It’s generally a good idea to avoid drinking over the rug to prevent spills from occurring in the first place, but if you do happen to splatter a little coffee on your new rug (or old one for that matter), there are ways to clean the stain.
Be certain to clean it up right away, so the stain doesn’t have time to set. Daub up as much of the spill as you are able using a clean towel or absorbent rag. Work from the borders of the stain towards the center to avoid spreading it. Never rub back and forth!
Using Dish Detergent
Make a mixture of a cup of warm water and a teaspoon of liquid dish detergent in a spray bottle. Spray the solution on the spot and absorb the solution again with a clean cloth until it is totally dry. Start this after dabbing as much of the spill as possible, first.
Using White Vinegar
To clean the spill with white vinegar, make a mixture of 2/3 of a cup of water and 1/3 of a cup of white vinegar in a large bowl. Sponge the solution over the stained area. Blot up the liquid with a clean cloth until it’s dry. You can make the same mixture using soda water instead of white vinegar.
Using Baking Powder
To clean the spill using baking powder, make a mixture of 2/3 of a cup of water and 1/3 of a cup of baking soda in a large bowl. Sponge the mixture over the stained area. Blot up the liquid with a clean cloth until it’s dry. Once it’s fully dry, vacuum over the area. Be sure to vacuum up all of the baking soda because since it absorbs odors, if you do not remove it, the baking soda will sit in your carpet and continue to absorb and keep the unpleasant odors in your carpet.
Steam Cleaning Your Carpet
Using a steam cleaner works best on stains that have already dried and set into the fibers of the carpet. This is an excellent technique to use if you do not get to the spill immediately to clean it up with a dry cloth. Use the steam cleaner as directed in the instructions. The steam cleaner loosens and dampens the spot making it easier to remove than trying to remove the dried stain by using any of the other methods.
If you accidentally spill your coffee, all is not lost. There is a wide variety of different ingredients you can use to clean coffee off your carpets, and most of them, you probably already have in your kitchen pantry.
DIY Home Improvement guest post by Phil Vandermeer