Spilling a glass of red wine on cream carpets, rugs or sofas can indeed cause quite the panic as the stain can quickly turn permanant.
However, while it might seem sensible to immediately start scrubbing at the stain, experts from La Crema have warned against this, cautioning that it could set the stain permanently.
The specialists explain that red wine stains can be completely removed “from anything” if you act quickly and use the correct method.
One household item that can help blot any spillages is something pet owners might already have in their home: cat litter.
Instead, the wine connoisseurs recommend using a dry, powdery substance such as cat litter to soak up the spill.
“Like any liquid, red wine will move toward anything dry that it comes into contact with. Your best move right after you get a red wine stain is to grab a dry, powdery material and apply it generously on the red wine stain,” they said.
The tannins in red wine, which are natural compounds found in grape skins, seeds, and stems, are responsible for making the dark colour stick to fabrics.
It’s the chromogens in red wine, also present in other staining substances like coffee and tea, that give the wine its rich, deep red colour, making spills especially conspicuous.
The experts have warned against scrubbing red wine stains, saying that this could actually make things worse.
“Scrubbing will help pull some of the red wine out, but actually negatively impacts the stain as it causes it to spread outward even more. And, if you’re applying too much pressure, you’re actually pushing more red wine down into the fabric.
“This is especially true if you’re dealing with a red wine stain on the couch or on the carpet,” they explained.
They also advise against using dry heat, such as from a hairdryer, warning it will result in “a permanent or nearly permanent stain”.
How to clean a red wine stain
Act quickly once a glass of red wine has been spilled on any surface. Look in your store cupboards for a porous powder such as table salt.
You can use:
- Table salt
- Baking soda
- Dry soap powder
- Talcum powder or baby powder
- Cat litter
Apply the salt, or other powder, to the stain and allow it to settle for a few minutes. According to the experts, this should remove the stain if you’ve acted fast enough.
You should “never” scrub the stain, according to the wine gurus. Instead apply a blotting method with a paper towel or tea towel to clean up any excess salt or powder.
If your salt treatment didn’t quite work, try an oxi cleaner which uses sodium percarbonate. When combined with water, this breaks down into hydrogen peroxide.
If you don’t have an oxi cleaner, try washing up liquid mixed with hydrogen peroxide. Mix three parts hydrogen peroxide and one part washing up liquid and apply it to your red wine stain.
Let it sit for around 20 minutes to an hour before blotting clean.
