Red wine is a signature or mandatory drink at parties or dinner parties, but sometimes someone spills this drink. The sooner you treat the stain, the easier it will be to remove. This wikiHow offers tips and tricks on how to remove red wine stains from fabric.
Step
Method 1 of 3: Removing Wet Stains
Step 1. Treat the stain as soon as possible
Take whatever cleaning solution is nearby. Read the points below to find out which products around you can be used. Further instructions for each product will be described in the following steps.
- Table salt (best quick option!)
- Soda water
- Milk
- Soap and hydrogen peroxide
- Litter or sand for cat litter
- Hot water
Step 2. If there is salt near you, sprinkle a sufficient amount of salt on the stained area
Make sure you cover the stain thoroughly and let the salt sit for an hour. The salt absorbs the wine and can be cleaned easily afterwards.
- Salt is the preferred stain remover product, but its effectiveness can be maximized if used within two minutes of the spilled wine. If the wine is still not absorbed into the fabric, the salt crystals can absorb the wine easily.
- Since most natural fabrics (eg cotton, denim, and linen) absorb fluids more quickly than synthetic fabrics, stains on natural fabrics should be treated more quickly than stains on synthetic fabrics.
Step 3. If you are using sparkling water, pour the product on the stain
Let the liquid foam. Keep pouring soda on the stained area until the stain fades. Once the stain is removed, dry the cloth. Use a paper towel to clean up or remove any spilled or residual sparkling water.
- There is debate about the use of sparkling water because some people think that even ordinary tap water can be used. However, in general people feel that carbonated soda can be a stain remover.
- Sparkling water also has a lower pH than regular water. Since weak acids (acids with a low pH level) are known to help lift stains, this property may be a contributing factor in using sparkling water to remove wine stains.
- Be careful not to use flavored sodas when removing stains, even colorless sodas. Food coloring, sugar, and other additives can make existing stains more stubborn or difficult to remove.
Step 4. Use sparkling water and salt if both are available
Immediately cover the stain with a fair amount of salt, and pour sparkling water over it. Allow both ingredients to settle on the stain for an hour before you clean or remove the salt. Remove the remaining soda by buffing up the paper towels.
The two products actually have good effectiveness when used separately, but using them together can increase the overall effectiveness of removing blemishes. The salt will work to absorb as much of the wine as possible, while the sparkling water will lift the stain when you blot it with a paper towel or tissue
Step 5. If you are using milk, pour enough product on the stain
Allow the milk to soak into the cloth, then dab a cutlery cloth or hard towel on the cloth to lift it. Do not rub the rag or towel, as this can make the stain deeper into the fabric. Stains usually disappear within an hour (or less). Wash the cloth as usual to remove any residual liquid and milk odor.
- An alternative step is to soak the cloth in a bowl or bucket of milk for about an hour, depending on the size of the stain. If the stained fabric can be removed easily and the stain is large enough, this can be a more thorough and efficient step.
- Milk has the same performance as water, which is to remove stains. However, the milky white consistency can mask the reddish color or stain of the wine.
- Milk is one of the less popular ingredients for removing red wine stains. Some people prefer to use salt and sparkling water.
Step 6. If you have soap and hydrogen peroxide, mix the two ingredients in equal proportions in a bowl
Pour, blot with a sponge, or spray the mixture onto the stain. Dab a paper towel on the cloth to remove the stain.
- In general, people think that dish soap (eg Sunlight or Mama Lemon) reacts well to hydrogen peroxide and can remove stains effectively.
- It's a good idea to use a spray bottle if you have one. The resulting foam can help remove stains from fabrics, much like the carbonation of sparkling water.
- If the stain is only absorbed on one side of the fabric (not through the other), make sure you place the towels on both sides of the fabric. This is to prevent the stain from penetrating when you spray and blot the cleaning mixture.
Step 7. Use cat litter by sprinkling it and creating a 1.5-centimeter "layer" of litter over the stain
Gently press the litter against the cloth with your hands to absorb the wine. After the stain is removed, clean the litter from the cloth using a vacuum cleaner.
- Like salt, cat litter or litter contains absorbent substances that can absorb fluids quickly. However, this product is relatively more effective and strong in absorbing liquids.
- Timing is an important aspect when you use cat litter, just as it is when using salt. Treat stains quickly (eg within two minutes of spilling wine and soiling fabric).
