How to Clean Coffee Stains on Car Carpets

Check out this scenario: while driving on your way to work and trying to beat the morning traffic rush, you have your coffee cup in your hand while steering the car. Then, suddenly, there is an unexpected bump as your car runs over a pothole in the road. Your hot coffee splatters on your beautiful car carpet, creating a huge mess!

Fortunately, new coffee stains can be removed with little difficulty. Once you find a place where you can park your car, immediately remove the carpet. Use a towel, sponge, or rag to soak up as much of the spill as possible. Even if your carpet is dark and the spill will not be too obvious, you still need to remove the spilled coffee. You would not want to leave a permanent coffee smell in your vehicle, do you?

Once most of the coffee is removed, spray the stain with automotive carpet cleaner. If this is unavailable, you can make your own by mixing together 1 quart of water, 1 tablespoon of vinegar, and 1 teaspoon of liquid detergent. Let the cleaner soak into the stain for thirty minutes. Then using a towel moistened with warm water, carefully wipe away the mixture, and then let the carpet dry. Once the carpet is clean, you can protect it by applying a stain repellent product which protects the fabric from permanent stains. Finally, when the product dries, vacuum the carpet. Be on the lookout for stains that repeatedly appear when the carpet dries. If this happens, it means that the stain has molecularly bonded with the fabric. In this case, you might need to enlist the help of professional cleaners.