Here at the Wholesale Coffee Company, we love all things coffee – with the exception of coffee stains. If you like your coffee strong and black, the chances are that a few drops spilled on a white tablecloth or shirt will defy the best efforts of the washing machine. Here’s how to tackle those stains.
If the fabric is suitable, the item should be treated with a specialist stain removing liquid. If you refer a more natural approach and the stain is still damp, make up a solution of 30g of borax to 500 ml of lukewarm water, put on some disposable gloves and sponge the stain. Domestic borax, otherwise known as sodium tetraborate decahydrate, is a mild alkali and looks a bit like bicarbonate of soda. If you have trouble tracking down borax, it can be found online or you could use Borax Substitute, a natural alternative available from larger supermarkets or chemists.
If the stain has dried on, put a few drops of glycerine onto a clean cloth and gently rub it into the stain. After an hour, rinse through with clean water. If the fabric is machine washable, put it through a wash cycle then let it dry naturally.
Specialist fabrics such as silk and satin should only be tackled by an expert dry cleaner.
These tips should also work to remove coffee stains from upholstery. If your chair or sofa is antique, though, you’ll need to call in a reputable cleaning company to remove the marks as older fabrics are often not colourfast. If you do decide to tackle it yourself, test the cleaning solution on a small patch on the back or underside of the chair, and stop if the dye starts to run.
At the Wholesale Coffee Company, we’re experts on all things coffee. To find out more about us or to browse our range of coffee beans at great wholesale prices, please visit www.wholesalecoffeecompany.co.uk.