Before your next me-time, you should read up on how to get red wine out of the carpet.
Picture this. You’re having a long-awaited downtime and are finally watching your favorite movie. Unfortunately, you accidentally knocked down the wine glass, spilling red wine on your precious carpet.
Don’t worry, I’ve been there before, and it can happen to anyone.
Removing red wine stains is easier than it seems. Keep reading to learn how to remove the stain from red wine without damaging carpet fibers. If you also drink tea, check out How to Remove Tea Stains From Carpet.
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Act Fast + Blot, Don’t Scrub
As the saying goes, there’s no use crying over spilled milk, or red wine in this case.
It can be very frustrating to see your carpet, especially white carpet, getting splashed with vibrant red wine. But it’s extremely helpful to move quickly to remove it.
You can think of this as “first aid” for your stained carpet. Acting fast will prevent the red wine from further spreading, making it easier to remove.
How to Get Red Wine Out of the Carpet ASAP
You will need the following:
- Paper towels or a clean, absorbent cloth
- Salt
Here’s what you need to do immediately after red wine pours onto the carpet:
- Grab paper towels or a clean, absorbent cloth.
- Blot (don’t scrub) the area where red wine was spilled. Keep blotting until the clean cloth or paper towels soak up as much wine as possible from the carpet.
Pro tip: A scrubbing or wiping motion could further spread the red wine on the carpet. So keep gently blotting with clean towels or cloth. Blotting is also less likely to damage or wear out the carpet fabric.
- Sprinkle just enough salt to cover the area where red wine was spilled.
- Allow the salt to absorb the red wine.
- Once the salt-covered red wine on the carpet is dry, go over it with a vacuum.
Since you have to let the salt soak up any remaining wine from the carpet, this process shouldn’t take much time out of your scheduled rest and relaxation.
How to Get Red Wine Out of the Carpet With DIY Cleaning Solutions
The best tip I can give you is to immediately start working on removing the red wine from the carpet. On the bright side, carpet stain removal can be easy using your favorite household cleaning product.
Whichever cleaning solution you choose, you must always start by gently blotting as much red wine out of the carpet as possible.
Once the paper towels or the absorbent cloth soaked up all the spilled wine, proceed with any of the DIY cleaning solutions below.
White Vinegar and Dishwashing Liquid
- In a mixing bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, 1 tablespoon dishwashing liquid, and 2 cups of warm (not hot) water.
- Once the vinegar and dishwashing liquid are fully diluted, dip a clean cloth or a sponge into the solution.
- Blot the stain until you get all the wine stains from the carpet.
Baking Soda
- In a small bowl, make a baking soda paste by mixing 1 part water with 3 parts baking soda. So if you plan to use 3 tablespoons of baking soda, just add 1 tablespoon of water.
- Apply a generous amount of the baking soda paste, enough to cover the spilled red wine.
- Wait for the baking soda paste to completely dry. Then, clean it with a vacuum.
Club Soda
- After blotting the spilled wine, pour cold club soda onto the carpet. Because it’s a carbonated drink, it will work by lifting the wine stains from the fabric.
- Then blot all the club soda off the carpet.
- Repeat the process of pouring club soda and blotting until the stain is gone.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is a popular item in medicine cabinets and first aid kits. While it does clean germs and bacteria, it can actually work as an effective bleaching agent, disinfectant, and household cleaning solution.
However, I advise using it exclusively for cleaning white carpets and clothes. Its bleaching property could cause discoloration on dyed or multicolored carpets, making certain areas appear much whiter than the rest of the carpet.
To prevent discoloration, first test your carpet. Apply a few drops of hydrogen peroxide onto a small and obscure section of the carpet to see what happens.
Once you’re certain that hydrogen peroxide won’t ruin the appearance of your white carpet, follow these steps:
- Mix 2 parts of hydrogen peroxide with 1 part of clear dishwashing liquid.
- Using a clean sponge, apply the solution to the stained area. Make sure it’s enough to lift the stains.
- Let the cleaning solution lift the red wine for 5-10 minutes.
- Rinse the area with a clean, wet cloth. Use it to blot the carpet until all residue of the cleaning solution is removed.
There’s a Time to Call for a Professional Carpet Cleaner
As effective as the household stain removers above are, there will be special cases when you to call in the pros.
For instance, if you didn’t notice that red wine was spilled on the carpet until much later. It would be too late to use any of the DIY cleaning solutions above. Even specialized stain removers for carpets might not be enough to get the job done in this case.
Another scenario is when the red wine spills and covers a much larger area on the carpet; it may be best to have the carpet professionally cleaned.
I would also feel a little hesitant about using DIY cleaning solutions on carpets made with valuable and delicate fabric. This is certainly one of the times that it’s best to call an expert to get the red wine out of the carpet.
Have you tried removing the red wine several times using readily available stain removers, but it wouldn’t work? It might be time to call your trusted carpet cleaning service provider.
Prevention Is Better: Tricks to Avoid Carpet Stains From Red Wine Spills
Red wine spills are inevitable, especially if you love having guests over. But there are ways to lessen the chances of such accidents ruining a beautiful carpet.
Rug and carpet protectors are one way to prevent stubborn red wine stains. These products can be sprayed on carpets to repel water and resist stains.
Simple changes around the house, such as placing coffee tables where guests can place their wine glasses, can be a huge help.
When having guests over, it’s best to put out stemmed wine glasses since they have a more stable base and are less likely to be tipped over. However, if you like serving drinks in those pretty stemless wine glasses, it would help to use coasters.
Having a party? Make sure to let the children know they can’t run around in certain areas where adult guests typically have their wine. In case you’re also serving coffee at your party, here’s how to get a coffee stain out of a carpet.
Despite being prepared, accidental spills still occur. It’s best to always have cleaning materials readily available to avoid tougher carpet stains.
FAQs
You can still salvage a carpet with old wine stains, although you’ll need to soak the stained area first to lift the dried-up wine.
You can try using household cleaning items to remove the rest of the stains. Calling a professional carpet cleaner is always an option if that doesn’t work.
Yes. After blotting the red wine spill with a damp cloth, you can pour rubbing alcohol on a clean cloth and dab it onto the stained area.
Cold water is best used when blotting red wine stains on a carpet because hot water can set the stain, making it harder to remove.
When making DIY cleaning solutions, using warm water to dilute materials like white vinegar and dishwashing liquid is safe.
Keep Your Precious Carpet Spick and Span After a Spilled Red Wine
Carpets can be expensive, and having a professional cleaner remove stains from them can also cost money. Seeing the vibrant red color of spilled wine on your carpet can easily cause panic. However, as long as you act fast and have household cleaning materials around, you can save your carpet and money as well!