Red wine- how incomplete a gathering or your leisure time sounds without it, isn’t it? As red wine is almost a must for all gatherings, so are its stains. Yes, these are bound to spill from your or your guest’s delicate wine glass leaving behind an unsightly stain. And like coke stains and ketchup stains they can be a right pain to remove.
If you are lucky enough, you’ll notice it immediately and get a chance to act. If not, then worry not, you may work upon it the next day too-only the task will be a bit more tedious.
Following are some hacks that can be super helpful to you plus the good news is it involves all the tools readily available in your kitchen.
- Using SALT to remove the stain:
Amid the hustle-bustle at your place, try to take out a moment for your dear carpet and quickly absorb most of the spilt red wine with a paper towel or white cloth.
- Since you’ll be busy attending to your guests, cover the stain (while it is fresh) with a good amount of salt.
- Leave it overnight and see what wonders it has done by the next day. You will notice the salt has crystallized and turned pink, this indicates absorption of wine.
- Scoop up the salt crystals. Use a vacuum for whatever remains.
- Using BAKING SODA to remove the stain:
- Soak as much of the wine as possible with a piece of cloth or paper towel.
- Sprinkle baking soda over the stain, enough to cover the wine.
- Let it rest for a few minutes then pour some cold water on baking soda.
- With a damp cloth, blot the stained area repeatedly.
Remember: Do not scrub as it will further push down the wine into the carpet’s fibre.
- Using CLUB SODA to remove the stain:
Club soda is one of the safest options to use after plain water if you are worried about the discolouration of your carpet.
- Simply blot the excess red wine with a cloth or paper towel.
- Next, pour club soda over the stain.
- Blot again.
- Pour more club soda and repeat the process until the stain dissipates.
- Using HYDROGEN PEROXIDE to remove the stain:
Ideally, hydrogen peroxide should be used on light-coloured carpets; preferably white as it causes discolouration. Therefore always try out the mixture on an inconspicuous area first. In case of discolouration, drop the idea of using hydrogen peroxide and rather go for an option with a comparatively lighter base.
Take the following steps if no colour damage is done:
- Mix two parts hydrogen peroxide to one part clear dishwashing soap.
- Apply the mixture to the red wine-stained carpet.
- Wait for a couple of minutes, and then blot.
- Repeat, until the stain completely lifts off the carpet.
How to remove DRIED red wine stains?
The chances of red wine stain coming into notice after it has dried are pretty much more. Fortunately, it can still be removed with the right solution. The stain can be tackled with dish soap, vinegar and warm water.
- Combine ½ teaspoon of dish soap and ½ teaspoon of vinegar with 2 cups of warm water.
- Load up the sponge and blot the stained area repeatedly.
- With a clean towel, dry the area.
- Spritz cold water on it and dry it again with a clean towel.
Spot test the vinegar on a discreet carpet area, to see any discolouration happens. If yes, then do not use vinegar.
Despite trying out all the home remedies, some stains just don’t come out. They may have fully settled in your carpet’s fibre. In such cases, it’s better to let the carpet cleaning professionals do their job.