How to wash red wine: 13 ways to remove stains from clothes

Red wine stains on white dressy clothes are not such a rare occurrence after events with a feast.
Such traces are complex stains, and it can be very difficult to deal with them. In order not to spoil the item, you need to act carefully, adhering to time-tested recipes and recommendations of experts.

Let's take a closer look at how to remove red wine stains from white clothes and fabrics.

First aid

Removing fresh wine stains from clothes is easier and faster. Do not rinse immediately with boiling water. This can lead to discoloration of pigments and their further penetration into the fibers. Traditional first aid is to apply table salt to the stain and let it soak for 15-20 minutes. The crystals actively absorb water and prevent the wine from soaking deeply.

Salt is the first assistant in the fight against wine stains. A few drops of vinegar or lemon juice on the stained area will neutralize the stain. White wine stains can be washed in cold water or rubbed with ice cubes.

Removing red wine from carpet and upholstery

The first method helps remove fresh dirt from the carpet: pour salt or baking soda onto the area with wine, wait until it dries completely, brush off the mixture and vacuum it.

The second method with a hot iron is used even by professional cleaners. Dilute 50 ml of vinegar in a glass of water and spray it onto the stain. Cover it on top with a cloth soaked in hot water and iron it until the dirt disappears.

How to remove a fresh stain at home?

The sooner you start cleaning, the better. It will be easier to remove, since the paints will not have time to penetrate into the fibers of the fabric and become fixed in them.

The procedure for treating fresh stains is as follows:

If it cannot be removed and washed immediately, you can use regular paper towels. Wet it with cold water and wipe away the drink stain. Wet stains can be easily removed with ordinary soapy water.
To enhance the effect, you can also apply regular table salt to the wine stain. This will absorb the water along with the coloring pigments. After absorption, the old layer of salt is shaken off and a new layer of salt is applied to the stain.
If there is vodka on the table, place it on cotton wool or a napkin and gently blot the red wine stain. Alcohol is great for neutralizing color pigments.

Did you know that wine can be considered both an aperitif and a digestif? Read our other articles to find out when and what wine to drink correctly!

General recommendations

Before you wash red wine from clothes, you should keep in mind that in this case you need to act as quickly as possible. High-quality alcohol with a natural composition quickly penetrates the fabric fibers, absorbing into them, which is why if unwanted traces are detected, immediately take measures to eliminate them. The more chemical components there are in the wine, the easier it will come away from the affected material.

Here are some tips for quickly cleaning up unwanted marks:

Immediately after placing the stain, remove excess liquid with a napkin. Give it as much wine as possible.
If you can’t immediately remove the stain, sprinkle it generously with salt and rub a little of it into the material. It will absorb the pigment of the wine, which will help make washing easier in the future. After 10-15 minutes, change the salt to new one.
Do not use hot water to fix the problem. High temperatures can only aggravate it, accelerating the absorption of wine.
Be sure to take into account the composition of the fabric being washed and the recommendations for washing it indicated on the label of the item, so as not to deform the material.

Compliance with the recommendations listed does not guarantee complete elimination of stains, but in any case, it will increase the effectiveness of the chosen method of how to wash wine.

How to remove old wine stains?

Fresh red wine stains are difficult to remove, but old stains are even more difficult to clean. In such cases, treatment with conventional stain removers will not help. However, there is a more radical way to remove old red wine stains - using a household cleaner.

Before use and beginning the cleaning process, wear gloves:

Wet the affected area of the cloth.
Fill the stain with Domestos and leave for 5 minutes to absorb.
Gently scrub the cloth with a toothbrush to remove any remaining cleaner.
Machine washable with detergent or gel.

You can quickly and easily remove wine stains at home

Wine stains on white cotton and linen clothes

In everyday life, things made of cotton and linen are often used. This is especially true for towels, napkins, and tablecloths, which get dirty after every feast. Cleaning them is difficult because it can leave streaks on the fabric.

To clean stains from such fabrics, most often take laundry soap and hydrogen peroxide, mix them and apply them to the required place. Keep until the stain is removed.

Some women recommend pouring ammonia, vinegar or citric acid onto the stained areas, just hold for a few minutes, then rinse with running water.

What not to do when removing a wine stain

To avoid making the problem worse, it is important to understand what not to do.

When washing, try to wash from the edges to the center. Otherwise, the stain will “hiss.”
Please note that strong detergents should not be used on wool and natural furs. Choose a gentle solution
When treating a stained area, you must ensure that there are no streaks left around the stain. To prevent this, you must first wet the area around the stain with clean water.

If you follow proper cleaning procedures, the results can be impressive. Don't rush to throw away your stained sweatshirt. No matter how difficult the stain is, there is always a way to get rid of it.

