When people gather, it is common knowledge that spilled glass accidents can occur. To prevent any sort of crisis that could ruin your gathering, we are telling you everything you need to know about “how to remove red and white (and champagne!) stains” from different places around the house.
Before we get started, there is one thing you need to do: make sure to check your fabric labels for instructions. Be aware that each fabric has different instructions and that when a wine stain happens, you must act quickly, regardless of the colour.
How to remove white and champagne stains?
We all have a soft spot for special occasions. Why? Because, for instance, our loved ones can treat us to champagne bottles. But, if we are not careful, champagne and white wines can leave stains (like the red wines do) around the house. Although they look less apparent than the red wine spills, they need to be taken care of as quickly.
So, how do you remove white wine stains from clothes, upholstery, or carpets? Well, it is pretty simple. Moreover, we are here to guide you all through the steps. Of course, you should make sure to do them every time.
- Run cool water over the white wine or champagne-stained area
- Spot-clean the stain by dabbing on some all-natural laundry detergent
- If the fabric can be removed, put it in the washing machine (don't forget to read the label first)
- Rinse and repeat until the stain is no longer visible - and please, don’t give up!
How to remove red wine stains?
Red wine spills seem to insight panic amongst guests if a spilled glass accident occurs. But do not fear, just follow the steps all the way to the end (meaning until the stain is gone), and you will be fine.
Truth, red wine is harder to remove (but not impossible) because the pigments from red wine soak into the fabric fibres and start settling very quickly, no matter whether it’s clothing or carpet that needs treating.
Your goal is to lift the red wine off the fibres without scrubbing or heating the stain. If you scrub or heat it, you’ll risk making the red stain a permanent addition to the beautiful fabric… So, stay away from the dryer until it’s out.
Every time you want to remove some red wine stains, follow these easy steps:
- First, blot the stain with a clean all-purpose microfiber cloth. Make sure you dab, NOT RUB, the area because if you start scrubbing you’ll help the stain to settle in.
- Then, pick your favourite from salt, club soda, dishwashing liquid, oxygen bleach, white vinegar, or laundry detergent and apply it to the area.
Does salt remove red wine stains?
Yes, salt can help remove a red wine stain. It works by absorbing the wine and ‘pulling’ the liquid (and colour) away from any fabric it landed on. Give it a gentle scrub to loosen any remaining stain.
Of course, only sprinkle the salt once you’ve blotted the area. Then leave the salt for 2-3 minutes before rinsing with cold water. It might also help to leave it overnight. If the stain is still there after cold rinsing, repeat the process.
Top tip: Add soda water on the stain before the salt: this works wonders.
Using laundry detergent and Oxygen Bleach to remove red wine stains
The good news is that combo can change depending on our needs. You can mix dish soap and oxygen bleach in proportions from 1-1 to 3-1 (oxygen bleach to soap).
Once your solution is ready, test it out on a ‘not so obvious’ area of the fabric first, we wouldn’t want the bleach to take out any fabric colours by accident.
If everything looks good, you can go ahead and pour your mixture onto your red wine stain and leave it there. Check it every now and then to see if the stain has disappeared and if it hasn’t, add more of your mixture until it does.
Once the stain has vanished, wash the fabric as soon as you can (or rinse it in cold water and let that sit until you can reach a machine).
This method builds on the lifting effect that red wine needs, whilst breaking up the red colour - all without using harsh chemicals.
Finally, if you ever wonder what is oxygen bleach how to use it, we got you covered on our blog.
Using white vinegar and laundry detergent to remove red wine stains
You were asking for more tips. Here they are. This method is simple but also very effective. Start by covering the red wine spillage with white vinegar and then add some all-natural liquid detergent.
How does it work exactly? Well, the vinegar neutralizes the red pigments in the wine while the detergent cleans the fabric. It’s a double-action cleaning duo!
Finally, once you’ve got the mixture on the stain, you can wash the fabrics in hot water - see our guide on how much detergent to use, until the stain disappears.
How to remove white wine stains from upholstery and carpets?
Of course, using a washing machine here is impossible. But don't panic, we have the perfect method to help you get rid of unwanted wine stains.
Follow the steps just below and say goodbye to those white wine stains:
- Use an all-purpose microfibre cloth to soak up the remaining wine
- Spray some of the AspenClean Natural All-in-one Cleaner Concentrate mixed with water on top of the stain
- Blot the stained area until it is clean. Be very careful not to scrub or rub the area as they might damage your fabric.
- Allow the patch of carpet or upholstery to dry naturally. Do not use any kind of blow dryer!
How to remove wine stains from sheets?
Who never enjoyed a great book and a glass of wine in bed? Or chilling out, watching an episode of a TV series while drinking your last favourite wine? Those sound like the perfect afternoons/evenings. Unfortunately, a jump scare can involve some wine spilling on your sheets. Do not worry though because we’ve got this one down too.
- Don’t try and clean the stain while it’s still on the bed. Quickly strip the bedding which has been spilled on.
- Presoak the material with laundry detergent and oxygen bleach and let it sit for a few minutes.
- If you don’t see the stain vanishing during this time, add a bit more of the solution but keep an eye on it so you don’t end up bleaching the bedding too.
- After the stain has faded, go ahead and wash your bedding as you would for any other laundry day and it should come out completely stain-free.
We’re always here to help you find the right solution and you can also find more cleaning hacks or more information on how to choose the best eco-friendly products for your needs on our blog!
