. Just remember to follow each step to the letter.
Step 1: Gather Your Materials
Preparation is half the work done by any cleaning method. For this coffee stain removal, you will need the following tools and materials.
- Cold water
- White Vinegar
- Dish Soap
- Baking Soda
- Hydrogen Peroxide
- Soft Brush
- Sponge or clean cloth
- Paper towel
Step 2: Clean The Upholstery First
You need to clean the upholstery surface to remove any kind of debris over it. This involves not only the dust but also the small dried-up chunks of coffee. Use the brush to break these coffee particles and vacuum them off. Be careful while vacuuming or brushing the stained area to prevent particles from getting pushed within the upholstery.
Step 3: Make Your Coffee Stain Cleaner
We are going to guide you to make your own stain remover/cleaner with simple ingredients like water, vinegar, and dish soap. This is how you do it.
- Add 1 tbsp of dish soap to 2 cups of cold water.
- Now add 1 tbsp of white vinegar within it as its acidity will break down the tannins of coffee stains.
This stain remover/cleaner is highly effective for different upholstery options like polyester, cotton, and synthetic blends. Still, before you use it, test the cleaner on an inconspicuous part of the upholstery fabrics for a color fastness check.
Step 4: Blotting The Stain With Water
The first step to actual cleaning of the dried coffee stains is to soften these stains. To do that, you need to blot them with cold water.
- Use a clean cloth dipped in cold water and press it firmly against the stain.
- Simply press on it instead of rubbing it, as it can cause the stain to spread further.
We are aiming to lift as much of the coffee stain out of the carpet as we can before applying the cleaner.
Step 5: Time To Use The Coffee Stain Cleaner
Once you have blot lifted the maximum stain off the upholstery, it’s time to use the cleaning solution you made earlier.
- Take a clean piece of cloth or a sponge and dip it in the cleaning solution.
- Do gently blotting the stained upholstery. Start at the outer edges and move inward to contain the stain and stop it from spreading.
- Do this blotting with a cleaning solution and a dry cloth blotting alternatively for as many times until the stain is removed.
A tip to remember is to not over soak your upholstery. Too much moisture can seep into the upholstery and cause mold issues.
Step 6: Use Brush For Deep & Dried Coffee Stains
If the coffee stains have dried up for too long, they must have penetrated deep within the upholstery fabrics. For these stains, simple blotting might not do the trick. Use a soft-bristle brush and gently scrub the fabric.
- Dip the brush in the cleaning solution and start scrubbing the upholstery.
- Do gentle scrubbing of the fabric in a clockwise motion gently.
- This gentle brushing will break down the stains without causing damage to the fabric.
- Following this scrubbing, use a clean paper towel to do blot lifting of the loose coffee particles.
Step 7: Clean The Upholstery With Cold Water
With most of the cleaning for the coffee stain done, it’s time to rinse the clean area with cold water. This will remove the cleaning solution residue.
- Take a clean cloth dipped in cold water and blot the stained area.
- Do not scrub; instead, apply pressure to remove all the vinegar and soap residue.
Doing this cold water rinsing will also remove any dirt as well. Let the upholstery dry naturally, or turn on the fan to speed dry it.
Specialized Cleaner For Stubborn Coffee Stains
In some cases, the coffee stain is still visible. For such cases, you can use hydrogen peroxide as an effective means. This is to be used only for light-colored fabrics because it causes bleaching of the dark-colored fabrics.
- Mix 2 parts of water and 1 part of hydrogen peroxide.
- Dampen the cloth in this solution and blot the coffee stain gently.
- Let it rest for 10 minutes, and blot dry it with a clean cloth.
Some Cleaning Tips For Different Upholstery Fabrics
The above method can be used for most fabrics but not for all. Follow these tips for the cleaning of different types of upholstery fabrics.
- For Leather upholstery, you should use a special leather cleaner instead of vinegar and dish soap, which can damage the leather.
- For velvet upholstery, refrain from harsh scrubbing; instead, use a fabric cleaner and blot-clean it.
- For Silk upholstery, we recommend a professional cleaning service rather than home cleaning.
Conclusion
So, that was all about how to remove dried coffee stains from upholstery. Removal of dried coffee stains from upholstery is definitely a difficult task. However, with the right tools and techniques we have explained above, you will be able to restore your furniture upholstery in no time. The key here is to work in small but right steps with proper cleaning materials to remove the dried-up coffee stains.