White Clothes Rescue

If white clothes, a tablecloth or a towel made of thick natural fabric have been damaged by wine splashes, you can quickly clean them before the stains dry. Place the contaminated area over a container and pour a stream of boiling water over it. Perform until the marks dissolve.

A white shirt or T-shirt will gain freshness under the influence of fermented milk products. Apply yogurt or kefir to the damaged area. Leave for 20 minutes and send the product to the wash, adding a little bleach to the water.

Laundry soap has a good effect and effectively removes dirt. Wine prints should be wetted with water, then rubbed generously with a whetstone. Cover the product with film. Wash after 30 minutes.

Natural white clothes can be effectively cleaned of fresh wine stains by using bleach, such as Domestos. It is poured directly onto the stains. After a few minutes, the items are rinsed and then washed.

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Domestos works well against stains

How to remove using household chemicals?

If the stain does not dry out for a long time and an improvised solution is not possible, you can use a professional cleaning agent. When choosing a cleaning product, consider the following points

Composition: It is best if the cleaning product does not contain irritating components. Oxygen bleach, which does not contain chlorine, can be used to treat wine stains.
Use it. There are products for washing only white items, while others are designed for colored or black items. You can also buy an all-purpose stain remover.
Price. You can use inexpensive products to combat red wine stains. This may discourage you from purchasing expensive composites.
Release form. Liquid stain removers are suitable for all types of fabrics. It is better not to use the powder on delicate materials (wool, silk, leather, velor, suede).

Top 3 stain removers

An effective and inexpensive product for removing wine stains from textiles.

Vanish OxyAction Gold Gel detergent 0.45 l costs about 170 rubles. The composition of this product is suitable for both hand and machine washing. The liquid is applied to the stain, rubbed in and left for 10 minutes. Then add gel and rinse.
Sarma. Inexpensive powder, but effective in removing stains. Used for washing white and colored laundry. The price of the powder is about 70 rubles per 0.45 kg package. To remove stains, clothes must be soaked for two hours. The powder works best at temperatures above 30°C.
Boss Plus This is one of the most budget stain removers. The price is about 40 rubles per package. Use the composition for both hand washing and washing in a washing machine. Wash after soaking for 20 minutes in a powder solution (55 g per 10 liters of water).

All of the above stain removers can be purchased at DIY stores.

How to remove fresh dirt?

General recommendations for removing stains from underwear, shirts or dresses:

If you are not at home and it is not possible to immediately put the item in the washing machine, a simple paper napkin soaked in cool water will help. It is applied to the mark and everything is washed with ordinary soap.
You can sprinkle salt onto a fresh stain and shake it off after it has absorbed the wine. If necessary, the manipulation should be repeated 1 more time.
If you have vodka on hand, pour it onto a cotton pad or napkin and blot the mark. Alcohol removes stubborn pigment.

Important! There are many methods and special stain removers that will save fabric of any color and texture from traces of spilled alcohol.

Features of removing dirt from things of different colors

Depending on the color of the fabric on which the red wine has stuck, the method for removing it will vary. When choosing a detergent composition, you should always consider the color of the product.

White

The stains are especially noticeable on white fabrics, but can be easily removed since the product is resistant to contact with bleach. You can use any folk recipe or professional household chemicals. Stains are removed without a trace.

Colored

Colored fabrics are more prone to hair loss. For this reason, gentle treatment methods should be used.

Liquid stain remover.
Low concentration acidic solution (lemon juice, vinegar, ammonia).

Black

Stains on black fabrics are not noticeable but should be removed with care. Contact time with the cleaning solution should be kept to a minimum. Only mild home remedies such as glycerin, alcohol, lemon juice and dish soap can be used. It is best to soak all clothing to avoid discolored white marks after the procedure. The water should be cold.

Traditional methods

If traces of the drink have already begun to dry out, you will need to use folk recipes to save things. Things to consider when using improvised means:

do not delay removing stains, old stains take a long time to remove;
before cleansing, try the product on a small piece from the reverse side to do a mini-test;
If you are worried and feel sorry for the expensive fabric, take the clothes to the dry cleaner.

Below we will consider the best folk methods for removing red wine stains.

Aspirin

Aspirin copes not only with headaches of various types, but also with wine stains. To save things:

dissolve the tablet in a glass of warm water,
treat wine stains,
wait 30 minutes and send the item to the machine.

Vinegar

Vinegar 9% is suitable for cleansing; apply it to a cotton swab and gently rub the wine stain. If the stain cannot be removed the first time, then the process is repeated again, after which the item is washed in a washing machine.

Vinegar will also help when washing the microwave and refrigerator, and cleaning the washing machine.

