Everybody who has ever drunk a glass of red wine has experienced the dreaded red wine stain. Red wine stains are nothing to be ashamed of; we’ve all been there.
Nevertheless, a red wine stain is not the end of the world as you can easily remove red wine stains. Just stay calm and read this article.
Contents
How To Remove Wine Stains
The first critical thing you must know about red wine stains is you must take try to remove the red wine stain as soon as possible.
Except for a few fabrics, most of them are incredibly porous. When red wine gets into the fabric’s fibers, they become absorbed by its pores.
Furthermore, red wine’s color is a natural pigment. Red wine has chromogens, a substance that gives plants color and is used to create dyes.
Therefore, red wine is a big bottle of dye. In combination with the high levels of tannins, the red wine will die on any fabric it lands on. To make matters worse, it soaks into the pores in no time, so you must take care of the red wine stain immediately.
How To Remove a Fresh Red Wine Stain
To remove fresh red wine stains, blot the stain with a clean cloth. You can also use a paper towel.
Dab the spot gently, do not rub it in. Rubbing or scrubbing will set the red wine stain in the fabric. Once you blot the stain, use one of the following methods to remove the red wine stain.
Dishwashing Soap and Hydrogen Peroxide
Combine 3 parts hydrogen peroxide with 1 part dish soap. Remember, hydrogen peroxide has bleaching properties, so test the solution on a small unnoticeable area of the fabric first.
If the test area looks ok once it has dried, continue adding the solution to the red wine stain, then allow it to sit for 30 minutes. Wash the soiled fabric after 30 minutes.
Kosher Salt
Liberally coat the red wine stain with kosher salt. While you can use table salt, kosher salt has larger grains that create more surface area, which causes it to absorb more wine.
Let the slat sit for 24 hours. This allows it to absorb as much red wine as possible.
If the fabric has some weight to it, like denim, set it over a bowl. The red wine stain should be in the bowl’s center and fastened with a rubber band.
Next, pour boiling water over the red wine stain. Make sure you pour it 6-8 inches above the bowl so the water can help force out the red pigment. Next, wash the fabric as usual if the stain disappears.
Club Soda
Pour some club soda over the red wine stain and let it sit for 24 hours. Do not use seltzer water or another carbonated drink as it may not remove the stain.
Wash the fabric as you usually would, and the red stain should fade away.
Stain Removers
If none of these stain removal techniques work, the next best thing is to use a stain remover. There are multiple stain removers on the market.
Once you find one, mix it with the warmest water the fabric can take if you are using a powder. There are also sprays you can use that are specifically designed to remove red wine. Simply use it as directed, and the stain should disappear.
How To Remove an Old Red Wine Stain
If you did not have time to remove the red wine stain right away, try one of these methods. However, old red wine stains need to sit for a longer time than fresh red wine stains.
First, rub the red wine stain with laundry detergent or dish soap. Second, place the fabric in a cold bowl of water and let it soak for a minimum of 30 minutes or overnight.
Remove the fabric from the cold water, wring it out and add a stain remover to the red wain stain. Next, wash the fabric as you usually would.
If you are trying to remove red wine stains from a white fabric, you can use bleach. Soak the white cloth in a solution of bleach and water for ten minutes, then wash it in hot water. The red wine stain should disappear.
Baking soda and water can also be used to remove old red wine stains. Blot the red wine stain with paper towels, then mix a few drops of water and baking soda until a paste forms.
Rub the baking soda paste on the stain and let it dry completely. If you are removing the stain from clothes, let it dry completely, then wash the fabric as you normally would. However, if you are removing the red wine stain from the carpet, vacuum it up once the baking soda paste dries.
Final Thoughts
The next time red wine spills on your carpet or clothes, there’s no need to panic. Just use one of these methods to remove the red wine stain.