Homeowners are generally horrified with the thought of red wine spilling on their prized lush rugs, but as bad as it looks, at least initially, you shouldn’t freak out. It is not always as bad as it is made out to be, and by making some timely and appropriate cleaning actions on your carpets, fabrics or upholstery, you can almost always return them to pristine shape.

In this article, we look at some of the most effective ways you can save those rugs and couch cushions, so you don’t have to price out new ones.

Timely Blotting Out Works:

When wine spills on your light-colored carpets, start by blotting out as much of the spilled wine as possible using a clean cloth before it has time to soak into the fabric.

You can use a red wine stain remover such as “Wine Away” and allow it to sit for a few minutes to saturate the affected area. Continue blotting out until the red wine stain has disappeared.

If you spill some red wine on a carpet during a party, it is always a good social practice to quickly inform the host. The faster you act, the higher your chances of getting rid of the stain and saving the carpet. When it comes to getting rid of red wine stains, time will not be on your side. If a damp cloth and “Wine Away” is not immediately available, use a paper towel to blot out the stains and add some salt to the affected area and continue with your party. Then do a thorough cleanup following the procedures below after the party.

Removing Red Wine Using Club Soda:

Club soda has been used as a red wine stain remover a far back as the late 18th century. Despite the abundance of modern red wine stain removal formulas, it is still widely used as a DIY red wine stain removal solution.

Proceed as follow:

• Start by immediately blotting out the wine stain. Using a clean cloth, blot as much of the wine spillage as possible. You can even put the cloth on the spot and step on it to absorb as much of the spill as you can. Use multiple rags or alternate parts of the rag to ensure that you are always blotting out the spill with a new area.
• Add some water on the stained area of the carpet and blot some more. The water will dilute the wine, making it easier for you to blot it out. Avoid pouring too much water. Just add a few drops at a time. Continue switch blotting cloths and use a dry one each time. Blot on until no more stain can be removed via this technique.
• Make a soda paste in the ratio of 3/1 of baking soda to water.
• Apply the soda paste directly on the stained area liberally, then wait for it to dry out completely bred wine stains from carpetefore vacuuming up the dried soda paste.
• Now apply a commercial carpet stain remover if there are still any traces of the red wine in the morning. Ensure that you follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the application of the red wine stain remover formula. Allow the carpet stain remover to dry out and then vacuum up the area.

Removal Of Red Wine Stains Using A Detergent And White Vinegar:

If you don’t have club soda or baking soda on hand or if you are dealing with a really stubborn stain, you can use a detergent (dishwashing liquid) and white vinegar with some warm water.

Proceed as follows with this method:

• Start by blotting out as much of stain as possible using a cloth or paper towels the same as before.
• Prepare the cleaning solution to be used on the red wine stain. Mix a tablespoon each of the white vinegar and the detergent with two cups of warm water.
• Use the rag to sponge the carpet with the mixture. Using another dry cloth will prevent the stain from blending further into your carpet.
• Apply a small portion of your cleaning solution on the stained part of the carpet and blot it repeatedly until the red wine stain disappears.
• Finally, you can sponge this part using cold water to rinse the solution.
• Blot again until it dries.

Using Hydrogen Peroxide To Remove Red Wine Stains:

If you don’t have a baking soda, vinegar, or commercial cleaning compound, you can reach for hydrogen peroxide as a last resort. This should, however, be used very, very sparingly as it might cause carpet discoloration.

Proceed as follows with this method:

• As always, start by blotting out the stain to get rid of it as much as possible. Use a clean, dry cloth and ensure you are always using the cleaner part of the cloth so as not to further discolor the carpet.
• Create the cleaning mixture using hydrogen peroxide. This should consist of two parts hydrogen peroxide and one-part dishwashing liquid.
• To avoid permanent stains on the carpet, you can start by testing this cleaning mixture on a part of the carpet that is out of sight, like inside of a coat closet. If the hydrogen peroxide does not cause the discoloration of the carpet or fabric, proceed to use
• a clean cloth to sponge on the solution and apply it little by little on the stain.
• Wait for a few minutes.
• As before, blot out the spot using a clean cloth and repeat the process until the stain is no longer visible.
• To get rid of the hydrogen peroxide residue after removing the stains, you can dip a clean cloth in water and then repeat the blotting process until the hydrogen peroxide-soapy residue has been removed.

Pro-Tip:

Before you try out any of the red wine carpet stain removal techniques above, it is always prudent to try out the method in a hidden or discreet area of the carpet before you do it on a more visible part of the carpet. This will give you an assurance of the results so that you can clean with confidence without risking further damage to your carpet in the cleaning process. This is especially advisable for white carpets or carpets with dyes.

You should always do this small patch test to give you a clear idea of how the carpet is likely to react with the cleaning technique before you try it out on the stain.

And lastly, when in doubt or the situation might be too far gone for a spot treatment to work, call a professional steam cleaner!!! The money spent on the service will dim in comparison to shelling out for a new rug.