Wine experts estimate red wine to be about 8,000 years old, which means red stains are probably just as old. Fortunately, getting wine out of your carpet fibers is easier now than it was back then, but removing red wine stains can still be challenging.
In this post, we explain how to remove a red wine stain with different carpet cleaning solutions, so read on if you need to get wine out of a carpet ASAP.
How to Get Red Wine Out of Carpet
1. Choose Your Carpet Cleaner
To remove a red wine carpet stain, you can use white vinegar, baking soda, club soda, dish soap, or hydrogen peroxide. However, depending on the kind of carpet or rug you have, some of these products may do more harm than good.
Therefore, you need to make sure the cleaning product you’ve chosen is safe before you use it to remove red or white wine stains from your carpet. How? Just go online and search: “Is (cleaning product) safe to use on (material) carpet?”
If your search doesn’t yield a conclusive answer, apply the solution to a clean cloth or paper towel and gently blot the stain. If you notice the red wine spill reducing, continue to blot until the stain is gone.
2. Should You Blot or Rub the Stain
When there’s spilled red wine on the carpet, blotting will remove it better than rubbing. Rubbing won’t get wine out of the carpet; it’ll make the stained area larger.
And whatever you do: don’t scrub to remove the stain. Scrubbing will damage that section of the carpet and make the stain impossible to remove.
Yes, blotting may take some time, especially if you’re dealing with a stubborn stain, but it’s one of the safest and most effective ways to get red wine out of the carpet.
3. Cold Water Makes Wine Stain Removal Easier
If you don’t notice much of a difference after you apply cleaning solution to the stain, pour two cups of cold water on the stain. Cold water will dilute the spilled wine so it’s easier to remove.
Some say 2 cups of warm water will work just as well, but we’ve found that dousing an area with cold water makes carpet stain removal easier.
4. Rinse the Carpet Before Letting It Dry
Once you’ve removed as much wine as possible, rinse the area. Again, it’s best to use cold water. After it’s been thoroughly rinsed, hang the carpet to dry. If the red wine’s presence is still hard to miss, repeat these steps until it’s all gone.
Tips for Removing Red Wine Spills on Carpet
If you’re using dishwashing liquid, let it sit for 5-10 minutes on the fresh stain before you start blotting. When it’s sitting, it’ll break down much of the red wine stain, making it easier to eliminate.
A tablespoon of white vinegar mixed with three parts baking soda is one of the most effective stain-removal products.
Two cups of warm water mixed with 3 parts hydrogen peroxide works well on new white carpets, but don’t use this solution on colored carpets made of delicate material.
