Almost everybody has a love-hate relationship with red wine. On the one hand, it’s hard not to love its unmatched bold and fruity taste. On the other hand, its red pigment can and will stain everything from clothes to furniture. What’s even worse is that without proper knowledge, you can ruin your carpet in hopes of removing the stain.
Luckily, this article highlights a few easy tricks that will teach you how to get red wine out of the carpet. And best of all, each one of them involves household materials, so you don’t have to go shopping. So, let’s dive right into it!
How to Get Rid of Fresh Red Wine Stains
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It doesn’t matter if you were the one that spilled the wine or not — knowing how to act can save your carpet. The following tips should give you a head start and allow you to efficiently clean your carpet.
1. Don’t Waste Time
When it comes to wine stains, you need to understand that every second counts. In fact, the more time you waste, the more wine will enter the fibers of your carpet. As a result, you should act as soon as possible, especially if you want to prevent further damage. And, if you reach the spot early enough, you can remove the stain with ease and without ruining your carpet.
2. Try Water
You would be surprised to know just how effective plain water can be when removing red wine stains. If you get to the stain in time, you can blot it out with a wet cloth or spray bottle. However, try not to use too much water, as you could end up saturating the carpet.
If that doesn’t work, you can use some club soda or vinegar. But beware of store-bought cleaning products, as some of them leave a residue on the carpet fibers. So try to stick with water or other homemade substances.
3. Don’t Scrub
It’s important to understand that scrubbing is one of the easiest ways to ruin your carpet. As a matter of fact, scrubbing a stain on fiber or fabric pushes it further in. And if that wasn’t enough, applying too much force can heat the fiber and bond the stain particles to it. In other words, your carpet will be useless, and you won’t have any other solution than to throw it away.
Instead of scrubbing, most professionals recommend that you blot the wine from the outside in. To do that, you can use a damp rag or spray bottle that you gently press on the carpet. And if the stain is still visible, you can repeat the process a couple of times until you are happy with the result.
4. Cold Water
Once the majority of the stain has been removed, just pour a couple of drops of cold water over the spot. That will dilute any remaining wine particles and allow you to check for hidden stains. However, don’t use too much cold water, as you might do more harm than good.
How to Remove Dried Red Wine Stains
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Unfortunately, you can’t always reach the wine stain in time. And while a dry wine stain is hard to remove, it isn’t impossible, especially if you know what you are doing.
1. Salt
Salt is extremely useful when removing all sorts of stains, including red wine. The secret of this method is that you need to wet the stain before you can apply salt. Simply pour a few drops of water until the stain is wet and then apply a fair amount of salt to it.
However, don’t scrub or blot the salt, instead, leave it overnight and inspect it in the morning. If everything went according to plan, the salt should have a pink color, meaning that it has absorbed the wine. Once the salt is completely dry, pick it up and throw it away, and then vacuum your carpet.
2. Baking Soda
Similar to salt, baking soda is perfect for removing stains as long as you wet it beforehand. So, here’s how it works. You need to prepare a paste by mixing one part water and three parts baking soda. Then, apply it directly to the stain and let it dry for a couple of hours. Afterward, vacuum the carpet to remove any traces of baking soda and voilà, the stain has been defeated!
3. Club Soda
Club soda is not only an essential ingredient of cocktails but also a potent stain-remover. As a result, you can use it to get rid of red wine stains and save your favorite carpet. Start off by blotting the stain with a dry, clean cloth and then pour some club soda on it. Blot again and pour some more club soda water, until the stain is completely gone.
4. Vinegar
Last but not least, vinegar is a reliable household ingredient that has the power to remove red wine stains. Simply mix one tablespoon of white vinegar, two cups of warm water, and one tablespoon of dish-washing liquid. However, don’t use the entire two cups of liquid, as you might saturate the stain. Instead, pour a little until you get the stain wet and then blot.
You should also have a wet rag nearby to dab with as well as a dry cloth that you can use to blot and remove the red wine. And if the stain is still there, just repeat the procedure a couple of times.