It has happened to every one of us and always comes unexpected. You are having the best of times, but spill some red wine on the carpet or on your conversation partner. Luckily, there are some effective solutions to this problem. I went out of my way to test a few of these methods. This is the final verdict.
Salt and soda water
I got these two tips from my grandmother, so I guess they have been around for a pretty long time. However, there might be a reason for them being around for so long, so I decided to test the salt and soda water for myself. Let’s start with the salt. When I put a thick layer of salt on a fresh wine stain, it would color red so the salt certainly does absorb an amount of wine and stops the stain from spreading any further. But this is the only thing it does. It had no effect at all on older red wine stains and was also unable to remove the fresh wine stains completely. The same holds true for soda water, of which the bubbles are said to remove wine stains. While I observed positive effects on fresh wine stains, the soda water method fell short for more set stains. So, to sum things up, salt and soda water can be quick and easy solutions to remove a new wet stain on fabrics with slow absorbency, but always use a clean white cloth and make sure you dab instead of rub.
White wine
“No way!” was the first thing I uttered when I heard this wine stain removal method. Seems like fighting fire with fire to me! To some extend, my experiments proved me wrong. Applying white wine to a red wine stain that has not had time to set yet does dilute the stain and keeps it wet. When you dab the fabric with a clean white tablecloth, most of it will be gone. But here again, it is key to be quick. Once the stain is set, white wine will not suffice to remove it. From my experience there is not much difference between the white wine and soda water effect. Both work well on fresh stains because they keep the stain wet, but fail when the going gets tough.
Dish soap and hydrogen peroxide
The best homemade wine stain remover? It was an equal blend of hydrogen peroxide and Dawn liquid dish detergent. Try this cleaning mixture on a hidden piece of fabric first, to make sure there is no discoloration. Then work the blend in from the edges to the center of the stain and let it soak for a while. Don’t expect the stain to disappear instantly, it will take some time. When the stain is gone, blot with some hot water and dab dry with a clean white cloth. For more stubborn wine stains, a blend consisting of one part dishwashing liquid and two parts hydrogen peroxide proved to be more effective. Always end with a suitable washing machine program.
Commercial products
Contrary to my expectations, I must admit that the commercial products really made a difference. I tested around 10 products, some recommended by friends of mine and some by people in the cleaning industry. The products were not all excellent, so I will only mention the four that really stood out.
Oxiclean
I have been using this for years and it really changed my life. Contains a powerful form of peroxide that works on almost any stain without ruining the fabric or color. Highly recommended for its versatility!
Wine away
Specifically designed for red wine stains. I expected this to only be effective on fresh stains, but to my surprise it was able to remove some wine stains that had been set for days.
Erado-sol
An industry favorite. Erado-sol is used a lot in medical environments, but is also one of the best-kept secrets of professional cleaners. Was able to remove even the oldest wine stains. Pricey, but deadly effective.
Folex carpet cleaner
This was the definite winner on carpets. The results were even slightly better than with Oxiclean. A no-brainer, really. I instantly bought myself some, because I tested it on a lot of different stains out of curiosity and it never failed.
Professional cleaning service
Before trying any of the above methods, be sure to read the washing instructions on the label. When it says ‘dry clean only’, it is the right time to back off. Don’t be tempted to pretreat the stain. Instead, get it to your local cleaning service as fast as possible. You don’t want to ruin that delicate piece of clothing you love so much.
All in all, there is no ultimate solution for red wine stains. It all depends on the fabric and the time the stain got to set. I suggest you to try or even combine a few of the solutions I mentioned in this article and find out for yourself what works best in which occasion. For more stubborn wine stains, stick to the commercial products and repeat a few times if necessary. A golden tip is to always test the cleaning solution first to assure yourself that there is no discoloration. To finish the treatment for laundry, always machine wash and air dry your clothing. Afterwards you can enjoy a well-deserved glass of wine!
Denise
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{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
You are correct to mention Erado-Sol. It was the ready-to-use best red wine stain remover in the University of California testing. Just not that Erado-Sol is also packaged (different scented formula) as Stain Rx. They both remove so many stains! Read on: Stain Rx is the best stain remover out there. I have been using it on red wine stains since 1969. Just touch it to red wine, iodine, berries (INCLUDING POMEGRANATE), fruit punch, cranberry juice, and the stains disappear in a second. Stains such as mascara, lipstick, blood, balsamic vinegar, vanilla extract and others come out with a little massaging and rinsing. Soak your diamond, gold and platinum jewelry in it for 20 minutes to overnight, you won’t believe it! By the way, the University of California – Davis did a study on red wine stain removal and the #1, ready to use winner was Stain Rx (a.k.a. Erado-Sol). It killed Wine Away which is available everywhere. Go to http://www.StainRx.com to see what else it does.
As far as carpeting and upholstery: I use Stain Rx on carpeting and upholstery all the time and have the method down. First, I vacuum the entire carpet or piece of upholstery being treated. Then I clean the entire carpet or upholstery with my Hoover Steam-Vac, a carpet shampooer is at least as good, plus, I ONLY use warm water – no detergent at all. The Hoover sprays in water and vacuums it out. For the carpet I use the Steam-Vac and on upholstery I use the Steam-Vac attachments to do this. While the carpet or upholstery is still wet from this step, do the following; Depending on the size of the stain, put a “dot” of Stain Rx on your fingertip and rub out one stain at a time. After treating a stain, remove all the soapy residue from that area using the instructions below and go on to the next stain. HERE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART: You have to remove all the soapy residue using the attachments from the Steam-Vac, carpet shampooer or a wet/dry shop vacuum. RINSE OUT ALL OF THE SOAPY RESIDUE USING WATER AND THE VACUUM. If you leave Stain Rx in the area, dust will stick forming a gray spot in a few weeks. If this happens, just add water and remove all of the soapy residue. Let dry and marvel at the job you did.
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