Coffee Stains in Dress Shirts

Updated on November 13, 2009
K.H. asks from Massillon, OH
19 answers

Help! My husband keeps spilling coffee on his work shirts and I can't seem to get the stains out. He has ruined three shirts all ready and I hate to have to keep buying more because he is a sloppy coffee drinker! Can anyone tell me how to get coffee stains out of cotton dress shirts? I have tried most kinds of stain removers and I have also added Oxyclean to the detergent, to no avail. Any advice? Thanks!

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S.C.

answers from Fort Wayne on

Give him a small packed of baby wipes. You can even put a few in a Ziploc baggie for him. When he spills coffee (or anything) on his shirt, tell him to immediately wipe it with a baby wipe. They'll take out just about any stain, if you get to it right away.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.B.

answers from Cleveland on

Have you tried the new Tide stain removers? You just throw them in the washer with the clothes. They look like the ones that go in the dishwasher

1 mom found this helpful

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A.J.

answers from Indianapolis on

K., this happened to me with a white suit upon which I spilled coffee at a wedding reception and it sat for months because I did not realize it. I used L.O.C. it is an environmentally friendly product sold by AMWAY. If you know a distributor in your area, buy it. You simply rub it onto the stain - do not dilute it- and then wash. It will come out. In fact, LOC has been the best stain remover for me, even mustard came out of blue jeans. Good Luck.

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S.S.

answers from Cleveland on

We recently bought the Zout stain remover. I haven't had to use it for coffee stains yet.... but it works on anything my girls have gotten on their clothes - yesterday was hot chocolate that was there for eat least 5 hours before i could clean them.

1 mom found this helpful
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K.G.

answers from Columbus on

When I was a waitress we used soda water to get out coffee stains. If your husband can put it on right away that would work best.

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J.C.

answers from Cleveland on

Hey K.! With three kids, I have always used a pre-spray, then sprinkled the dry Oxyclean on the stain. I allow it to sit -- whether for a couple of hours or days -- spray it again with the pre-spray (right on top of the dried Oxyclean), then toss it in the wash. Generally, the stains come out. I don't know if it's because the stain remover sits on the stain for so long or what, but it usually works. Best of luck! Maybe get him a bib! Ha!

1 mom found this helpful
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K.C.

answers from Cincinnati on

Hi K., I have had that problem in the past and couldn't figure it out either. Now I take his shirts to the dry cleaners. Don't treat it at all, they will do it and they always do a great job. I just make sure I mention the stain and have it laundered, not dry cleaned. True it is around $2, but it is clean AND PRESSED and that is much cheaper than a new shirt! :) Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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D.K.

answers from Indianapolis on

IMMACU-10!!! I just took a coffee stain out on Sunday and I didn't even do much more than spray it on. This is an ENZYME based product NOT chemical. I use it for EVERYTHING...laundry, windows, floors, carpet, upholstered furniture, etc.

You CANNOT buy this in stores. Don't know where you live, but I'm in Fishers. Let me know where you are and I can give you some direction in finding it.

Costs $20 for a quart that lasts FOREVER because you normally dilute it - 4 small capfuls to a quart of water. A few things I use full strength - took blue paint off my eggshell colored car WITHOUT taking off the original paint job!

Anyway.....let me know.

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S.E.

answers from Cleveland on

For stubborn stains I soak things in a very very very strong solution of oxyclean for a few hours.

1 mom found this helpful
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J.C.

answers from Fort Wayne on

Do you know anyone who uses Melaleuca products? If you can find someone, ask them if you can get a bottle of their sol u mel. If you use it at full concentrate, it will get out anything. I love the stuff. I had this grease stain on my carpet from oil that was on the hinges of a new door and couldn't get it out with anything. I put full concentration of solumel on it, let it soak for about 10 minutes, and it came out. I've also gotten out tar, oreos, chocolate milk, grass stains, and ketchup. It's all natural too, so you don't have to worry about it being bad for any materials or people.

1 mom found this helpful
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C.B.

answers from Columbus on

While I personally haven't tried it on coffee stains, Shaklee's Basic H2 and Nature Bright claim to be able to get it out. I actually became a distributor because I love the products so much and would be happy to send you a free sample if you'd like to try it! Just send me your address and I'll mail them to you!

-C.
http://shaklee.net/carriebarta

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S.D.

answers from Indianapolis on

Does he try to take care of it while it's still wet? That would help a lot more than anything. Is it big splashes? If it's smaller drips and drops a Tide ToGo pen works really well. Otherwise, he needs to be rinsing with water and blotting it out.
Once he gets home, he should change immediately and put his shirt in a soak. I LOVE Biz. It took out 25-year-old stains from my husband's baby clothes so my kids could wear them! But really...if he can't be more careful, let him take care of it. It's hardly your fault he's a slob:(

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S.F.

answers from Cleveland on

Try using ScotchGuard on the shirt before you wash it for the first time... when the shirt is new. Follow the directions on the can (can be purchased at Walmart). We ScotchGuard everything in my house and it works as a great preventative... hardly any problems with stains on clothes. Hopefully you won't have to purchase many more new shirts! Good luck!

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A.Z.

answers from Columbus on

One laundry trick I learned recently is to put Dawn or other liquid dish soap on a stain, rub in gently with your finger, and wash immediately. I got out butter stains on tshirts this way, and the stains were old! Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful
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N.N.

answers from Columbus on

Soak it in Oxyclean and water. Add 1 scoop of Oxyclean to 3 gallons of hot water. Put in as many clothes as will fit, but nothing that will fade. Let them soak for 8 hours, then dump the whole thing into the wash and wash as regular. This is the best thing that I have found to remove stains. I worked for a dry cleaners once and someone spilled coffee on a wedding gown. When the gown came to us, they didn't know what the stain was, but when the water hit it the smell came out. We used Oxyclean and hot water and kept soaking and rinsing and the stain did come out.

1 mom found this helpful
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D.G.

answers from Columbus on

I've never had coffee stains that wouldn't come out but I would buy him a coffee mug that is made to not leak or spill, one with a lid and demand he use it.Be sure it has a handle on it too.
I have had other stains that refused to come out and used oxy clean and applied it wet directly to the stain in a paste form, just add water to it . And then scrub it with a old tooth brush, let it sit for a few hours,rinse with cold water and repeat , it should come out unless it has already been through the drier.This even took blood out of a pair of yellow slacks.Always use cold water in the beginning or you will set the stain.

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J.Z.

answers from Toledo on

Have you tried soaking the shirt first in Oxyclean and water? My husband usually puts a scoop of oxyclean in lukewarm water and lets the garment soak for a few hours. Then he adds the entire bucket (water and garment) to the rest of the wash. That way you don't waste the oxyclean:-) Don't wash the garment unless the stain is out. Keep it soaking until the stain is gone. He has got everything from coffee, wine and grass stains doing this. The trick is to not wash or dry it first. Hope this helps!!

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A.F.

answers from Elkhart on

Try Shaklee's Nature Bright. It outperforms Oxyclean and it is Natural, Biodegradable product. Safe for you, your family and the environment!!

Got to www.shaklee.net/amy_healthyconcepts

You will LOVE IT!!! It will get stains out that have already gone through the dryer.

At our house it's Ketchup and it always comes out! And with my twin boys it is filthy dirty white socks and they always come clean! I LOVE Nature Bright and the laundry detergent too, they work well as a team. They are very concentrated so a little goes a long way.

Good Luck!
A.

1 mom found this helpful
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M.C.

answers from Cleveland on

Sol U Mel and prespot from Melaleuca It really has worked for us
Let me know if you want more info
M.

1 mom found this helpful
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