I get frustrated when coffee ends up on my car seats. And not because of what it takes to remove the stains but because I have to go without my energy booster. I’m this person who requires a little bit of caffeine in the morning to push me throughout the day.
Caffeine craving aside, let’s take a moment to look at how to remove coffee stains from the car seat. Here are easy steps I recommend you to follow to remove those bothersome coffee stains from your car seats.
Stains on vinyl or leather
Do the following:
- Absorb excess coffee from the spot with a white paper towel.
- Mix a drop of mild detergent in a cup of warm water and dampen a soft, lint-free towel with the mixture. Pro tip! Aim for more suds than water on the towel because excess water can damage leather.
- Wipe the stain softly with the dampened towel, starting at the outside of the stain and working inward. Dry the area, if necessary, by blotting it with a paper towel. Make sure to use a commercial leather cleaner and follow the manufacturer’s instructions if the stain persists.
Stains on cloth upholstery
Do these to remove the stain:
First, blot the coffee as fast as you can.
It is much easier to clean up a fresh spill. Even if you are in a hurry, see how you can soak up much of it with a paper towel, cloth, or anything you have handy before it dries.
Pro tips:
- Don’t rub at the stain with your cloth or napkin, as this can spread the stain further. Instead, press the cloth into the seat and lift it straight to absorb the moisture.
- Repeat blotting with new napkins or clothes (if you have them) until they become saturated. Repeat this until you have as much of the coffee absorbed as possible.
Gently rub with a mixture of dishwashing soap, water, and vinegar
Most experts recommend a solution of 2/3 water, 1/3 vinegar, and a few dish soap squirts. Apply this solution to the stain and rub gently with a clean dishtowel or sponge. While doing this, inspect other parts of your cars and clean any spilled coffee. It is also ok to use a spray-on upholstery cleaner.
Beat an egg yolk and rub it into the stain with a cloth
Rinse the yolk with cool water and dry the area with a white towel.
Clean the stain with commercial upholstery cleaner
Remember to follow the manufacturer’s instructions if the stain persists.
Rinse with clean water and blot.
Be careful when rinsing the seat not to soak it but keep rinsing and bloating until no more brown coffee stains appear on the cloth or dishtowel you are using. Brush off any solid material, including coffee grounds, if present.
- Be sure to wait until after you’ve blotted the stain’s liquid to remove any solids. Then you can brush them away into your hand or a napkin to dispose of.
- If coffee grounds have already made their way into fabric creases and are difficult to remove, do your best to blot and brush at them, and then wait until you have access to a vacuum with a thin hose attachment to suck them up.
Blow-dry the wet area. Make sure the hairdryer is set on low. If it is a hot and sunny day, you may be able to get away with leaving your windows down.
Cleaning tips for stubborn coffee stains
Try the following if coffee stains prove challenging to clean normally:
- Apply beaten egg yolk to stubborn coffee stains, then wipe it off and rinse with water. Make sure you clean it off carefully, or you will have an even stinkier car.
- If you spilled a latte, you’d have to use special products to clean up the dairy before tackling the coffee with the steps above. According to Wikihow, use a water and ammonia mixture, then apply some enzyme detergent and let it sit for about 30 minutes. If a sour-milk smell persists, specialized cleaning may be the only way.
- If a musty coffee smell persists, you can fight it with baking soda, coffee beans, or a commercial-strength odor absorber.
Finally, do the best you can. Even if there is a trivial stain left on your car seat, no one will notice it.
Can coffee cause permanent damage to car upholstery?
Coffee can certainly damage your car seat permanently, but only if ignored. The best time to try to remove a stain is now. No matter how old the stain is, it can usually be reduced to a somewhat discolored ring, lowering your car’s value and making the interior less pleasant to the eye. If you get cleaning right away, you should end up with no stains!
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Disclosure: No compensation or free products were received in exchange for writing this review.
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The editorial staff at Crazy Coffee Crave is a team of coffee enthusiasts & Baristas who enjoy the one thing we all think about as soon as we get up in the morning. Trusted by thousands of readers worldwide.
