Fresh red wine stains are actually easy to clean. You can simply pour boiling water over the cloth until the wine stain is gone. Meanwhile, red wine stains that have dried are more difficult to remove. Fortunately, there are several home methods you can try to solve this problem.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Using Hydrogen Peroxide and Dish Soap
Step 1. Mix hydrogen peroxide and dish soap in a 1:1 ratio
These two ingredients are more effective when worked together and are very effective at removing red wine stains. Don't use dish soap that contains bleach and lye, unless your cotton fabric is white. Bleach can remove wine stains, but it can also lighten the color of the fabric.
To make a stronger solution, mix 1/3 dish soap and 2/3 hydrogen peroxide
Step 2. Rub the mixture into the stain
First, pour a small amount of the soap and hydrogen peroxide solution onto the stain. Use your fingers to massage the mixture into the stained area. Massage from the edges of the stain to its center to prevent the stain from spreading.
- Before you apply the dish soap and hydrogen peroxide mixture, tuck a towel into the garment so that the stain doesn't penetrate to the opposite side. This way, the towel will absorb the stain.
- If you don't want to rub the stain with your hands, or if the cloth to be cleaned is very thin, you can dab the stain. Wet a towel with a mixture of dish soap and hydrogen peroxide, and pat the towel over the wine stain.
Step 3. Allow the soap and hydrogen peroxide to soak into the fabric for 30 minutes
Make sure the stain is completely wet with the cleaning mixture. Let the cotton cloth sit for at least 30 minutes before removing the soap.
Step 4. Rinse the cloth with warm water
Fill a bowl with warm water, then soak a stained cotton cloth in it. Make sure the cotton cloth is completely wet with water. Try running a red wine stain with warm water from the tap.
Step 5. Soak the stained cloth in hot water
Transfer the cloth to hot water and soak it for an hour. You can use a washing machine with a soak cycle (soak).
Do not add any detergent! Your cloth still contains a mixture of soap and hydrogen peroxide
Step 6. Rinse the cloth with cold water
After soaking the cotton cloth in warm water and then in hot water for an hour, rinse it with cold water. Do not add fabric detergent. If you don't want to rinse manually, use a washing machine on a cold cycle.
Step 7. Hang to dry
Don't tumble dry, especially if the fabric is 100% cotton! High heat will shrink wet cotton dramatically. If there are still red wine stains remaining, repeat the process above.
Method 2 of 3: Using Lemon and Salt
Step 1. Soak a cotton cloth in cold water
This will moisten the dry stain, making it easier to remove from the fabric. The cloth does not need to be soaked for long, just soak it until the cloth is completely wet.
Step 2. Squeeze the cotton cloth to remove excess water
Squeeze until no water drips from the cloth, even if it is still wet. Squeeze the fabric gently and try not to stretch or tear it.
Step 3. Apply lemon juice to the red wine stain
You can squeeze the lemon directly onto the stain, or you can use a bottled lemon juice product. Wet the stain completely so that the acidity of the lemon reacts with the red wine stain.
Step 4. Rub the stain with table salt
Once the lemon juice has soaked the cloth, sprinkle some salt on the stained area. Use your fingers to massage the salt and lemon juice into the stain. Massage the salt from the front and back of the stained area for maximum clean cotton.
You can use regular table salt, but any salt is fine. You can even use sand or another abrasive object to scrub the stain
Step 5. Rinse and wring out the stained cotton cloth
Rinse the back of the stain with cold water from the tap. Squeeze the cloth with your hands, and massage while concentrating the massage on the stained area. Don't let the fabric stretch or tear, but don't be afraid to rub the stain vigorously. When the stain is almost gone, wrap the cloth in a clean towel to absorb the water from the cloth.
You should always rinse from the back of the stain. Remove the stain from the fabric, not through the fabric
Step 6. Add lemon juice
Squeeze more lemon juice directly onto the surface of the stain. Lay the cotton cloth in the sun. Spread the cloth on a flat surface so that the cotton does not stretch when dry. The acidity of lemon juice and the sun's ultraviolet rays are natural bleaches that are safe for fabrics.
Method 3 of 3: Using Other Solutions
Step 1. Try rubbing white wine on a cloth
If your cotton fabric is white, try rubbing white wine on the stain. You can simply wash the cotton cloth manually to get rid of the smell.
Step 2. Use cream of tartar and water
Mix cream of tartar and water in a 1:1 ratio until it forms a paste. Rub the paste into the cloth as usual. This mixture will moisten the fabric and gradually whiten the stain.
Step 3. Use a solvent and bar soap
First of all, soak the cloth in water to maintain a soft texture on the stained area. Next, apply a solvent (eg kerosene/kerosene) to the stained area. Let the solvent wet the stain. Then, wash the stain with a regular bar of soap. Rub the bar of soap on the stain until it's clean.
Solvents can make cleaning easier without damaging the cotton fabric. If you use detergent straight away, cotton can be damaged by its harsh chemical composition
Step 4. Use a commercial cloth cleaner
If the cotton fabric is white, you can use bleach. Otherwise, look for a cleaning product that won't damage the cotton fabric.
