Cleaning and Stain Removal - Coffee stain with baileys on light carpeting

Spilled a cup of coffee with baileys cream on light carpeting New Years Eve. Have tried 2 carpet cleaners, club soda, dish washing detergent, nothing happening. Need help. Very noticable.

Judy

First, you need to get all the stuff you've already tried out of the carpet. Do this by rinsing with clean water and sucking it up with a shop vac until the water runs clear.

I'm stumped for the moment for the name of the product I would use. I'll post back when I think of it. By then, docduck and twelvepole will probably have already chimed in.

I swear by Resolve Carpet Cleaner. Gets out just about everything. If that doesn't work, try a vinegar and water solution and let it soak in, then keep blotting with water (wet rag or paper towels) until it comes out.

Before proceeding you do, indeed, need to remove all the cleaning residues from the carpet. Add some white vinegar to the water solution and blot from outside toward middle of affected area with white rag. Use white rag to prevent imparting dyes to fibers. Always blot. Never rub carpet fibers. Soap residues can attract soil and cause rapid resoiling and staining.

The wrong cleaning products and the wrong combination of cleaning products can affect carpet dyes and fibers. Any DIY cleaning method should be tested first in inconspicuous area for ill effects before proceeding, including commercial carpet cleaners. Never pour cleaners into carpet or saturate carpet with cleaners. Never introduce a new and different cleaner without thoroughly blotting to rinse and remove all residues to prevent chemical reactions.

Some forum posters have reported dye loss with Resolve Carpet Cleaner. Again, ANY cleaner should be tested first in inconspicuous area. Some carpets have unstable dyes and are more subject to dye loss and discoloration.

Note: Carpet spills should be attended to immediately. Waiting until spill dries allows stains time to set and possibly become permanent. Coffee contains tannin and leaves brown stains. Bailey's contains Irish whiskey, cream, sugar, and flavorings. An enzyme digester cleaner can be used. The trick is to give enzymes time to digest the stains which may require repeat applications. Take care not to saturate carpet backing and cushion beneath. Enzyme digester cleaners are sold as pet mess cleaners at pet stores and marketed under a variety of names such as Out, OdoBan, and Nature's Miracle.

It has been three days since New Year's Eve, so stain has likely dried and set. If in doubt, call a professional carpet cleaner.

Rinse it out as mitch suggested. In my own thoughts, stay away from resolve. It contains optical brighteners that "bleach' out the stain you see, but when used incorrectly or too much is used it can bleach out the dye in the carpet.

once you rinse out the resolve you may notice that alot of the spill may have come out. if it did. rinse one more time. then take some rags double fold them and place them down over the area and put some heavy objects over them and change rags every few hours.

if there is still a spot there after the rinse, what you will need to do is head over to your local janitoral supply. What you will need is a tannin remover, basicly after the carpet has dried from a coffee spill the salt left over in the carpet remains. the salt itself with a high pH attracts the soil, which creates the spot. A tannin remover has a slightly acidic pH which will neutralize the salt and break it free from the fibers. Apply to the area in question, treat a area slightly larger than what you can see and then allow to dwell 10-15 mins then rinse as mitch and tweleve pole said. if any furniture is in the area remove it for the time being. After the rinse is done, place the rags back on.

if that doesnt do the trick let us know. As with any DIY attempt test in a hidden corner before treating area-for colorfastness or any other ill effects.

A professional cleaner is another option, they could most likely remove it fairly quickly, but you would be looking at around $75-100 based on the market you live in.

The product I was thinking of is called CSR+ (still can't remember who makes it) and it's a tannin remover like docduck suggested. If they don't have it at the janitorial supply store, they'll have another product that will work the same.

csr?= calicum, salt , rust? havent had the pleasure of working with that one yet

CSR? Learn something new here daily. AFFLAB describes the product:

CSR-PLUS Spot and Stain Remover
Superior stain and spot remover for rugs and carpets
Use on pet stains, food stains, blood, grease, grass stains, beverages
Quick and safe water based spotter

The MSDS describes it as a Bio-Clenz Spot Cleaner containing the hazardous ingredients of 1-Methoxy-2-Propanol, a solvent. For the organic stains, it contains enzymes. This is one of those multi-purpose spot and stain removers because it contains both solvent and enzymes. Not sure what CSR stands for 'carpet spot remover?'

Most tannin stains are organic and can be removed with enzyme digester cleaners. Cleaners specifically for tannin stains contain hyroxyacetic acid or lactic acid which reduce the stain by oxidizing them. As with enzyme digester cleaners, there is no guarantee that stain will be completely removed.

After a review of several tannin remover products' ingredients, they tend to vary. As with any DIY cleaner, it is best to test inconspicuous area first for ill effects. Some of these tannin removers contain bleaches like oxalic acid or a chlorine bleach. These products could take a toll on unstable carpet dyes.

I found this when I did the same thing. I actually waited a few days becasue I tried EVERYTHING ELSE FIRST..this worked first time, never came back either......put hydrogen peroxide and a little ammonia into either a bowl or a sprayer...dont mix too much as it only lasts for a short time...since your carpet is light, you should be fine since the hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleach...I use it on my berber light carpet all the time....let it sit for a period, put a layer (thick) of paper towel and something heavy on it..and leave it for a couple of hours....pick it up and vola! all gone!!...I now buy Hydrogen peroxide at SAMS in bulk for this solution......I have told others and they have sung it's praises as it works!!

Be very careful with this solution...this is the same solution or very close to a product called Stain Magic...basicly its oxidizing bleach. It adds oxygen to the area treated until the fibers can no longer reflect the stain dye...BUT sometimes the solution doesnt stop with the dye of the stain...it continues with the carpet dye, until it bleaches out a area. Using this makeup in controled amounts of nylon carpet and olefin may be safe. But on wool it would damage it. Basicly the ammonia speeds up how fast the h202 reacts. I would stick with tannin spot removers as a safer course of action. This solution when mixed and left in a close container may expand and leak or explode. As the h202 is off gasing oxygen. With any diy attempt test in a hidden area first.

do not leave for along time, and make sure you get it all out..but on light carpets (probably not wool, just normal nylons)......that is why you want to leave the papertowel on for about 4-5 hours at least........thank you for the explanation of why it works doc!!

Proceed with caution if using peroxides and other oxidizing bleaches on carpets, especially those with unstable dyes. Always test any DIY method first in inconspicuous area. Hydrogen peroxide, an oxygenating bleach, converts to water after about 20 minutes and can take a toll on unstable dyes. Leaving a bleaching agent like ammonia on carpet fibers and dye for 4-5 hours will take a toll on unstable dyes and weaken carpet fibers. Ill effects may not be immediate, but if used with regularity ill effects will show over time. When treating carpet stains, it is always best to use the appropriate spotter for the type of stain and type of carpet fiber and dye. It is also best to use the mildest approach before bringing out the big guns. Again, always test first in inconspicuous place first for ill effects on carpet dye. If in doubt, contact a professional carpet cleaner. To learn more about carpet care and maintenance, go to www.carpet-rug.com for recommendations by the Carpet Rug Institute.