Remove Red Wine from Carpet

Cabernet get the better of you? Not to worry — it happens to everyone. If you don't like the way the burgundy tones match your curtains, get rid of that nasty red wine stain with wikiHow's stain removal tips. These tricks all use ingredients you can find in your kitchen pantry, making them perfect for those desperate, frantic dinner party fixes.

Steps

First Steps for All Stains

  1. Blot up the spilled wine right away. The longer you let red wine sit in your carpet, the harder it will be to get rid of the stain. Do yourself a big favor by acting fast! As soon as you notice the spill, grab a paper towel or rag and blot the stain to pick up as much liquid as possible before it can set.
    • Always use an up-and-down blotting motion, not a side-to-side rubbing one. Rubbing will pick up some of the wine but force the rest deeper into the carpet fibers, making it much harder to remove the stain.[1] This can also make the stained area from the wine even larger by spreading the liquid to the sides.
    • Work from the outside in, blotting the edges first and then moving to the center. This helps prevent the stain from getting any larger than it already is.
  2. Apply some cold water and keep blotting. Eventually, it will get difficult to blot more of the wine out. At this point, try getting the stain wet again with a small amount of cold water. This helps dilute the wine remaining in the carpet. Continue blotting (not rubbing) until the carpet is dry again.

Using Salt

  1. Pour salt over the stain while it's still wet. A good dabbing job will take most of the wine out of the carpet, but usually not all of it. To help get the rest out, try covering the stained spot with a generous portion of salt. The salt granules will gradually draw the moisture in the stain out of the carpet over the next few hours.[1]
    • Since the salt works by absorbing the stain's moisture, this is much less effective for dried stains. If your stain is getting dry, pour a little water on it first before adding the salt.
  2. Let the salt sit. As it absorbs the wine, the salt will gradually turn pinkish. You're ready to proceed when the stain seems almost completely dry. However, longer treatments aren't going to make things worse, so if you have time to spare, feel free to let the salt sit overnight.
  3. Discard the excess salt and vacuum up the carpet. Scoop away the loose salt with a spoon and throw it out. Use a vacuum to suck up the fine particles that remain and get your carpet looking brand-new again. The stain should be gone or at least greatly diminished.
    • If a salty residue remains after the first vacuuming, just dampen the area with a little cool water and vacuum again to restore its natural texture.

Using a Vinegar Solution

  1. Make your cleaning solution. In a large bowl, mix 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) of dishwashing liquid, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and 2 cups (236 milliliters) of warm water.[2] Stir to combine the three ingredients.
    • Only use white vinegar for this method. Other vinegars (like apple cider or balsamic vinegar) can cause their own stains.
  2. Wet the stain with the mixture. Soak a clean rag in the vinegar mixture, then dab it on to the stained part of the carpet. The mixture will seep into the carpet fibers, loosening the stain.
    • Use a second dry rag to blot up the liquid as you go. Alternate between dabbing on the vinegar solution and drying it up.
  3. Wet the whole stain with cold water. Now, soak a third rag in cold water and press it into to stain to dilute the wine. Alternatively, pour a little water directly onto the stain. Soak up the water by dabbing with your "drying" towel once again.
    • Repeat as needed. For maximum effectiveness, you may need to run through the steps above several times. Alternatively, you can follow this method with one of the other tricks in this article.

