A good cup of coffee can help you get going in the morning before work, act as a mid-morning pick-me-up or aid digestion after meals. But if you manage to spill your delicious beverage, milky coffee stains can be difficult to remove.
Coffee with milk causes a particular issue because the proteins in milk can coagulate with the heat and set into fabrics like wool. It's best to deal with this stain as soon as you can — so here's our advice.
General directions for removing coffee stains
Firstly, gently blot as much of the stain as possible with white paper towels or a clean, white, lint-free cloth. Dab, rather than rub, at the stain. Follow the directions below for specific fabrics.
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Coffee on carpet
Apply Dr. Beckmann Carpet Stain Remover — a GHI favourite — to the stain as quickly as possible. Use according to the manufacturer's instructions.
Coffee on washable fabrics
After blotting (see above), rinse the stain under plenty of cold running water.
For machine-washable cotton, polycotton or polyester items, machine-wash using biological detergent at the highest temperature specified on the care label.
For machine-washable silk or wool, wash on a cool, delicates cycle using a gentle, non-biological detergent.
Alternatively, after rinsing with cold water, soak 'hand-wash only' items in a cool solution of washing soda crystals or a suitable pre-wash detergent. Then hand-wash in lukewarm water and leave to dry naturally. If this doesn't work, re-wet the item and rub a little glycerine into the stain, then leave it to stand for approximately thirty minutes before hand-washing again as above.
Must-have stain removers
Bicarbonate Of Soda
Astonish Oxy Active Non Bio Fabric Stain Remover
Dr. Beckmann Cosmetics & Nature Make-Up, Grass & Mud Stain Remover
No Nonsense White Spirit