Soda

Simple laundry detergent is mixed with baking soda in a 1:1 ratio and moistened with cold water. Apply the resulting mixture to the stain and wait half an hour. Next, wash as usual.

Also learn how to clean carpet and microwave with baking soda.

Lemon acid

The acid is mixed in equal proportions with cool water to form a thick solution. Rub the porridge into the stain, leave for half an hour and rinse under the tap. Then they put it in the machine and wash it.

Citric acid is an indispensable assistant when cleaning a coffee machine and dishwasher, electric kettle and iron from scale.

Milk

Only natural cow's milk (not oat, almond or coconut) is suitable, as it has a good absorbent effect. If the stain is dry, soak it in water and pour over milk. Wait 10-15 minutes and wash the item completely.

Hydrogen peroxide and laundry soap

If the stain has dried, it is moistened with water and treated with hydrogen peroxide. Next, rub the desired area and again. water with peroxide. Repeat until the stain disappears.

There is another option: a cotton pad is moistened with peroxide and placed on the wine mark. Keep for 15 minutes, rinse and wash.

Plumbing cleaner

This method is more suitable for snow-white items, since colored items may lose their brightness.

The plumbing product is applied to the material, then you need to wait 10 minutes and rinse the item under running water. Next, put the product in the washing machine.

It is not recommended to experiment this way on delicate fabrics.

Hydrogen peroxide and dish soap

Foam two teaspoons of detergent in a glass with peroxide, and generously moisten the trace of alcohol with the thick mixture. Wait 15 minutes, rinse in cold water and wash the item in the standard mode.

Washing powder, salt and soda

Baking soda, table salt and washing powder are mixed in equal proportions. The resulting solution is moistened with water and applied to the mark (if the new stain should not be moistened with water). Wait 30 minutes, rub with a sponge for 10 minutes, rinse and put the item in the washing machine.

Glycerin and alcohol

This method is suitable for all delicate materials: wool, silk, and so on. Both products are mixed together in a 3:1 ratio. Apply to dirty area, wait 20 minutes and hand wash with liquid detergent for delicate fabrics.

Mineral water

Mineral water copes well with new stains from wine. Take a carbonated drink and add a few drops of lemon juice to it. Soak with this mixture and wait until the stain disappears completely. Then just wash the item completely as usual.

Boiling

This method does not need to be used on clothing; it is more suitable for tablecloths and napkins. To enhance the effect, you can add baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to the water.

To do this you will need a metal basin or a large saucepan. Place the cloth in the container, bring to a boil and “cook” for 30 minutes. Next, leave the tablecloth in the water for another half hour and put it in the washing machine.

Do you use folk remedies to remove red wine stains from clothes?

Not really

How not to ruin fabric

You will find various recipes on the Internet that claim to help you remove wine stains from fabrics. However, not all of them can be applied in practice.

To avoid having to throw things away after such treatment, you should take into account the following tips:

Cleaning with manganese dioxide. If you try to remove a stain with this product, it will simply turn black. After this type of flushing, you will need to find a way to remove the manganese dioxide itself.
Rinse with sodium sulfite. This substance is an acid salt of sodium and sulfuric acid. When using this composition on fabrics, the fabric dissolves if the dosage is slightly exceeded. When this substance decomposes, it also produces toxic sulfur dioxide.
White wine. Some people are of the opinion that red wine can be made to disappear along with white wine. In fact, this method is completely ineffective. It will also create new stains on light-colored fabrics.

It is important to pay attention to the composition of the fabric that needs to be cleaned.

Cleaning depending on fabric type

Salt and boiling water only work on fresh stains. If the wine has already been absorbed and dried, you will have to do something differently.

Cotton or linen

A product made of cotton (cotton), as well as flax (linen), can be saved by the following options: citric acid and milk. If the traces are old, then you should use:

Glycerin and chicken eggs. This combination of industrial and natural products will also help cope with the problem. Especially if the stain gets on multi-colored clothes. At the moment, glycerin can be found in almost any pharmacy and girls often use it for personal care. Therefore, it is likely that many people have it in their apartment. And all you need from the egg is the yolk. Take everything in equal proportions and mix. Apply the product to the stain and leave for at least half an hour. Then turn on the wash and select a mode whose temperature is no higher than 30-40°C
Lemon. This product is great for getting rid of dirt on snow-white fabric. You can also try citric acid to solve the problem. Just apply the substance to the stain and leave for a couple of minutes. Then turn on the washing machine.
Milk. Milk will help get rid of wine. You can also use sour milk. The milk needs to be warmed up a little. There is no need to boil, otherwise, for example, the yogurt will curdle. Next, apply the product to the stain and wait 10 minutes. As soon as the dirt begins to “come off”, put the item in the washing machine, but do not forget to remove the milk from the clothes.

