Why Does Red Wine Stain Turn Blue
Red wine gets its color from the grape-skin pigments, specifically anthocyanins which is the same component that stains the hands when handling plums, berries, and cherries.
The anthocyanins function as acid-base indicators which is the same interaction behind the litmus tests. The color of the anthocyanins is based on the pH of what they were exposed to. The acidity turns the anthocyanins red while alkalinity turns to blue. Since wine already contains acid, its anthocyanins are red. Nevertheless, once these anthocyanins are exposed to more alkaline factors especially baking soda, they start to turn blue.
How To Remove Wine Stains From Carpet
Look Beyond The Name Wine Away Removes More Than Just Wine
Coffee & Tea StainsWine Away effectively removes coffee and tea stains. Just treat the stain like you do for red wine and watch it disappear. |
Pet AccidentsNot only will Wine Away erase the pet accident, it eliminates the odor and leaves behind a fresh scent. |
Blood StainsBlood stains are no problem for Wine Away. Use it on clothing, carpet, and linens. It makes fresh and dried blood stains vanish. |
Paint Remover / Cleaner And DegreaserWine Away re-emulsifies latex paint for easy clean up on hard surfaces and carpet. It’s also an excellent cleaner and degreaser. |
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Do Wine Stain Removers Really Work
Red Wine Stains And White Vinegar And Laundry Detergent

This method gets mixed reviews from both experts but is worth trying if other methods havent worked. First, soak the stain with vinegar to neutralize the wines red and purple pigments. Then, without rinsing, cover the vinegar-soaked stain with laundry detergent and wash as normal. Vinegar has so many surprising uses.
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Act Now Blot Up The Excess Liquid
This isnt an infomercial. But if you dont act right away on red wine, your chance of removing it decrease dramatically.The key is to interrupt it from bonding into the carpet fiber, while continually blotting it.Whats the best way to blot?
- use: white, cotton towel
- technique: blot up and down with less pressure at first and then increase pressure as theres less liquid. DONT rub
- work outside in: starting on the outside and pushing slightly in toward the middle of the stain makes you less likely to spread the stain
Continue blotting until theres not much excess wine coming up, but dont spend so long doing this that the stain is dry! If youre in doubt, skip to Step 2.
Red Wine Stain Removal Ideas Using Everyday Items
McKenzie Hagan | August 11, 2020
Picture it: You’re at a dinner party enjoying the most delicious glass of Cabernet when suddenly, bam! Someone accidentally bumps into you and now you have a stain all over your brand-new blouse. Now what?
No matter how careful you are, spills happen. From clothing to carpet, tablecloths to furniture, red wine stains can be brutal.
To help you tackle this splotchy situation, we’ve created this guide for the best DIY red wine stain removal tips and tricks that don’t require any harsh chemicals. This way, the next time you have a spill, you can chill after following these steps, of course.
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Alternative Ways To Remove Wine Stains
There are some alternative stain removal methods that can be helpful, but keep in mind that theyll never be as effective as a detergent that was specifically created to tackle stains, like Ariel Matic Front Load, or Ariel Matic Liquid Detergent. With this mindset, check out our list of these alternative methods:
- Salt. The most ancient trick to help remove wine stains is to pour table salt on them. Salt attracts moisture and can help remove a wine stain.
- Baking soda. Similar to salt, baking soda attracts liquids it comes into contact with, so its able to help lift wine stains.
- White vinegar. Pouring white vinegar on the wine stain will not necessarily do the trick, but if you put liquid laundry detergent on it afterwards, it may help remove the stain.
- Toothpaste. Soaking your wine-stained garment in cold water then rubbing toothpaste on the stain may help lift it, but again, using laundry detergent will be your best and most effective option.
How To Get Red Wine Off Walls
One great way to remove wine stains from the wall is to start drying with a paper towel, to prevent it from spreading. Then use dish soap and a little bit of hydrogen peroxide. Let it sit for a few minutes. Take a wet paper towel to wash it off.
Read further to learn about techniques on how to remove wine stains from the wall.
