Red wine spillages are the stuff of nightmares, but that doesn’t make them any less frequent. With the power to turn a social gathering into a panic-ridden clean-up mission, even the smallest spills of this scarlet substance, can produce hideous stains that don’t respond to the usual methods of cleaning.
But, there are some highly effective ways to tackle the reddest of wine stains with a few simple methods that you can try at home; here are 6 of them:
- Get moving!
When it comes to red wine stains, fast action is paramount! Ideally, try to begin removing the stain before the wine has a chance to set. Spill it, see it, clean it!
- Never rub – always blot
Rubbing at a red wine stain is one of the biggest mistakes people make, as it simply pushes the liquid further into the fabric, making it even harder to clean; blotting is the best course of action.
Whatever the material affected by the spillage, dab the stain firmly with an absorbent cloth or paper towel, and soak up as much of the wine as possible.
- Use boiling water
Boiling water can be a very effective stain remover, particularly for red wine spillages. Although, it does require the fabric to be stretched over a bowl, so wouldn’t work for furniture and larger surfaces, but would work well for such items as table linen, or clothes.
Stretch the fabric over a bowl and pour boiling water from a kettle through the stain at a height of around one foot. Often, the heat and force of the water will flush the particles of wine out of the fibers.
Do exercise caution when using this method.
- Apply salt
Red wine stains on the floor can be tackled quickly and effectively with salt. Simply pour a generous helping of salt onto the stain, leave it to work for a few minutes, and you should notice that the salt turns pink as it absorbs the wine like a sponge, stopping it from setting into a stain.
- Try club soda
The carbonated nature of club soda helps to draw out the red wine to the surface, and you can simply pour the fizzy liquid right onto the stain and wait while it breaks down the pigments in the wine.
Particularly effective for use on carpets and fabrics, you can also use club soda for eliminating hard water stains in your kitchen or bathroom.
- White vinegar and dish soap
The ecofriendly combination of dish soap and white vinegar is a powerful one for use all around the home when cleaning, but it works wonderfully well when applied to stains such as red wine.
Simply combine a tablespoon of white vinegar with the same amount of dish soap, in a vessel containing two cups of warm water. Then, blot the stain gently with a clean cloth or sponge dipped in the solution, until it disappears.
Red wine stains don’t have to turn a party into a nightmare, with these quick and simple tips. However, the most important thing to remember – whichever stain-removal method you opt for – is to act fast!