- Using a vacuum cleaner is the easiest way to get rid of cat litter because litter can clog the drain and create an unpleasant odor in the trash can.
Step 8. If no other option is available, use boiling water
Once the water boils, stretch a cloth over the pan and place it in the sink. Stand on a chair and pour boiling water over the cloth at a height of 1-1.5 meters. Pour enough water on the dirty area to lift the stain. Dry the cloth from the remaining water using a paper towel.
- While it can keep stains from sticking, hot water has been shown to lift red wine stains because it's a fruit-based drink.
- Do not use hot water to remove stains from wool or silk, as this can weaken or thin both fabrics.
Method 2 of 3: Removing Dried Stains
Step 1. Look for one of the following products at home if the wine stain has dried
Further instructions regarding each product will be discussed in the following steps.
- Shaving cream
- Vodka
- White wine and baking soda
Step 2. For shaving cream, spray foam all over the stain
Spread the cream on the cloth using the back of a spoon before you wash the cloth as usual.
The thick, foamy texture of the cream combined with its cleansing ingredients can remove stubborn stains. This product can wet and lift stains from fabrics
Step 3. If you have vodka, pour it all over the stain
Blot the stain with a rag and keep pouring in the vodka. Allow the vodka to soak into the fabric and wait for the stain to fade. After that, wash the cloth as usual.
Red wine contains anthocyanins or color pigments that can be dissolved by alcohol. Therefore, vodka, gin, or a drink with a higher alcohol content than red wine can lift the stain
Step 4. Use white wine with baking soda if both are available
First, soak the stained area in white wine. Some people believe that red wine can fade the color of the stain and prevent it from sticking to the fabric (a caveat is explained in the following points).
- Make a paste using baking soda and water in a 3:1 ratio. Mix the two ingredients until a paste forms.
- Apply a (quite thick) baking soda paste to the stain and let it sit for an hour. Spray water regularly to keep the stain area moist so the stain doesn't stick to the fabric. Once the stain is gone, wash the cloth as usual.
- White wine is one of the least suitable ingredients for removing red wine stains. While many people report that white wine can dissolve stains, some also say that mixing wine with other wines will only make stains more stubborn. Regular tap water can be used as a substitute if you are unsure about this product choice.
Method 3 of 3: Removing Stains Using Cleaning Products
Step 1. Find out if the cloth can be cleaned using a strong cleaning product
Check labels for fabric components, washing instructions, and warnings.
- Silk and wool are fragile and easily damaged fabrics when exposed to water, and cannot be cleaned using chlorine bleach. Linen and other synthetics tend to be more durable, while cotton has moderate resistance.
- If there is no warning on the label, look online to make sure your fabric is safe when cleaned using the product you selected.
- Dry-clean fabrics need to be taken to a laundry or laundry service as soon as possible, especially within a day or two of being exposed to a wine spill. Do not attempt to clean the cloth yourself.
Step 2. Choose a cleaning product that is strong, but still safe to use on fabrics
- Products like OxiClean, Proclin, and Vanish are proven to remove stains without damaging fabrics.
- Cleaning products perform almost the same as the home products described earlier. Products like this take advantage of absorption and chemicals to lift stains. However, cleaning products have proven to be more effective and reliable because they have been tested to remove stains consistently and efficiently.
- Cleaning products contain bleach. Avoid using bleach on wool, silk, leather, and spandex fabrics.
Step 3. Wet the cloth with hot water using a sponge
Dab the sponge on the stain and remove as much liquid as possible before you apply the cleaning product to the stain.
You can remove younger stains by buffing the sponge. This process can absorb as much of the stain as possible. After that, the cleaning agent can save its "power" to remove more stubborn stains and start to stick
Step 4. Use the product as directed
Cleaning products such as OxiClean and Resolve are available in a variety of forms, such as detergent, spray, and liquid formula. For best results, follow the directions on the package label.
Wine Away products come packaged in a spray bottle and need to be sprayed directly on the stain. Let sit for fifteen minutes before washing the cloth as usual
Tips
- Remove the stain as soon as possible. The longer the stain is left on, the more difficult it will be to remove the stain.
- Always blot the stain and don't rub it. When rubbed, the wine will be absorbed deeper into the fibers of the fabric so that the stain will stick and be stubborn.
Warning
- Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent so you shouldn't use it on colored fabrics.
- Do not expose the heat (eg from a dryer or iron) to the stained area until the stain is gone.
