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Fixit: How to remove coffee stain from carpet

Early treatment helps remove carpet stain.

March 9, 2010 at 10:04PM

Q What can be done to remove a coffee stain from carpet? I tried to remove it, with no success.

A The stain will be harder to remove now than when it was fresh, but try again with another stain remover, such as Spot Shot or Oxiclean, available at hardware, home and discount stores. Follow label directions.

If that doesn't work, call a carpet professional.

If the stain still won't budge, the carpet might need to be patched. To do that, cut out (or have a professional cut out) the stained area and replace it with a piece taken from the back of a closet or other inconspicuous place.

Drippy bathroom Q I get excessive moisture in my bathroom, to the point that walls and windows drip water even though I run the exhaust fan. Any suggestions?

A Be sure the fan actually exhausts to the outdoors (you should see the fan housing on the roof or wall above the fan). It should not exhaust to the attic or other interior space. Also:

Check the fan for effectiveness. Pull apart a two-ply facial tissue and hold it up to the operating exhaust fan. If it pulls and holds the tissue to it, it's probably effectively exhausting the bathroom.

Run the fan longer. Many people make the mistake of running the exhaust fan only when showering or bathing. It needs to run for 15 or more minutes after you've showered or bathed. (Noisy fans are annoying, so people often turn them off before they can finish their work. If you decide to replace your fan, get as quiet a model as possible.)

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Send your questions to Fixit in care of the Star Tribune, 425 Portland Av., Minneapolis, MN 55488, or call 612-673-7032, or e-mail fixit@startribune.com. Past columns are available at www.startribune.com/fixit. Sorry, Fixit cannot supply individual replies.

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about the writer

KAREN YOUSO, Star Tribune

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