Attention! Here is an unusual way to remove stains from clothes, which is practiced in Spain. Locals generously pour white wine over the stain! The third layer is sparkling water. After 20 minutes, the item is simply washed in warm water by hand or in the machine.

Silk, nylon, viscose, wool

These delicate fabrics require a special approach. Therefore, consider dry cleaning if you are afraid of ruining items made of silk, nylon, and so on. Especially if you are sure that expensive material will suffer after home washing.

If you decide to take extreme measures, then use:

Vinegar. Strange, but this product will help you gently remove red wine stains from silk. Using a sponge soaked in vinegar essence, blot the contaminated area. For the stain to disappear, you need to leave the vinegar for 3 hours. Then you should put the item in the wash using a manual or delicate program.
Alcohol solution. It allows you to remove stains from white clothes, as well as from colored delicate items. You will need: water, liquid soap, vodka and a small dose of ammonia. Mix the first 3 components in appropriate proportions 2:1:1 and add the solution (a couple of drops). Warm it all up a little. Next, send the ammonia for contamination. Watch the item carefully. If the stain begins to dissolve, proceed to washing.

Always test on inconspicuous pieces of fabric before treating red wine stains. Some items even have a special flap for checking.

Or you can use a cotton swab to treat a small part from the wrong side along the seam - where in the event of an emergency the problem areas will not be visible. Only if the fabric has not changed its appearance, color or shape, treat the stain directly.

Home interior

Wine can stain not only clothes, but wallpaper and furniture. You will need salt or soda. You will have to do the same work as when removing marks from clothes: get wet, cover the desired area with soda, and let it soak.

But if the stain is not completely removed, look in your spice cabinet and medicine cabinet.

Detergent, water and vinegar essence. Mix two tablespoons of water with a spoonful of vinegar and a spoonful of your chosen detergent. For example, for dishes. Start rubbing into the carpet or sofa until the stain disappears completely.
Detergent and hydrogen peroxide. Add a spoonful of detergent to a spoonful of peroxide and cover the stain.

Peroxide and vinegar bleach materials. Household chemicals can also remove anthocyanins from fabric and “adjust” its color scheme. However, before applying these substances, do a test. Apply the mixture to the wrong side of the item.

You can see many different recipes online that supposedly will help remove wine stains from materials. However, not all of them are effective. To avoid having to throw away the product after such processing, you should be wary of tips such as:

Cleansing with potassium permanganate. If you try to remove traces with it, it will simply darken. After such a wash, you will need to find ways to get rid of the potassium permanganate itself.
Purification with sodium hydrosulfite. This substance, after use, will lead to dissolution if the dosage is even slightly exceeded. In addition, when the substance decomposes, it begins to release dangerous gases that can harm people.
White wine in action. There is a myth that red wine can be bred into white. This is actually not true. You will simply create new stains and completely ruin your things.

Advice! Always consider the type of fabric. If it is delicate, then you should avoid using aggressive agents.

Find out 18 proven and affordable recipes on how to clean a sofa from stains and stains at home.

Adviсe

Helpful information:

When you begin the process of removing wine stains, you need to take precautions, such as protecting your hands with gloves.
When removing a wine stain, work from the center of the stain outward.
Before attempting to remove a stain with a new cleaner, test it on a small area of fabric.
Drink wine only from wine glasses. This will make it less likely that you will spill it. For example, it’s not for nothing that a large number of different glasses for cocktails were invented. What would be convenient to drink!
If you are using an odorous substance, such as ammonia, make sure the area is well ventilated and place a mask over your mouth and nose.

Fighting old stains

Red wine marks that have had time to dry out and become strongly absorbed will require the use of more serious means.

If you need to clean a thin knitted sweater or silk dress, then combine ammonia, glycerin and vodka, maintaining a ratio of 1:1:3. Place the contaminated parts of the product in this composition for 25 minutes. Then the remaining dirt is washed off under running water and washed by hand.

Having noticed ingrained blots of wine on a thick cotton tablecloth, take soda - 3 tbsp. l. Dilute it in a liter of water and soak the affected area. When the marks disappear, washing is carried out.

For stubborn stains on white things, you should combine peroxide with ammonia - a tablespoon each. Dilute the mixture with warm water - 200 ml and soak for 30 minutes.

In Spain, white wine is successfully used to remove splashes of red wine left on textile items of clothing. All stains are generously moistened with this drink. After 20 minutes, rinse with water.

Alcohol works effectively by taking 50 ml and adding a tablespoon of water. Use a cotton swab to soak up all the dirt. After 15 minutes the result is checked. If necessary, repeat the procedure. When the marks disappear, you need to wash things by hand in a soapy solution.