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White Wine And Baking Soda
Cleaning red wine with white wine might seem counter intuitive, but this method is about fighting fire with fire. All you need to do to remove the red wine stain is pour a little white wine on top of it and then rub a thick layer of baking soda on top. You should let this sit for a couple of hours. You need to make sure that the baking soda stays moist, so return to the stain every once in a while to lightly spray the stain with water. Once the stain has been lifted, wash the spot with soap and water to remove all traces of wine and baking soda.
How To Remove Red Wine Stains On Carpet And Rugs
To remove wine from natural-fiber carpet and area rugs, dab the stain with warm, sudsy water, then blot dry. Dab with a solution thats 1 part clear ammonia to 8 parts water, then blot dry. Dab with a 50-50 vinegar-water solution, then blot dry. Dab with warm, sudsy water again. Dab with water. Blot dry. Repeat all if necessary.
To remove wine from synthetic carpet, dab the stain with warm, sudsy water. Wait 15 minutes, then blot dry. Dab in a solution thats 1 part vinegar to 2 parts water. Wait 15 minutes more, then blot with a damp cloth. Blot with lukewarm water. Blot dry. Repeat steps until stain lifts.
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How To Remove Red Wine Stains From A Carpet
To remove red wine stains from carpet, start by acting fast. While the stain is still wet, gently absorb as much liquid as you can using a paper/cotton towel. If youre removing wine stains from fabric that has dried, dont panic move straight to the next step. Use our Vanish Oxi Action Carpet & Upholstery Spot Treatment Spray and watch it work its magic:
Cleaning Red Wine From Carpet With Dishwashing Liquid And Hydrogen Peroxide

Besides white vinegar, hydrogen peroxide can also be mixed with dishwashing liquid to create an effective solution for cleaning red wine stain.
This solution is quite helpful if the red wine spill on your carpet is quite difficult to be cleaned. However, because hydrogen peroxide is considered a bleaching agent, it is best to be used on white or light-colored carpet.
Make the solution by adding dishwashing detergent to hydrogen peroxide with a 1 to 2 ratio. Stir well until it mixes. The next steps are quite similar to other methods of red wine stain removal.
This time, you also need soapy water in a spraying bottle to complete the cleaning process. Here is the complete step-by-step guide for you.
- Using the corner of a clean cloth, apply the solution to the stained area by blotting it gently. Repeat as needed until the solution covers the entire stain.
- Allow the solution to seep into the fibers by letting it still for a few minutes. The solution will be able to reach deep stains on the carpet.
- Lightly spray the stained area using soapy water. After that, blot the stain with another clean and dry cloth. Repeat if needed.
- Once you completed the above steps, a red wine stain on your carpet will disappear. Now, its time to rinse the carpet and free it from any soapy residue. It can be done by blotting the carpet using a dry towel and warm water.
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Dish Soap And Hydrogen Peroxide
For this handy red wine stain removal option, all you need are two basic household items dishwashing liquid and hydrogen peroxide. Don’t forget that hydrogen peroxide is a bleaching agent , so this combo is best for light-colored items. Also, apply the solution to a small part of the stain before covering the entire affected area just to make sure the material is colorfast .
Since there’s no set rule on the ratio of peroxide to dish soap, you may have to do a little experimenting. Generally speaking, you should be good with three parts hydrogen peroxide and one part dishwashing liquid. Apply the mixture to the fabric and let it soak for at least an hour. The stain will likely begin to fade right away. You can dab the solution on the stained area if needed.
For clothing, once the stain is gone, feel free to put the item in the washing machine and launder as usual. If you cannot wash the clothing right away, rinse off the mixture completely to prevent it from weakening the fibers.
For furniture or carpet, you can rinse off the liquid solution with a clean wet cloth, let it air dry, and vacuum.
How To Get Red Wine Stains Out Of A Couch Carpet Or Clothes
Were relaxing with a glass of red after a long, hard day or a long, hard dinner with friends. Perhaps were getting just a little too relaxed. The glass tips, the wine spills, and suddenly theres a large red splash thats slowly blooming outwards.
