If you’re reading this, you probably spilled fresh coffee on yourself and on your seats. Spilling coffee while driving to work or getting somewhere is pretty common and there are a lot of products and methods available here on the internet on how to remove these stains.
Removing coffee stains on your car seats or carpet can be labor-intensive and time-consuming but fortunately, there are products made specifically for removing coffee stains. We’ll discuss different methods and products that will help you get your car seats back to its original color.
For your clothes, just throw them in your washer and wash them normally like any other clothes.
Why Does Coffee Stain?
Most people assume that the darker the roast of coffee the tougher the stain, but there’s more to it than what most of us think.
Like grapes, tea and other plant-based food, coffee naturally contains tannins – an occurring chemical that gives coffee its flavor, bitterness and color that stains everything it touches. While not all plants have this chemical, those that do have this use it as a way to dissuade animals from eating its fruit, leaves, bark and other parts.
Why is Coffee Stain Hard to Remove?
While tannin in coffee helps them deter animals in consuming them, it also leaves a stain that is hard to remove specially when left to dry. A hot coffee also evaporates faster than iced coffee, making the stain dry faster and the removal harder.
As the outside of the spilled area dries, the liquid at the center of the stain will start to spread outward. This will result into a brown ring of tannin-rich coffee.
Removing Fresh Coffee Spill
So now that we have an understanding of why coffee stains, let’s discuss methods of keeping those coffee spills under control.
Always remember that time is your best buddy. Act fast to neutralize the spill before it dries and becomes a stain.
Below are some steps you can follow, both works with hot and cold coffee.
Pull over as soon as possible
As we’ve mentioned above, coffee spills are time sensitive so the first thing you should do after a spill is to stop and pull over safely as soon as possible. Check yourself if you got spilled with hot coffee and check your seats and carpet if it’s affected. Do not attempt to assess the spill while driving and always check yourself first for any burns.
Soak up excess coffee spill
Once you have safely stopped and assessed the spill on yourself and your car, get a rug, towels, or a microfiber cloth to clean and soak up any excess coffee on your seat, carpet or anywhere where there is coffee.
Press gently on the excess liquid and do not rub on the coffee spill to avoid further stain. Do this until the area is clean. Change your towel or rug as needed.
Get some cleaning supplies
If you’re someone who has everything on their car, you might have the below items but if not, you can always stop by at the nearest gas station or convenient store. If you can stop at a hardware shop or automotive shop the better. The sooner you get the following items and use them on your coffee stain the less time and effort you will spend cleaning.
- Soft bristle brush
- Upholstery cleaner
- Spray bottle
- Microfiber cloths/towels
- Water
Remove coffee grounds
If you haven’t removed the coffee pool on your seat, this might be the best time to get rid of them. If you see coffee grounds, use the soft bristle brush to remove them. The quicker you get rid of them the better.
If a vacuum is available, you can use this to clean up the coffee grounds as well.
Apply the upholstery cleaner.
After removing excess liquid and coffee ground, spray your car seat and carpet with the upholstery cleaner. Carefully read and follow the instruction on its label. Keep in mind that there are upholstery spray that is specifically made for leather and there are also products which are not made for leather, so be sure to read the label to avoid further damage to your carpet and seats.
Spray water and dry
Some people claim that hot water works best in removing coffee stain while some find using cold water is the easiest and safest way.
There is a risk of over saturating your car seat with water so using a spray bottle is the recommended way. Spray enough water on the surface and sue your towel or microfiber cloth to dry.
Removing Coffee Stain on Cloth Car Seats
While the above method works well at preventing your coffee spill from staining your car seat, there will be times that you can’t stop and assess the spill as quickly as you could. The coffee will dry up and stain your car seat, and it will require more effort and time. If the spill dried up on cloth seat or fabric upholstery, follow the below steps.
Vinegar and water
Vinegar is not just for your dishes and pickles. This amazing product has a lot of benefits and uses. It can remove bad odors and its acidity can break down plant-based substances like tannin that is found in coffee.
You will need distilled white vinegar, water, and basic car cleaning chemical to create this mixture. This concoction will do wonders for stained cloth car seats and upholstery fabrics. Follow the below ratio.
- Mix 1 part vinegar with 16 parts of water and put it in a spray bottle.
- Add some car shampoo in your vinegar and water solution for a nice smell and for further cleaning.
Spray the solution in the stained area and soak it for 1-2 minutes. Work your way into the fabric with a soft bristle brush or upholstery brush if you have one. After scrubbing the area, allow the solution to sit for a longer period. Spray some water into the fabric and gently dry it with your towel or microfiber cloth.
Glass Cleaner
Another great product for removing coffee stains in a fabric car seat is glass cleaner. You’ll need the standard high ammonia glass cleaner, water and towel or microfiber cloth.
Before using glass cleaner in your seats, test it out first and see if it leaves any discoloration after a few minutes. If it doesn’t do any further damage, you can proceed spraying it in the stained area. Saturate the area thoroughly and leave it for about 5 minutes. Gently dry the area and repeat the process until the stain is removed.
Always read and follow instructions carefully before applying it anywhere.
Use baking soda
If the above methods and products didn’t help in removing the stain, head to your kitchen and bring out some baking soda.
Once baking soda is mixed with a bit of water it becomes a powerful paste that can remove stains and odor. Using baking soda is pretty straight forward and a bit messy so be careful.
- Using a spray bottle, wet the stained area until damp.
- Mix baking soda with a bit of water until it becomes a paste.
- Using your soft bristle brush, gently rub the paste into the stain.
- Let it sit for 10-20 minutes. Check occasionally to see if the stains are lifted.
- If you see that the stains are lifted, use a towel and cold water to remove the solution.
- Clean the rest of the area for any baking powder residue.
Conclusion
Regardless of how you like your coffee, always be mindful specially if you are driving with a drink in hand. Make sure to be careful specially if you have a scalding hot coffee in your hand. Along with stains, you can get seriously injured from a coffee spill.
Sip responsibly and in case of a spill, safely pull over to assess and dry the spill as quickly as you can. Do not let those coffee spill dry up.
While there are a lot of methods and products that can be used to remove stains, you can always go to your local car wars or automotive shop and let them handle any stains and damage from the coffee spill.
