Everyone has been victim to a red wine spill yet there seems to always be confusion as to the best way to clean up the stain. Club soda? Vinegar? White wine? Read more to find four tried and tested red wine removers.
Before you start cleaning, the first step in dealing with a red wine spill is to blot out as much of the wine as you can with a paper towel or a clean cloth. You can also pour salt over the stain while you get your carpet cleaning solution ready, and simply vacuum up the salt when you are ready to clean the stain. After blotting the stain and applying salt, choose one of these carpet cleaning solutions to make your carpet as good as new.
1. Baking soda and hydrogen peroxide
After blotting the stain, pour hydrogen peroxide over the affected area. Grab some baking soda and completely cover the stain with a heavy layer of baking soda and let it sit for about two minutes. The hydrogen peroxide will lift the wine, while the baking soda absorbs it. After two minutes, blot with warm water until stain is removed. Caution: Hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent, so this solution should only be used on light-colored carpets.
2. White wine
Pour white wine over the stain and blot. Continue to add white wine and blot until the stain is removed. Rinse with warm water and blot dry.
3. Club soda
Pour club soda generously over the stain and begin to blog with a clean cloth. Repeat this process until the stain is gone. For both this and the white wine option above, you can always apply salt on tough stains that are hard to remove and let sit for 15-20 mins.
4. Vinegar and soap
Pour a solution of one part white vinegar and two parts water over the stain to dilute the spill (vinegar helps dilute the purple pigments) and blot until most of the mixture is absorbed. Then, take warm water with a few drops of dish washing soap to remove the vinegar and remove any remaining remnants of the stain. Once the stain is removed, gently wipe the area with water and a clean cloth. If the stain still persists after trying these at home solutions, it may be time to call a carpet cleaning professional.
