Are you looking for how to clean red wine stains? Those stubborn little red spots that seem to cause a frantic bloodbath on everything: the carpet, your clothes, the floor, maybe even your sheets.
And have you ever heard from people around you say "red wine stains are impossible to get out"? That wearing that white shirt to the wine bar is the riskiest move ever?
Well, here is the ultimate winery secret to getting out those tragic red wine stains. Think about it, people who work in the wineries don't walk around with red stained clothes all the time... So something is proven to work...
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While working in Napa Valley in a winery I saw first hand how wineries combat those apocalyptic red wine stains.
(Not only that, I ended up taking this magical ingredient back home and cleaned ALL my coffee cups to where they literally sparkled)
You will learn the one tried and true cleaning agent to getting tough red wine stains out and exactly how to use it!
This post is all about how to clean red wine stains.
How to Clean Red Wine Stains
Can my red wine stain come out?
Yes, your red wine stain can definitely come out of your sheets, clothes, floor, carpets, and more. Use the cleaning agent below and following the steps below!
What cleaner is best for a red wine stain?
From working in a winery we used one ingredient religiously to clean any and all equipment, clothes, gear, etc. The best red wine stain cleaner is called sodium percarbonate.
Sodium percarbonate (not to get too crazy here) is a combination of sodium carbonate and hydrogen peroxide. When it is mixed with water it releases oxygen, which by some chemical process, makes it a great cleaning agent for laundry, stains, and more.
More about sodium percarbonate here!
Many household cleaners have some sodium percarbonate in them, but going straight to the source will yield better results.
Sodium percaronbate is considered a strong, but eco-friendly non toxic cleaner, plus it is more affordable than the leading cleaning brands with ZERO dyes or perfumes!
When it dissolves and decomposes it turns into oxygen and water making it a healthy alternative to other, harsher, cleaning products.
Other uses for pure sodium percarbonate:
- Removes stubborn stains and dirt from carpet and clothes
- Whitens grout
- Deep cleans roofs of houses
- Restores wood and decking by eliminating mildew, discoloration, weathering, etc, and restores vibrant colors.
- Cleans bathrooms, toilets, sinks, kitchens, etc
- Freshens the garbage disposal
- Clean couch cushions, curtains, and other upholstery
- And so much more!
Step by Step: How to clean red wine stains
Let's dive into how to use this red wine stain remover for when you get tough stains on clothes and fabrics, the carpet, or on your outdoor decking. Let's be real, these wine stains happen all over the dang place! Make sure to use protective gear when using sodium percarbonate.
Are you interested in natural wines?
For all my natural-loving ladies out there, I created this FREE guide to help you discover the art of ancestral wines!
It highlights the 3 top ancestral methods of making natural wines we still use today that you can go out and find! Trust me, you’ll love it!
Red Wine Stains on Clothes & Fabrics
We can use sodium percarbonate as a spot treatment or as a heavy-lifter in the washer machine.
For use in the laundry machine (for less gruesome stains):
- Use 1 tablespoon of sodium percarbonate for a decently full load, add 2 tablespoons for bit tougher stains
- Add your regular laundry detergent
- Run the washer as usual
For the ultra-tough red wine stains:
- Grab a bucket, fill with lukewarm-warm water
- Make sure to leave enough head space, sodium percarbonate likes to bubble!
- Add 2 tablespoons of sodium percarbonate
- Soak overnight, or for 6-8 hours
- Wash in the washer machine as usual
A great option for whitening/brightening fabric! You can also follow that same procedure for stained coffee mugs, stained wine glasses, stain wine decanters, and more!
For a spot treatment:
- Mix warm water with enough sodium percarbonate to make a paste, being cautious, sodium percarbonate likes to bubble
- Apply to the stain, use small scrubber to work in the product
- Allow to sit for 20 minutes
- Wash normally
Red Wine Stains on Carpet
Red wine in a carpet can seem like the end of the world, but with a little love and attention (and sodium percarbonate) you can lift the stains out and be well on with the rest of your day!
For a diluted solution:
- Add one tablespoon of sodium percarbonate for one gallon of warm water. Make sure to leave extra head space since it like to bubble!
- Perform a spot test on the corner of the carpet!
- Pour the solution into an empty spray bottle
- Apply a generous amount of the solution onto the red wine stain
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes
- Blot the stain with a damp cloth or paper towel
- If stain is still there, repeat
- Once the spot is dry, vacuum up any residue dried cleaning product
For a carpet spot treatment:
- Mix warm water with enough sodium percarbonate to make a paste, being cautious, sodium percarbonate likes to bubble
- Perform a spot test on the corner of the carpet!
- Use a scrubber, sponge, or cloth to rub the paste into the red wine stain
- Let sit for 20 minutes
- Use the scrubber or sponge and work the solution into the stain again
- Blot it with a damp cloth
- Rinse the damp cloth and repeat until all the solution is removed
- Once the spot is dry, vacuum up any residue cleaning product
Red Wine Stains on Couch
A very common red wine stain occurs on the beloved couch! Here are the step by step instructions on red wine stain removal on couch.
For a red wine stain on couch:
- Mix warm water with enough sodium percarbonate to make a paste, being cautious, sodium percarbonate likes to bubble
- Preform a spot test on a hidden piece of the couch.
- Apply the paste to the couch using a small, mini brush
- Allow to sit for 20 minutes
- Use a damp cloth to blot the affected area (or the test zone)
- If the stain still remains, repeat, but maybe increase your concentration of the sodium percarbonate.
- Allow to dry and vacuum up the residue!
For the spray bottle method:
- Add 1 tablespoon of sodium percarbonate per 1 gallon of warm water. Make sure to leave extra head space since it like to bubble!
- Add the solution into an empty spray bottle
- Perform a spot test!
- Apply a generous amount of the solution onto the stain
- Let sit for 5-10 minutes
- Blot the stain with a damp cloth
- If stain remains, then repeat
- Once the spot is dry, vacuum up any residue!
Red Wine Stains on Decking
Sometimes we spill red wine on our beautiful outdoor deck in the summer, but don't worry sodium percarbonate is going to be your best friend!
But, proceed with caution and understand it is a deep cleaner, meant to brighten the color of the wood and strip away weathering, dirt, and grime. If you use too much it will strip the wood of color in addition to the wine stains...
For wine stains on a deck:
It is recommended to use 1/2 cup of sodium percarbonate per one gallon of water when cleaning a deck. That is meant to clean the entire deck. Check out a transformational video here.
So start slow, use 2 tablespoons per gallon and slowly increase from there. It might turn out that you end up cleaning your entire wood deck!!
- Clear the area free from furniture, etc.
- Make your mixture: In a bucket of hot water, add 2 tablespoons of sodium percarbonate
- Apply using a pump sprayer or by dumping directly onto the red wine stain
- Allow to sit for 30-60 minutes, keeping the area wet. DO NOT LET IT DRY
- If it starts to dry, add more solution
- Using a wood-safe soft bristled brush gently rub the stain
- Gently rinse with a low pressure hose
- Make sure to rinse it ALL off
When working with sodium percarbonate, we need to still be careful and treat it as a heavy duty cleaner. So use precaution! But, once we learn how to use sodium percarbonate it can be the new go-to cleaner in your home.
Sodium percarbonate is tough on red wine stains, and is eco-friendly making it a great addition into your wine accessory collection. Not your average, or common, wine accessory, but it sure can come in handy!
This post was all about how to clean red wine stains.