Wednesday, July 10, 2013

How to Remove Red Wine Stains from Carpet




We’ve all been there.  You’re enjoying your evening entertaining friends at your home, and all of a sudden, there’s a gasp.  The room slows down to slow-motion as everyone’s attention is drawn to the glass of red wine that is propelling toward your carpet.  Then... T-minus 3, 2, 1... IMPACT.  An explosion of red wine spatters the surrounding ground zero.  

Not good.  

Well, it doesn’t have to be quite so apocalyptic.  Removing the red wine stains from carpet, upholstery, and other materials is possible as long as you follow the right steps.  

First, you can’t let the stain dry.  As with any other wet stain, once it dries, it will be much harder to get it out.  At this point, your only option may be to call in support in the form of a professional cleaning service.  However, assuming your stain is still wet, we recommend taking the following action.  


First, blot up as much of the spill as possible using a clean white towel.  Once you’ve removed as much of the red wine as you can, go to your pantry and grab some white vinegar.  

You can pour the vinegar directly on the stain if needed, but we suggest pouring the liquid into an empty spray bottle.  Just keep in mind, if you use an old spray bottle from say a window cleaner, you need to thoroughly rinse out any remaining cleaner in the bottle.  You’ll also want to put the spray hose back into the bottle, and clean out any remaining window cleaner by pumping the trigger and running fresh water through the hose and spray nozzle.  

Once you’ve poured your white vinegar into the bottle, spray a very generous amount of liquid directly onto the stain.  Be sure to do this on all the spots surrounded, and look for other explosion evidence on things like surrounding furniture, drapes, or clothing.  These smaller spots will dry faster, so it’s important that you douse them with the vinegar first.  

After applying a generous amount of liquid to the red wine stains, get a new, clean white towel and place it over the affected area.  You then want to stand on the towel and bounce up and down applying at least 250 pounds of pressure.  This will ensure you remove all of the red wine, down to the fibers at the bottom of the carpet.  

Once you’ve bounced 5-7 times, repeat the process applying more white vinegar.  Keep in mind, you’ll want to use a new section of the white towel. Then bounce. You can keep the music going in the background so your guests don’t loose their groove, and you have style while confidently handling this buzz-kill situation.  

You’ll want to repeat this process as many as 3-5 times until the stain is removed.  

Once the stain is gone, you’ll probably wonder about the smell.  It’ll go away as soon as the floor dries, so you can light a candle to cover the smell and go on with your evening.  Your friends now have a deep respect for your ability to quickly resolve even the worst of party faux pas.  That’s because you’re awesome.   

If the stain had a little more time to dry before you noticed it, you might have a tougher time.  In that case, you can try mixing one drop of hand dishwashing detergent with with your white vinegar mixture.  On this one, you’ll want to be sure and test first in a less noticeable spot of your carpet, and make sure the solution doesn't harm the color of the carpet.  Follow the Blot & Bounce approach above. 

If all else fails, call in reinforcements.  Professional carpet cleaners are highly trained and outfitted with the best gear for the job.  A red wine stain should be no sweat for them.  




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