How to Remove Coffee Stains From Clothing

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JUMP TO SOLUTION

Coffee stains can seem difficult to remove if you don’t know the right approach. With the proper techniques and a simple two-step process, removing coffee stains can be surprisingly easy.

The two steps:

Part 1: Pre-treat the stain to remove as much coffee residue as possible.

Part 2: Remove any remaining brown pigment stain using oxygen bleach, or hydrogen peroxide.

SKIP TO:

- Part 1 - Pre-Treat the Coffee Stain

- Part 2 - Remove Set-In Coffee Stains

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Part 1: Pre-Treat the Coffee Stain

Before using one of the coffee stain removal methods below, it’s important to begin with a pre-treatment step. Pre-treating helps loosen and remove the coffee pigments that are sitting on the surface of the fabric. If you catch the spill early, before the coffee has had time to dry, the pre-treatment step alone may be enough to completely remove the stain.

If the coffee stain has been allowed to fully dry, some of the brown coffee pigments may have permanently bonded to the fabric fibers, creating a set-in stain. While a set-in coffee stain may seem permanent, don’t worry—it’s not! The organic compounds responsible for coffee’s brown colour can be broken down using one of the oxidation stain removal methods noted in the next section.

Rinse or soak in cold water: Rinse the stained area under cold running water, or soak the garment in a sink filled with cold water for about 15 minutes. This helps loosen and remove as much of the coffee as possible before treating the stain.
Apply a spot cleaner: Choose a stain-fighting product and apply it directly to the stained area. Choose a cleaning agent:
- Liquid laundry detergent works great (Tide, Persil, Gain)
- Enzyme cleaner (Biokleen Bac Out)
- Other all purpose laundry spot remover.
Gently work in the cleaner: Apply gentle agitation with a soft bristle brush like a Horse Hair Brush. Agitation is best done while the fabric is submerged underwater so as not to spread the stain to other parts of the fabric.
Rinse thoroughly: Rinse the treated area with cold water to remove both the cleaning agent and the loosened coffee residue.
Repeat if needed: Repeat the process as long as you continue to see the stain fading. Once the stain stops showing improvement, move on to the stain removal methods below to break down the remaining coffee pigments that have set into the fabric.

PART 2: Stain Removal - How to Remove Set-In Coffee Stains From Clothing

Even after pre-treating the stain, coffee can leave a stubborn brown stain behind. This is due to tannins and melanoidin pigments in the coffee that bind to the fabric. Thankfully, these pigments can be broken down using an oxidizing agent like oxygen bleach, which is a color-safe stain remover.

OPTION 1- Using Oxygen Bleach (OxiClean) for Coffee Stain Removal

Mix the oxygen bleach: In a bucket or basin, mix hot water with the maximum recommended amount of powdered oxygen bleach (follow the instructions on the product). If using OxiClean Versatile Stain Remover, Fill the scoop to Line 4 per 1 gallon (3.8 L) of water.
Soak the stained fabric: Submerge the stained item in the solution and let it soak for up to 8 hours or until the stain is gone.
Rinse and wash: Once the stain is gone, rinse the garment thoroughly. Then, wash it as usual in the washing machine, or run a rinse and spin cycle to remove any remaining oxygen bleach residue.
Repeat if needed: If the stain persists, repeat the soaking process until it’s completely gone.

Note: Oxygen bleach is safe for most fabrics, including colored and dark fabrics, and won’t damage the color.

OPTION 2- Using Hydrogen Peroxide and a Clothing Iron for Coffee Stain Removal

Apply the Hydrogen Peroxide: Lightly spray the coffee stain with 3% or 6% hydrogen peroxide. While 6% hydrogen peroxide typically produces faster results, both concentrations are effective at removing coffee stains.
Cover the stain with and iron: Using a clothing iron on the lowest heat setting, iron the stained area until the hydrogen peroxide has completely evaporated. The gentle heat from the iron speeds up evaporation, causing the hydrogen peroxide to break down into oxygen and water. This creates an oxidation reaction that breaks down the coffee pigments that have set into the fabric.
Repeat as needed: Repeat steps 1 and 2 until the coffee stain has completely disappeared.
Allow the garment to dry: Once the stain is gone, allow the garment to dry completely. Hydrogen peroxide leaves no residue behind, so once the garment is dry, it is safe to wear or put away.

Note: Always use the lowest heat setting on your iron. The purpose of the iron is simply to aid evaporation. High heat is unnecessary and could possibly damage the fabric.

Final Tips