There’s no need to let a coffee spill in car ruin your day or your upholstery. If you want to know how to get coffee stain out of car seat, follow our car interior detailing steps to stain removal. The best part is you don’t need harsh chemicals. We recommend green cleaning wherever possible to ensure you protect and preserve your car interior.

To learn more about our environmentally friendly auto detailing, download our Eco Wash Benefit Guide:

What You’ll Need to Get Coffee Stain out of Car Seat

Here’s what you’ll need to remove coffee stains from car seats:

• Dish soap
• Water
• Microfiber car cloths
• Clean towel
• Car vacuum cleaner

Also, you can try alternative methods for different types of car upholstery. See our tips at the end of this post. Furthermore, a steam cleaner for cars is brilliant for stain removal. But try the basic steps first, then assess the stain.

Minimize the Damage

Swift action helps minimize the damage of spilled coffee on car seat. So, gently blot the stain with a cloth as soon as possible. Note some substances in coffee, such as tannins, can cause discoloration over time. Addressing the problem quickly reduces the chances of these substances interacting with the fabric and causing color changes.

Choose a Cleaning Solution

You can easily make or buy a cleaning solution to get rid of a coffee spill in the car. Here are three recommendations:

• Mild dish soap and water. You can use an all-purpose, pH balanced detergent mixed with warm water to create an effective cleaner.
• White vinegar and water. Mix one-third of vinegar and two-thirds of water and you’re good to go. Do a spot check to ensure the vinegar doesn’t cause discoloration.
• Use a professional upholstery cleaner. Shop around for the best car interior detailing products suitable for tackling tough stains like coffee. There are more green products on the market than ever.

Clean the Stain

Dip a clean cloth or sponge into your chosen cleaning solution, then gently blot the coffee stain. Avoid rubbing, as this can spread the stain or damage the fabric.

Rinse the Stain With Water

Once you’ve treated the stain, dampen a clean microfiber car cloth with water and blot the area to rinse out the cleaning solution.

Equally important, don’t use too much water as it could lead to water stains. Then you’ll have another problem on your hands! If this happens, see how to get water stains out of car seats.

Repeat Steps for Stubborn Stains

For set-in coffee stains, you may need to clean and rinse the area again. Alternatively, see our section on steam cleaning, below.

Dry the Seat

Next, allow the area to air dry by opening car doors and windows. Also, you can use a hair dryer to speed up the process. This important step gets rid of moisture and protects against mold growth on your upholstery. If this becomes a problem, knowing how to remove mold from car interior will get rid of any musty smells from your car’s interior.

Vacuum to Finish

Afterward, vacuum your car seats to refresh your car seats. Use your crevice tool to get into awkward areas and other places to clean the inside of your car that people often overlook.

Steam Cleaning (Optional)

Steam cleaning works wonders on all types of stains, including coffee. See how to steam clean seats like a professional. Moreover, steam’s high temperature kills bacteria and germs, leaving your car sanitized for a healthier driving experience. It is also our top tip if you want to know how to get bad smell out of car.

If the coffee stain is particularly stubborn, you can pre-treat it with a stain remover or a mixture of water and mild detergent before using your steam cleaner.

Allow the pre-treatment to sit for a short time. Then apply steam to the stained area. After steaming, use a clean microfiber car cloth to remove moisture and any loosened dirt.

But if you don’t have a steam cleaner, calling on the experts is an option. Inquire about our car interior detailing service specializing in upholstery cleaning and stain removal.

How to Remove Coffee Stains From Different Types of Car Seats

As shown above, homemade remedies such as a vinegar-based solution are more suitable for fabric car seats. Therefore, it is advisable to take a different approach for leather seats. Here are specific steps for different types of car seat materials.

Vinyl or Leather Upholstery

The easiest way to remove coffee stains from vinyl or leather upholstery is as follows:

• Remove excessive coffee with a paper towel.
• Take some mild detergent and mix it with water.
• Dip a lint-free towel into this solution. However, ensure you don’t use excess water as this will damage the leather.
• Gently wipe the coffee stain with the dampened towel,
• Finally, once you have sufficiently worked on the stain, blot the area with a paper towel and dry the area completely.

An optional step for leather seats is applying a special conditioner after cleaning to maintain the leather’s softness and prevent it from drying out. For more tips, see how to get stains out of leather car seats.

Cloth Upholstery

You have options when you want to know how to remove stains from cloth car seats. If a white vinegar and water solution doesn’t remove spilled coffee on car seat, try egg yolks. The steps are:

• Dip a terry cloth into a beaten egg yolk.
• Then, apply a generous amount of the yolk onto the stain and leave for at least a minute or so.
• Wipe off the yolk and rinse the area thoroughly with water. I.e., you don’t want to end up with a rotten egg smell in car!
• Lastly, use a hair dryer to dry the area completely.

How to Clean Spilled Coffee in Car With Baking Soda

Also, baking soda is effective when you want to know how to remove coffee stains from car seats made of fabric. Here’s what to do:

• Firstly, sprinkle a generous amount of baking soda directly onto the coffee stain.
• Then, allow the baking soda to sit on the stain for at least 15-20 minutes. This gives it time to absorb moisture and help lift the coffee stain.
• Use a soft brush or a clean, damp cloth to rub the stained area gently.
• Vacuum the area to remove traces of baking soda.
• Finally, rinse with a clean, damp cloth and leave to dry.

Different kinds of stains can get on your car’s upholstery. So, if you notice other types of stains inside your car, you may also find our following posts helpful:

• How to get chocolate out of car seat.
• How to get blood stains out of car seats.
• How to get yellow smoke stains out of car interior.
• Car carpet stain remover products on the market and homemade.

Conclusion

In summary, various methods tackle the problem of how to get coffee stain out of car seats. Our steps will leave your seats clean and fresh. Homemade remedies are quick and cost-effective. However, steam cleaning is the answer for set-in stains. Additionally, this green method is safe for both cloth and leather upholstery.

Also, steam is brilliant at banishing bad odors, which is useful when milky coffee stains from lattes and cappuccinos leave behind a sour smell. If your car needs extra care and attention, professional detailing will transform your ride. Feel free to contact our trained team to discuss detailing packages and special deals.

Discover more about our greener clean when you download our Eco Car Wash Benefit Guide: