Red wine stains: what to do straight away and what to do next

A red wine stain is easiest to remove while it is fresh: blot up the excess straight away with a white absorbent cloth, do not rub, work from the edge towards the centre, and treat the stain with cold water or a weak solution of washing-up liquid. Then wash clothing according to its label, and rinse and dry carpets and upholstery. Do not use hot water or a tumble dryer until the stain has gone.

The first five minutes are crucial

The longer the wine stays in the fibres, the harder it is to get out. In its wine stain procedure, the American Carpet and Rug Institute explicitly warns that delay can make a stain permanent. Before you start looking for cleaning products, take these steps:

1. Remove the glass, shards and solid residue (for example fruit from punch) with a spoon with a rounded edge.
2. Press a dry white cloth or white paper tissues onto the stain. A coloured cloth might release its dye.
3. Keep replacing the cloth with a dry one for as long as liquid is coming out of the fabric.
4. Do not rub or scrub with a brush. Rubbing spreads the wine over a larger area and can damage the pile of carpets and upholstery.
5. Work from the edge of the stain towards the centre so that it does not spread to the surrounding area.

Only when the cloth is barely absorbing anything should you move on to cleaning according to the material.

What you will need

• white cotton cloths or unscented paper tissues,
• cold and lukewarm water, ideally in a spray bottle,
• liquid hand washing-up detergent without bleach,
• a spoon with a rounded edge,
• for wool and delicate fabrics, a detergent designed for wool,
• optionally, surgical spirit (only as described below and after testing on a hidden spot).

Clothes and tablecloths

The first step for laundry is to flush out as much wine as possible with clean cold water from the inside of the fabric, that is, from the reverse side, so that the wine is pushed out rather than deeper in. Then look at the label. In its overview of care symbols, the international textile labelling association GINETEX explains that the number in the washtub is the maximum washing temperature, which must not be exceeded. One bar below the tub means a gentler programme, two bars mean a very gentle programme, for example for wool, and a crossed-out tub means the item must not be washed at all.

Also look for the triangle on the label, which relates to bleaching. According to the same overview, an empty triangle allows any bleach, a triangle with two diagonal lines allows oxygen bleach only, and a crossed-out triangle prohibits bleaching. If the label does not permit bleaching, do not apply colour removers to the stain, even if they promise quick results.

Method for cotton and synthetics

1. Rinse the stain from the reverse side with cold water.
2. Apply a small amount of liquid laundry detergent or washing-up liquid to the remaining stain and leave it to work for a few minutes.
3. Wash at the temperature permitted by the label.
4. Before drying, check whether the stain has gone. If not, repeat the procedure. The heat of a tumble dryer or iron can set what remains of the stain.

Wool and delicate materials

In its guide to removing stains from wool, Woolmark gives the following procedure for red wine: first rinse out as much wine as possible with clean water, then use diluted wool detergent in lukewarm water. If the stain remains, it recommends carefully dampening it with a mixture of three parts surgical spirit to one part cold water, blotting up the excess, rinsing thoroughly and washing. Test every treatment first on an inconspicuous spot to check that it does not change the colour or appearance of the fabric.

Carpet

With carpets, the main thing is not to soak the backing. In the same wine procedure, the Carpet and Rug Institute recommends a solution of a quarter of a teaspoon of liquid hand washing-up detergent per cup (roughly 240 ml) of lukewarm water, and explicitly warns against a stronger concentration. Washing powders may contain optical brighteners and dishwasher products contain bleach, so do not use them on carpets.

1. Test the solution on a hidden spot on the carpet to check that it does not bleed colour or alter the fibre.
2. Apply a little of the solution to a white cloth, not directly onto the carpet.
3. Work it gently from the edge of the stain towards the centre, leave it for a few minutes and then blot.
4. Repeat for as long as the stain transfers to the cloth.
5. Finally, rinse the area with cold water (a spray bottle is enough) and blot with a dry cloth until no moisture remains in the carpet.

Rinsing is important: according to the same source, detergent residue in the carpet pile attracts dirt and the spot would soon become soiled again. If the stain does not budge even after several repetitions, do not add more chemicals, and consider deep cleaning. For more on regular care, see our article how to clean a carpet at home.

Sofa and upholstery

Upholstery is cleaned similarly to carpet, but with even less water, because beneath the cover there is padding that dries slowly. First find out what the manufacturer permits: the label is usually under the seat cushion or in the documentation supplied with the furniture. Wash a removable cover only if the label expressly allows it; otherwise it may shrink or warp after washing.

• Blot the wine with a dry white cloth and do not rub.
• On a firm cover, use the same weak detergent solution as for carpets, applied to the cloth.
• Rinse with a damp cloth and blot immediately so that water does not get into the padding.
• Clean leather and suede only with the products and method specified by the furniture manufacturer.

Cleaning a whole sofa is covered in a separate guide, how to clean a sofa at home. An old or extensive stain on upholstery or carpet is safer left to machine cleaning, for example our upholstery, carpet and mattress shampooing service.

Wooden floors and furniture

On varnished or oiled wood, wipe up the wine as soon as possible, before it penetrates the finish or the joints. In its maintenance instructions, the wooden flooring manufacturer Kährs states that for stains on varnished floors its cleaner, spirit or white spirit can be used, whereas on oiled floors strong stain removers and scrubbing can cause discolouration. On an oiled surface, therefore, start with a clean damp cloth and a mild wood cleaner, and then treat the spot with oil according to the floor manufacturer's instructions. You will find more about materials in the article how to clean a wooden floor.

What to avoid

• Rubbing and brushes. They spread the stain and damage the fibres.
• Hot water, tumble dryer and iron before the stain is removed. The guidance cited uses cold or lukewarm water; leave heat until the stain has gone.
• Solutions stronger than the instructions specify. More detergent does not mean a better result, only more residue to rinse out.
• Bleach on textiles that do not permit it. Follow the triangle on the label.
• Mixing products. Never combine products containing chlorine with acids or ammonia. The article dangerous combinations of cleaning products explains why.
• Unverified home tricks. Salt, white wine or other advice from the internet does not appear in the manufacturers' and professional organisations' guidance cited here. Stick to the method: blot, treat, rinse, dry.

If the stain does not go

With a dried stain, repeat the procedure: first dampen it with cold water, blot, and only then use a weak detergent solution. If the colour still does not transfer to the cloth after several rounds, further attempts will usually damage the fibre more than the stain. Take clothing that cannot be washed according to its label to a dry cleaner and tell them it is wine. With carpets and upholstery, it makes sense to have the stain professionally cleaned before you set it with further treatments.