COIT’S Guide to Removing Wine Stains
Whether you’re settling down after a long day or hosting a dinner party with friends, treating yourself to some wine can help you unwind.
But when an accidental wine stain appears, it’s natural to tense up and panic. Wine isn’t exactly the subtlest of stains, so it’s important to act fast when you’re tackling white or red wine stain removal. The sooner you discover the wine stain, the better chance you have to get rid of it.
What is Red Wine Made Of?
Red wine is actually made mostly of water. But it certainly includes some other ingredients, as you can probably taste. Here are a few of the other components that make this red grape juice so delicious:
- Alcohols – ethanol and methanol
- Sugars – glucose and fructose
- Acids – malic, citric, and many more
- Nitrogen compounds – nitrogen, amino acids, and ammonia
Why Does Red Wine Stain?
The color from the skin of the grapes is what leads to the common household wine stain (red and purple/black grapes make red wine). The tannins in the red wine also contribute to its oh so lovely ability to stain our favorite shirts, carpets, and tablecloths.
White wine, on the other hand, comes from yellow, green, or light pink grapes. As a result of its lighter skin color, removing white wine stains isn’t as difficult.
With COIT’s guide to removing wine stains, you can take quick action. COIT offers the following in depth guide to help you do it yourself:
How to Remove Wine Stains from Carpet
COIT's guide to remove red wine stains from carpet
We’ve all experienced it – that scary moment when a red wine glass topples over the table and spills onto the carpet. Yikes! It’s definitely one of those stains that knows how to leave its mark. And unless you know how to remove red wine out of carpet, that stain may be sticking around a little too long.
But not to worry – COIT offers some step-by-step solutions to help you with red wine stain removal at home.
As with most household stains, the sooner you act, the better. If you can start removing the stain before it fully sets into the carpet, you’ll have a better shot at getting rid of it.
Here is one way to go if you want to know how to remove red wine out of carpet:
- With a white cloth, try and blot as much of the red wine stain as you can. The more you can soak up, the less you’ll have to remove.
- After you finish blotting, pour a bit of cold water directly onto the wine stain. Doing this helps dilute what remains of the stain, making blotting a bit easier. Continue blotting until you find that no more of the stain will come out.
- Now prepare a baking soda paste by mixing a three to one ratio of water to baking soda and applying it to the affected area. Once the paste is dry, vacuum the stain.
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There is another method you can test when you’re trying to get red wine out of carpet as well as any tough wine stains on carpet. This method uses vinegar, so be sure you have some on hand.
- As with most stains, it’s best to blot the stain to remove any wine that hasn’t been absorbed yet. You can use paper towels or a clean cloth.
- In a small bowl, pour two cups of warm water. Mix one tablespoon of white vinegar and one tablespoon of dishwashing liquid.
- Dip a sponge into the bowl and begin applying the solution directly onto the wine stain.
- Continue blotting until the stain has lifted.
