29 November, 2023
It happens again and again. The glass or bottle falls over and the red wine pours onto the upholstery or rug. Especially with red wine, the excitement is now great. If not acted upon quickly, the stains remain clearly visible. The entire upholstery or the beautiful rug must then be replaced. So that this does not become the consequence of the accident, there are some tips on how to remove these stains.
If you are present when the red wine spills, you can take direct action. Blot the area with dry paper towels or cloths. Make sure to always dab with the clean area. The cloth will ensure that the liquid does not spread further into the rug. You can also spread the paper towel flat on the stain and apply pressure with your whole hand. Then discard the paper and use a new one. When there is hardly any moisture left, you can move on to the next step. You can now spread white table salt on the stain, which remains moist. The salt not only absorbs the moisture. The acid also ensures that the stain fades.
You can also use traditional rug cleaners. Before you apply them to the dirty area, test a hidden area. Especially colored rug or upholstery can fade due to chemical cleaners. Only if you find that the colors of your rug do not fade, you can use the agent on a present area.
Besides rug cleaner and salt, there are other home remedies that can be used here. Use club soda to remove red wine stains. The carbonic acid it contains will cause the red wine to dissolve out of the fabric. Put some liquid on the stain and soak it up with a lint-free textile. Repeat the process as often as necessary until no more traces of red wine can be seen on the cloth and rug. If the victim was not the rug but a cushion, the cover can be completely cleaned afterward.
You can also remove red wine stains with milk. In this application, lactic acid becomes active. It has a strong decolorizing effect. Therefore, this method should be used only on white rug and fabrics. Otherwise, it could happen that a light stain remains. Removing red wine stains from the rug succeeds in this way with a white fabric. Drip some milk on the affected area. The lactic acid should surround the complete area. Otherwise, the moisture from the milk could cause the stain to spread further. Let the acid work until the trace of wine has dissolved.
Since acid makes the mishap invisible, lemon juice can also be used. The color contained in it can then be dissolved with water. Glass cleaner and shaving foam have a similar effect. It is especially important with the glass cleaner that it is absolutely colorless.
Often a small stain is noticed only later. It is already completely dried out. In this case, it is necessary to first moisten it again. You can do this with a little lemon juice. Then spread the salt paste on the affected area. As the salt dries in, it sucks the wine out of the tissue. Once it is completely dry, it can be brushed off with a clean brush or lint-free cloth. The vacuum cleaner will pick up any remaining grains of salt at the end.
If a glass of red wine tips onto the rug or upholstery, speed is of the essence. The tannins contained in the drink ensure that the affected fabrics absorb the color quickly. That is why fresh wine stains are easier to remove than dried red wine. In addition to the speedy reaction, it is also important to work with clean and lint-free clothes. Dry tea towels absorb liquid well. Afterward, however, traces of the wine may also remain visible there. Paper towels have the advantage that they are disposed of after use. They should only be used to dab at the stain, but never rubbed. Due to the local absorption, the tannins disappear into the paper. The next time they are touched, a new uncontaminated spot is selected. Several layers of kitchen roll, one on top of the other, can reinforce the suction effect. White pads, which are otherwise used to remove makeup, also absorb a lot of moisture. They can be used for splashes of red wine.
If a glass of red wine falls over, all households have the necessary means at hand. Paper towels, kitchen roll and even white toilet paper can be grabbed now. Quickly soaking it up will prevent most damage. Salt is also stocked in most households. This is just applied generously to the stain. Often a complete package is needed for this. Now the salt can continue the drying work. If a wine stain remains after the first treatment, the next action depends on the type and appearance of the rug. White ruging can now still be treated with milk. Stain removers should also always be matched to the color and material of the rug. You can find the right agent in retail stores and on the Internet.
