How to remove wine stains

We are sure that on more than one occasion you have stained yourself with a few drops of red wine. It’s a risk that we are happy to run because we can enjoy a good red wine, but sometimes it can spoil the evening or the plan. Don’t panic! Here are some very useful tips to get rid of them. To avoid staining the tablecloth, at Bodegas Murillo Viteri we provide our customers with anti-drip drop-stop sheets. But there are times when we get careless and end up with a stain on our clothes… Take note of the following home remedies and never worry about those stains again.

First of all, remember that in these cases, speed is a key factor. You should act as quickly as possible so that the wine does not soak in. It is also important not to rub. When the wine falls on the tablecloth, carpet or clothes, the first thing to do is to try to absorb as much as possible with napkins. Then attack the stain with one of the following techniques.

Salt

If the stain is still wet, the best thing to do is to apply salt, as it absorbs the stain. It is very useful when soiling carpets or tablecloths, as it helps to prevent the stain from spreading through the fibres. But be careful, don’t leave it on for too long either, as it can be counterproductive and end up setting more. Afterwards, you should clean with soap and hot water.

Milk

When the stain is dry, it is usually more difficult to make it disappear. But with this home remedy it will come out without much effort. Soak the clothes in hot milk and let it soak for a while. Then rub with a little hydrogen peroxide or active oxygen mixed with soap.

White wine

White wine stains are the least feared, as it is a more neutral colour and easier to clean. To make them disappear, rub them with alcohol and that’s it. If that doesn’t work, add a little lemon juice and salt.

But white wine is also a good ally to remove red wine stains, as the tannins in white wine help to neutralise them. You should dampen a cloth or sponge in white wine and apply small dabs on the stain (remember, no rubbing!). Then wash it in the normal way.

Boiling water

If you don’t have any of the above products to hand, simply use boiling water. You will need to stretch the fabric and pour the boiling water over it until it disappears. You may need to repeat this a few times, but it will work. Simple and easy.

Detergent and hydrogen peroxide

Mix 3 parts liquid detergent to 1 part hydrogen peroxide. The result will be a liquid capable of removing the most dreaded red wine stains. Soak the fabric with this mixture, wait, and repeat until it disappears. Of course, we recommend using this remedy only for white or very light garments, as hydrogen peroxide can remove colours.

Baking soda and vinegar

Another alternative to remove wine stains is to use baking soda and white vinegar. After drying the wine and removing the moisture with napkins, pour the baking soda over the wine until the whole area is covered. The stain will turn a greyish colour. You will have to dampen a cloth with vinegar and wipe off the remains.

We hope you find these homemade tricks to remove wine stains useful, a price we must pay from time to time for spending so many good moments with wine 🙂

Rioja Wines – Bodegas Murillo Viteri