How to Remove Coffee from Denim

The Logic Verdict

My Take: The Family Handyman clip walks through a predictable sequence: soak the jeans in a quart of lukewarm water spiked with dish soap and white vinegar, rinse and air-dry to check progress, pad on rubbing alcohol if the mark lingers, then finish with a 30-minute enzyme presoak before laundering. The layered approach erases even old coffee rings without wrecking your denim.

The Science

Coffee stains contain sugars, tannins, and oils that can bond to cotton fibers as they dry. The mild acid in vinegar keeps tannins soluble, dish soap lifts oils, and rubbing alcohol dissolves stubborn residues without spreading the stain. Enzyme presoaks digest the remaining organic molecules so your detergent can rinse them away, and a bleach-safe wash oxidizes any faint color cast left behind.

Step-by-Step Removal

1. Mix the soak. In a quart container, combine lukewarm water, 1/2 teaspoon liquid dish soap, and 1 tablespoon white vinegar.
2. Soak for 15 minutes. Submerge the stained denim completely, swishing occasionally so the solution penetrates the weave.
3. Rinse and air-dry. Rinse under cool water, then hang the jeans. Check the stain once they’re mostly dry.
4. Spot with alcohol. If you still see coffee shadowing, wet a white sponge with rubbing alcohol and dab from the edges toward the center to keep it from spreading.
5. Enzyme presoak. Dissolve 1 tablespoon enzyme presoak in a quart of warm water. Soak the garment for 30 minutes to break down leftover proteins and sugars.
6. Launder normally. Wash the jeans in the hottest cycle the care tag allows. For whites or colorfast denim, add oxygen or chlorine bleach per instructions; otherwise, stick to oxygen bleach.
7. Inspect before drying. Only move the jeans to the dryer when the stain is fully gone. Heat will set any remaining pigment.

What NOT To Do

• Skip boiling water or dryers until the stain disappears; heat locks in coffee.
• Avoid colored cloths or sponges that could transfer dye when using alcohol.
• Don’t jump straight to chlorine bleach on stretch denim or dark jeans—test in a hidden area first.

Resources

• Seventh Generation Dish Soap (Amazon)
• Heinz Cleaning Vinegar (Amazon)
• Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol (Amazon)
• Biz Enzyme Presoak (Amazon)
• OxiClean White Revive (Amazon)