The first thing to remember is dont panic! The last thing you want to do at this stage is start scrubbing at the stain. This might take out some of the colour, but its more likely to spread the stain and actually make the dye penetrate the fibres in the fabric more deeply.
That said, its important to act quickly. He who hesitates is lost, as someone once said , so dont leave the stain to dry.
Heres what you should do:
To make your own pre-wash for a red-wine stain, you can combine dishwashing liquid and hydrogen peroxide in a ratio of 1 part of the former to 3 parts of the latter. Apply it in the same way as the Napisan.
Whichever of these method you use, youll probably want to wash the item as normal afterwards.
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How To Remove Red Wine Stains From Couch
It can be great to relax after a long day with a nice glass of aged wine. That day can easily be ruined if you spill the wine on your couch. Luckily, most couch stains can be tackled in similar ways as with rugs and clothing.
Don’t give up on your couch without trying at least a few of the methods above. You can also keep from fumbling or overfilling your glass by picking up one of the best wine glasses with pour lines.
Getting Red Wine Off Of Kitchen Surfaces
Nothing soaks up dark-colored liquids like a porous wooden butcher block or cutting board. To get those stains out, wet the board, sprinkle the spot with salt, and use a cut lemon to scrub the salted surface, says Smallin Kuper. Then wash as usual and allow to dry. And if you have a grease spot on that boardor anywhere elselearn how to remove grease stains.
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Proper Steps To Remove Stains From Carpets And Couches
So youve got a red wine stained carpet and a nice splash of red wine on the couch. Youre taking care of it right now, and you didnt start scrubbing away like a mad man . Now what?
Tip #4: Apply a dry material that will lift the red wine out
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. These include:
Table saltSodium percarbonate, a.k.a. a granulated form of hydrogen peroxideDry soap powderTalcum powder, which is used for baby powderKitty litter
These dry materials will pull the red wine out of the carpet, but dont just start rubbing them in. Remember, you never want to rub the stain, regardless of what youve applied to it. Always apply the blotting method, even when it comes to cleaning up the salt or powder.
Let the salt , or any other dry, powdery material you use, settle for a few minutes. In some cases, this may be enough to actually remove the stain completely, especially if you acted fast enough. Otherwise, you may need to apply additional methods.
Guide To Cleaning Up White Wine Stains On The Carpet
White wine is one drink that is great to have whenever you are having a party or at a gathering in your home. It livens up the mood and gives it more of a happy atmosphere. It is refreshing and tasty which is why it is an all-time favorite among countless people.
One thing that you should take not of is to be careful when drinking white wine in your living room. This is because if you accidentally spill the wine on the carpet that it can create quite a problem that is really difficult to clean up. White wine stains are not rare since accidents and spills happen often especially when there are a lot of people in your home having a good time.
When you have a white wine stain on your carpet you should not panic just yet. You can get it out easily and effectively if you just do the right things. Here is a guide that will help you in cleaning up the white wine stains on your carpet with ease.
White wine left too long can ferment and leave bad odours. Hiring a professional steam cleaner such as Sani-Tech will ensure all the odour emitting bacteria has been eradicated!
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The Martha Stewart Method: How To Remove A Red Wine Stain
1. Spray diluted dishwashing-soap solution on the stain tamp with a soft-bristled brush. The first step of the removal process seemed simple enough, I filled my spray bottle with exactly 10 ounces of water and measured out 1 tablespoon of Pure + Clear Palmolive and sprayed the solution onto the stain. I then flushed with water and surveyed the stain: I was not impressed. The stain had lightened, turning a darker purple, less pink color, but it was obvious Id be doing a lot more than spritzing water and soap to get the stain out.
2. Apply vinegar, and tamp let stand for several minutes, and flush again. This next step was a bit of a head scratcher. Ive used vinegar to remove odors from fabric, and also used vinegar to set the color when dyeing fabric. But Martha told me to, so I proceeded. I let the vinegar soak into the fabric for 20 minutes and then flushed with water. It seemed to make the stain brighter, taking it back to a fuchsia color. I was definitely going to need to proceed to the next step.