Spilling wine on your clothes can be frustrating, but don’t worry – it is possible to get wine stains out! With some handy ingredients and techniques, you can save your favorite outfit.
What You Need
- White vinegar
- Dish soap
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Lemon juice
- Paper towels
- Small bowl
- Toothbrush
- Laundry detergent
- Color-safe bleach (optional)
Act Fast!
It’s important to treat wine stains as soon as possible before the stain sets in. The quicker you can get to the stain, the better chance you have of removing it completely.
Step 1: Blot the Stain
If the spill just happened, start by blotting the wine stain with a paper towel or clean cloth. Don’t rub it, as rubbing can spread the stain and push it further into the fabric. Gently dab at the stain to soak up as much excess wine as possible.
Step 2: Flush With Cold Water
Rinse the backside of the fabric under cold running water to flush out any wine. This helps prevent it from setting deeper into the fabric.<blank line>
Step 3: Make a Cleaning Solution
There are a few common household ingredients that work wonders to break down wine stains. Make one of these simple cleaning solutions:
- Vinegar solution: Mix equal parts white vinegar and cool water. Vinegar helps removes the pigments in wine.
- Dish soap solution: Add a few drops of dish soap like Dawn to some cold water and mix well. The soap helps lift the stain.
- Hydrogen peroxide solution: Mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 4 parts cold water. Its enzymes break down the wine’s pigments.
- Baking soda paste: Make a paste with 3 parts baking soda to 1 part cool water. Spread onto stain and let sit for 30 minutes before washing.
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Step 4: Apply the Cleaning Solution
Once you’ve selected your weapon of choice, apply the cleaning solution directly onto the wine stain using a clean cloth or toothbrush. Let it sit for a few minutes so it can break down the wine residue.
Step 5: Scrub the Stain
Gently scrub the fabric together to help loosen and lift the wine stain after the solution has sat. You can use an old toothbrush for stubborn spots. Take care not to damage delicate fabrics.<blank line>
Step 6: Flush with Vinegar
Rinse the back of the fabric with cool water again. For tough stains, do a final vinegar rinse – the acid will help remove any leftover pigments.
Step 7: Wash as Usual
Wash the item as usual with laundry detergent in the hottest water safe for the fabric. For whites, add some color-safe bleach for extra stain-fighting power if needed.
Step 8: Air Dry
It’s best to air dry stained items instead of the dryer. The heat from the dryer can set in any remaining traces of the stain. Hang or lay flat to dry.<blank line>
With some effort and elbow grease, you can get even set-in wine stains out following these steps! The sooner you can treat the stain, the better.
I hope this guide helps you save your favorite wine-stained clothes! Let me know in the comments if you have any other stain removal tricks.<blank line>
References
Wine Stain Removal Tips. Tide. https://tide.com/en-us/how-to-wash-clothes/how-to-get-stains-out/how-to-get-wine-out-of-clothes
How to Get Wine Stains Out of Clothes Fast. Good Housekeeping. https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/home/cleaning/tips/a24885/remove-wine-stains-may07/
Laura has had an enthusiasm for laundry ever since she was a teenager experimenting with wash cycles. She went on study textile science in college before working in product testing.
Soon, Laura found friends and family constantly asking her laundry advice, realizing she had become an unofficial laundry guru. The questions kept coming in, so Laura decided to start sharing laundry tips online to help more people. The enthusiastic response led her start the blog “Laundry How”.
Now in her late thirties, Laura uses Laundry How to tackle all kinds of laundry topics – stains, fabric care, detergents, and more. She provides advice from both her studies and experience testing techniques out firsthand. Laura continues to grow an engaged community of laundry learners, feeling fulfilled empowering people to make laundry an easy, confidence-building ritual rather than a dreaded chore.