Using Dish Soap and Hydrogen Peroxide

  1. Mix a little dish soap with hydrogen peroxide. Add a generous squirt of soap to the peroxide and stir to combine. The exact amount you need will depend on the size of your stain, but you shouldn't need much more than a half cup (118 milliliters) or so for any stain.
    • Note: Hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleaching agent, so this method is best for light-colored fabrics.[3] If you're worried about discoloring your fabric, try putting a small amount of the solution on part of the carpet that can't be seen. If the carpet lightens or you notice dye transfer when you sop up the peroxide with a paper towel, avoid this method.[4] Lower concentrations of peroxide (like 3%) shouldn't affect most carpets.[5]
  2. Blot the stain with the solution. Soak the corner of a clean rag in your peroxide solution. Dab the stain gently, allowing the mixture to seep into the carpet fibers. Repeat as needed until you've applied the solution to the entire stain. As always, don't rub — blot.
    • When you're done, let the mixture sit for a few minutes. This allows it to penetrate the deeper fibers and reach deep stains.
  3. Spray with cold soapy water. Fill a clean spray bottle with cold water, then add a few drops of standard dish soap. Screw on the cap and shake to combine. Give the entire stain a light spritzing. Blot with a dry towel when you are done.
    • If you don't have a spray bottle, you can repeat the blotting technique above with a fresh towel.
  4. Blot with lukewarm water to rinse. By now, the stain should be looking better. However, if you stop, you'll be left with a soapy, sticky residue from the cleaning solution. Soak a clean rag in room-temperature water (no soap), then blot the carpet to loosen up the cleaning materials. Finish by blotting with a dry towel.

Using White Wine and Baking Soda

  1. Pour a little white wine onto the stain. It may seem like the last thing you want to do is to pour more wine on your carpet, but clear-colored white wine can actually be a lifesaver if you don't have water handy. White wine dilutes the color of the red stain much like water, lessening the impact of the stain.
    • Some sources recommend clear, plain vodka if you don't have white wine.[1] Try to avoid moscato and sweet dessert wines, which can leave a sticky, sugary mess.
  2. Blot the stain with a sponge. As long as you do it lightly enough, this will soak up some of the color without pressing the stain into the carpet fibers.
    • If your sponge is already wet, wring it out before using it.
  3. Apply a baking soda paste. Baking soda can remove a "loosened-up" stain similar to the way salt's used in the section above. Instead of using dry baking soda, most sources recommend making a watery paste, then spreading it generously over the stain. Three parts water to one part baking soda should work well.[6]
  4. Cover the stain with a clean cloth overnight. Set a heavy weight (like a dictionary) on top of the cloth while it sits. This constant, gentle pressure pushes the baking soda down into the stain so that it can clean more deeply.
    • The cloth you use will get a little damp, so you may not want to use a weight that's vulnerable to water damage.
  5. Vacuum up the baking soda once it dries. The baking soda should soak up the moisture from the stained area and form solid clumps on the surface. You can easily remove these clumps (and with them, the stain) using a vacuum.
    • As with the salt method above, if your carpet still has a powdery residue after the first vacuuming, pour a little cold water on it to dissolve the baking soda, then vacuum again.

Tips

  • Know when to call a professional. Some extra-bad wine stains (especially those that get a chance to dry before you can reach them) just won't come out without outside help. Luckily, professional carpet cleaners have tools and techniques to get almost every job done.
  • Don't heat the affected carpet until the stain is fully removed. Heat can "set" a stubborn red wine stain, making it even harder to remove in the long run.[2]

Things You'll Need

First Steps

  • Paper towel or rags
  • Cold water

Using Salt

  • Table salt
  • Vacuum
  • Cold water

Using a Vinegar Solution

  • Paper towels or clean rags
  • 1 tbsp vinegar
  • 1 tbsp dish soap
  • Bowl
  • 2 cups warm water
  • Cold water
  • Vacuum Cleaner

Using Dish Soap and Hydrogen Peroxide

  • Paper towels
  • Dish soap
  • Hydrogen peroxide
  • Bowl
  • Cold water
  • Spray bottle
  • Fresh, clean water (room temperature)
  • Cloth and weight (for drying)

Using White Wine and Baking Soda

  • White wine (no more than a few ounces)
  • Vodka (optional)
  • Sponge
  • Cold water
  • Baking Soda
  • Vacuum Cleaner

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 http://www.redwinestainremovers.com/removing-red-wine-stains-from-carpet
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.redwinestainremovers.com/
  3. ↑ http://www.thekitchn.com/removing-red-wine-stains-how-do-you-do-it-170275
  4. ↑ http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/carpet-stain-removers/buying-guide.htm
  5. ↑ http://www.using-hydrogen-peroxide.com/cleaning-carpet-stains.html
  6. ↑ http://spotremoval.coit.com/how-to-remove-red-wine-out-of-carpet
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