01In the first few minutes
- Lift off as much as you can by pressing a clean white cloth or tissue on the mark; do not rub, which spreads the coffee and pushes it deeper into the fabric
- Rinse from the back of the fabric with cold water, so the coffee is pushed out the way it came in
- Keep it away from hot water for now; heat can fix the stain, especially when there is milk in it
02Black coffee or a latte?
Black coffee is mostly coloured water and usually lifts with cold water and a little liquid detergent. Coffee with milk or cream also leaves protein and fat behind. Those need cool water too, because heat sets protein, and a drop of washing-up liquid worked in gently helps to break down the fat.
03Then wash it
- Read the care label first and wash only the way it allows
- Work a little liquid detergent into the mark and leave it for a few minutes before washing
- Check the mark before the clothes go in the dryer or under the iron; heat sets whatever is left
- If a shadow is still there, treat and wash it again, then let it air dry
04Silk, wool and dry clean only
On silk, wool, chiffon and anything marked dry clean only, water can leave a ring or change the fabric. Blot the coffee off, do not soak or scrub, and get it to a dry cleaner soon. Say what the stain is and when it happened; that decides how it is treated.
05Old and dried stains
A coffee mark that has dried can often still be lifted. On washable, colourfast clothes, soak it in cool water with an oxygen-based stain remover, following the instructions on the pack, and test on a hidden part first. Do not use chlorine bleach on coloured clothes.
06Or hand it to us
Not sure? Give it to our driver and tell us it is coffee. We check the care label and treat the mark the gentle way the label allows, and if it is not right, we clean it again for free. A shirt is AED 15 to dry clean and a basic dress AED 40, and clothes can go 12-hour express (+50%).