How to remove coffee stains from clothing?
- Source: http://www.essortment.com/home/coffeestainscl_sdxg.htm
Many of us enjoy a nice cup of coffee before starting our day. Most of us would also love to relax with this cup of coffee, but this rarely happens. Since we are so hurried in the morning, we don't have time to do much more than rush around while gulping our java. It's inevitable that while we're running around trying to complete our morning ritual, once in a while, there will be an accident. Accidents involving coffee can be especially heartbreaking because if we don't act in time, the stain will set in, ruining our clothing in the process.
If you spill coffee on your clothes, you must act quickly. If you're at home, take off the offending piece of clothing and immediately run it under cold water and blot until you've lifted as much of the stain as humanly possible. If you're at the office or a different location, immediately, wet a cloth or paper towel with cold water and blot the stain until no more coffee comes off. It's very importantly that you only dab or blot at the stain and don't rub. Rubbing will not only spread the stain but may rub it in deeper. It can also weaken the fibers of your garment, which will cause it to wear out quicker.
If blotting didn't do the trick, there are several products you can try to remove the stain from your clothing. Most of these products can be conveniently found in your home. Club soda or another clear effervescent such as 7Up or Sprite will start working on the stain as soon as you begin to dab at it with a cloth saturated with the soda. As soon as the stain is lifted, blot with a clean, wet cloth to rinse.
You can launder the garment as usual to make sure the stain is removed, but if it isn't, you should be aware that throwing it in the dryer will just make matters worse. Heat, such as that from a clothes dryer or iron, will only lock the stain in rendering it impossible to remove.
There are other home remedies you can try as well. For instance, vinegar is an excellent stain remover. Depending on the size of the stain, it can either be used diluted with water (one part vinegar to two parts water) or full strength. Saturate the stain using either the vinegar or the vinegar solution and blot until the stain is lifted. You can throw the garment in your next load of laundry.
Something else that works is dishwashing liquid. You’ll want to use a mild dish soap, which means one containing no bleaches or alkalis. Mix one part soap to two parts of water and dab at the stain until it's gone. To rinse, blot with a clean, damp cloth or sponge. Launder as usual.
Milk is also supposed to be great for removing coffee from clothing. Soak the stain overnight in a bowl of milk. In the morning, the stain should be just about removed and the piece of clothing should be ready for the washing machine. If you have a young child at home, try this home remedy. Dab at the stain with a baby wipe. This handy piece of cloth isn't just convenient for washing and wiping your baby; it's also great for cleaning up most stains as well.
If you're at home when you spill your coffee, go into your bathroom medicine cabinet and grab the hydrogen peroxide. Used full strength, this is a great stain fighter. Since it's a mild bleach, however, you might want to test a hidden area of the garment before blotting at the stain.
If worse comes to worse and you can't remove the stain either by regular washing or one of the methods listed above, you may want to seek professional help. Take your garment to the dry cleaner and see what he or she recommends. Spilling coffee on your clothes shouldn't be anything to worry about. If you act quickly you should catch the stain before it sets into the fabric
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