The Fastest Way to Get a Coffee Stain Out of a Shirt Before You Embarrass Yourself
Our national return to the office means a return to all the little indignities we thought were left in the pre-pandemic days. The barista serves you coffee and as you leave you take a sip and discover that they made a mistake with your order but you are late to come back. There are no empty seats on the train, so you stand in uncomfortable work shoes, and you are pushed by everyone who enters and exits. After one life-changing blow to the body from a commuter neighbor, the coffee you’re holding (along with the bus desk, your bag, and your phone) spills all over you. It’s humiliation after humiliation, and while there’s no real solution to the general horror of a trip to the office, we can at least tell you how to get a coffee stain out of your shirt once you get there.
Try plain cold water first
Before you start mixing the soap mixture or try to casually ask your office manager if there are any baking soda cans or old toothbrushes nearby, try some cold water. The Nespresso website says that if the stain is “fresh”, cold water may help. You want to hit the stain inside and out, so head to the bathroom for this, wet a paper towel, and press the stain on both sides.
Don’t rub hard on the stain. Real Good Coffee Co. reports that “it will only damage the material”. Instead, press a cold, damp towel firmly against the stain, and when the towel gets dirty, grab a new one. When it’s time to dry the wet spot, position yourself under a hair dryer or use fresh, dry towels to press it down again. Under no circumstances should the fabric be rubbed.
Find out what your shirt is made of.
According to Eldorado Coffee , you should approach cotton and synthetics differently, especially if the stain isn’t exactly fresh. (Commutes can be long; don’t beat yourself up.)
Go into the toilet stall, take off your shirt and inspect the tag. If it’s cotton, start by blotting with cold water as mentioned. Eldorado Coffee then recommends using a stain remover such as Shout wipes or a Tide-to-Go pen. If you don’t have these things on your desk, don’t worry. Just keep drinking your cold water and make a note to buy some next time you visit the pharmacy.
Synthetic fabrics are slightly different. You still start with cold water, but for the next step, you’ll need office kitchen dishwashing detergent. Apply a little to a cold damp paper towel and pat dry. Eldorado Coffee also recommends adding some white vinegar. If you have it in the office it’s great, but be aware that you’ll be a bit stinky. If you have a stain on your shirt or smell like vinegar, you’ll hurt at least one of your colleagues’ feelings for the day. Choose wisely.
According to the Real Good Coffee Co., there’s a more durable option you can use when paper towels and liquid soap don’t work, but it does require two ingredients you might not have in the office: white vinegar and powdered laundry detergent. . If you have them or can find a store near you, mix a few drops of vinegar into the powder until you get a paste. Gently rub the paste into the stain and let it sit for five minutes before returning to rinsing with cold water. The company recommends using a soft-bristled toothbrush to apply the paste, but this moves further away from office supplies solutions. However, if you’re going to the corner store near your office for vinegar and powder detergent, you can go all the way and grab a toothbrush (and Shout wipes while you’re there).
Use salt to remove the stain
You may or may not have dish soap and white vinegar in the office, but you probably have salt somewhere in the break room. Using salt is a great way to fix stains immediately and keep them from getting worse.
Again, according to Eldorado Coffee, “sprinkle generously” on the stain because “the more salt you have, the deeper it will penetrate the fabric.” Leave on for a few minutes and then gently pat dry with a clean paper towel. The salt will draw out the excess liquid, but will also stop the stain from spreading. The only thing worse than a stain is a big stain. (That’s why we use cold water instead of warm water.)
You can also use baby powder, which will do the same, but again, try using the stuff you have in the office first.
The best you can hope for
You probably won’t be able to completely remove the stain using office supplies and temporarily settling in the bathroom, but you can reduce it to the point where it’s not as noticeable, which is better than having a huge symbol of your horror. morning on the chest all day. When you get home, you can do baths, procedures and regular washing. For now, focus on minimizing damage as much as possible.
Finally, it’s always a good idea to wear a neutral sweater to work. If you don’t have a dedicated table sweater, bring one from home. At times like these, you’ll be glad you did.