How To Get Red Wine Out of Carpet

How To Get Red Wine Out of Carpet

While enjoying a glass of red wine during a dinner party or after a long day, the worst scenario you can imagine is spilling it onto your pristine carpet. It can seem like a nightmare to get out and impossible to erase, but don’t fear! It is possible.

For those looking for a solution to removing red wine stains or frantically searching how to clean up a fresh spill, there are several different ways you can get red wine stains out of carpet. 

Solutions to Removing Red Wine Stains

There are various solutions to removing red wine stains. Below are some of the products you can use to remove those bold red carpet stains completely from your carpet. Though some may not be common household items, you may be able to find them in a grocery or wine store. 

Club Soda

Club soda has been used to remove stains since its invention, and it is an effective solution to erasing red wine spills on clothes and carpets. 

After spilling a glass onto your carpet, quickly blot out the stain as much as possible using a clean cloth. Make sure the cloth is dry, as you want it to absorb all the liquid it can. Make sure you don’t scrub since the carpet fibers may absorb the liquid even more and spread the wine stain.

Before the red wine stain has settled in, take the following steps: 

  1. Blot the area completely with a dry, clean cloth. 
  2. Pour club soda on it to cover the area. 
  3. Blot it with a dry cloth to absorb the liquid. 
  4. Pour club soda again. 
  5. Blot the area to remove the liquid. 
  6. Repeat these steps until the stain disappears. 
how to get red wine out of carpet

White Vinegar & Dish Soap

If you don’t have any club soda in the house, the next best thing you can use is white vinegar and dish soap. 

The acetic acid in white vinegar makes it an effective product on stains, unlike distilled vinegar. It can also be used as a disinfectant. Dish soap is used to break down oils, so mixing it with an acidic liquid can create a homemade remedy to remove red wine stains.

Take the following steps to remove the red wine stain from your carpet: 

  1. Blot the area as much as possible with a dry cloth. 
  2. In a container, add 2 cups of warm water. Then add 1 tablespoon of common dishwashing soap and 1 tablespoon white vinegar to create your solution. 
  3. Only use a white cloth when using this solution so the color does not bleed onto your carpet.
  4. Pour a small amount of the cleaning solution on the red wine stain. Blot it persistently until the stain disappears. 

Salt

On a fresh red wine stain, you can use salt to absorb the liquid and remove the stain with it. Salt may not be commonly known as a cleaning product, but it can effectively soak up wet stains and prevent the red wine from settling into the carpet fibers. 

Follow these steps to remove your carpet’s red wine stain using salt: 

  1. Make sure you first blot out the stain and soak up as much liquid as possible using a dry cloth or paper towels. 
  2. Cover the stain with salt until the red wine is no longer visible. 
  3. Let the salt soak into the wet wine stain and leave it to dry. The longer you leave the salt, the more effective it will be in sucking up the wine.
  4. Once the salt is dry, vacuum the carpeted area. 

Baking Soda

Another versatile product is baking soda. You can use this to cook and clean, and it is effective in removing stains from virtually any type of fabric because it breaks down grease and dirt with water. As a natural cleanser and deodorizer, baking soda can also remove strong odors along with the stain. 

how to get red wine out of carpet

Use the following steps to apply baking soda to your red wine-stained carpet: 

  1. Blot the stained area using a clean cloth. 
  2. Pour cold water on the stain to dilute the red wine and make it slightly easier to blot. 
  3. Continue blotting until no more liquid seems to come out. 
  4. Create a 3:1 paste that is three parts baking soda and one part water. 
  5. Apply the paste to the red wine stain so that it is entirely covered. 
  6. Leave the paste to dry completely. 
  7. Vacuum the carpet after the paste dries. 

Ammonia

Ammonia is a fantastic all-purpose cleaner to use to remove red wine. Unlike other products that require you to pour a solution and blot it out, you can use ammonia and hot water to transfer the stain to another cloth, thereby “lifting” it from the carpet fibers. Though it is best to remove stains while they are still fresh, this stain can even work to remove old stains.

Take the following steps to create the mixture and transfer the red wine stain: 

  1. Create a 1:1 solution of hot water and ammonia enough to cover the red wine stain at least three times over. Pour the mixture into a spray bottle. 
  2. Spray the stained area until it is completely covered by the solution. 
  3. Place a white towel over the stain and go over it with an iron set at the highest temperature. Make sure to not press it onto the area for too long to avoid scorching your carpet.
  4. Continue to go over the towel with the iron until the stain completely transfers over to the towel. 

Hydrogen Peroxide

Save hydrogen peroxide as one of your last options if you do not have club soda, white vinegar or dish soap available. 

It is a strong antiseptic solution that can be used for several types of cleaning and disinfectant solutions. The extra oxygen in this liquid bleaches color and kills germs effectively. However, it may cause some carpet discoloration. 

Before using it to remove the wine stain, pour a tiny bit of hydrogen peroxide in an inconspicuous area of your carpet to see if it changes the color. If your carpet does not become discolored, use the following steps to remove red wine carpet stains: 

  1. Blot the area completely with a dry, clean cloth. 
  2. Mix the 2:1 solution with two parts hydrogen peroxide and one part dishwashing soap. 
  3. Test the solution on an inconspicuous area of your rug or carpet. 
  4. If the area does not become discolored, you can continue to use the mixture. 
  5. Pour a small amount of the solution onto the red wine stain on your carpet. 
  6. Blot the area completely to remove the liquid. 
  7. Pour and blot again until the stain is completely gone. 

Lemon Juice

Due to its acidic properties, undiluted lemon juice can be effective in breaking down the red wine stain particles to make the liquid easier to remove. However, like hydrogen peroxide, it may discolor your carpet, so be sure to first test it on an area that is out of sight before using it on the stain. 

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If it does not discolor your carpet, follow these steps to remove the red wine: 

  1. Blot the wet, stained area as much as possible with a clean cloth. 
  2. Pour the undiluted lemon juice over the stain and leave it for between five to 10 minutes. 
  3. Using a dry sponge, blot it completely. 
  4. If the stain is still there, mix a 1:1 ratio of lemon juice and water in a spray bottle with a little bit of detergent. 
  5. Shake up the solution and spray it onto the affected area. 
  6. Let the solution sit for five to 10 minutes, then blot. 

Wine Away

If the stain is still not going away or to prepare for future potential spills, investing in a red wine stain removal cleaner can make it easier on you. 

Wine Away is designed specifically to remove red wine from carpets, clothes and tablecloths. It can even remove older stains that have already settled in. This chemical solution is safe around children, so you don’t have to worry about keeping your kids away while you clean. 

To use this product, take the following steps: 

  1. First, blot the area to get as much liquid out of the carpet as possible. 
  2. Saturate it with Wine Away and leave it for five minutes. 
  3. After five minutes, blot the area again until the stain completely disappears.
  4. Use a wet cloth to remove any extra residue. 

Like Wine Away, there are other types of products designed specifically to remove red wine stains from carpets, upholstery and clothing. Having one of these products on hand can help save you trouble in the future!

Conclusion

Red wine carpet stains are not as uncommon as you may think. Though it may seem difficult to remove after an accident, you can use the different products and steps above to get the stain out completely. Any of these solutions can be highly effective in getting your carpet to look like nothing happened. 

If you plan to host wine nights or dinner parties, it may be beneficial to have a cleaning solution prepared and readily available in case of spills. You can create a paste or solution using common household items or buy a wine stain remover product from the store. 

Regardless of what product you use, be sure to test the solution on a small area of your carpet first to ensure it does not create a discolored spot.