I Spilled Coffee Grounds on My Area Rug and It Stained Badly—Now What?

There’s something wonderful about waking up to the smell of a strong cup of coffee. From the rich aroma of a bold roast to the first sip of a creamy latte, you love your coffee. But what you don’t love is the occasional stain that ensues. If you’ve got a coffee maker in your kitchen, then you’ve probably got a stain or two in your living room—that’s just the nature of the beast. Don’t fret, because we’ve got all the 411 on your coffee tainted carpet blunders. Keep reading to learn how to make yours like new again

Take it Step by Step

If you’re a coffee drinker, the chances are good that you’ve had to deal with a carpet stain or two. The question isn’t how to keep the occasional coffee spill from happening (because that’s just silly!) but instead, how to you successfully clean the stain without damaging your carpet in the process?

Take it step-by-step, and don’t rush the process.

Need the steps? We’ve got them covered so however many stains you have, and how experienced (or not) you are, you can clean up the stains and restore your carpet to brand new status—easily, calmly and quickly:

• Start with what you’ve got. So, if you’ve tripped over the rug with your coffee cup in hand and spilled half a cup of your dark roast on your beige carpet (it’s ok, it happens to the best of us) blot the liquid with paper towels as soon as possible. If you’ve spilled damp coffee grounds on your carpet, scoop up whatever you can in a gently manner.  
• Create your own coffee cleaning solution by mixing up two tablespoons of white vinegar with four cups of room temperature water.
• Once the stain can no longer be blotted with paper towels (this may take a while depending on how much liquid there is), apply your cleaning solution to the affected area. Just be sure that the towel or sponge you use isn’t soaking wet—aim for it being barely damp, instead.
• Continue to gently blot your carpet until the stain from the coffee grounds and/or liquid has been removed. Wait until it has dried (ex: the next morning) and then vacuum the area thoroughly.

What Happens If I Can’t Eliminate the Stain?

Sometimes, stains are easy to clean up, but occasionally they are stubborn. If your stain seems to have a mind of its own, don’t spend hours trying to restore it back to its natural state. Instead, contact your local Chem-Dry, the carpet cleaning professionals, to do it for you! Click here to find a local Chem-Dry near your or call 800-CHEM-DRY to be connected with a local Chem-Dry and feel great about clean, healthy carpets today!