How to Remove Red Wine Stains From Fabric

There are some stains you hardly have to worry about right away and then there are those that need to be taken care of right away. Red wine stains would be in the latter category. From painstakingly washing the fabric by hand to simply tossing it into the washing machine, effective methods are available for getting rid of those dreadful red wine stains.

Difficulty:

Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need

• Landry detergent, laundry pretreatment or dish soap
• Clean sponge
• Washing machine
• Paper towels
• Hydrogen peroxide
• Towel or washcloth

1. Blot the stain immediately with paper towels. If it is a dry clean only garment do not pretreat the stain and get it as fast as you can to the cleaners. Pretreatment of the stain can cause irreversible damage and the dry cleaner may not be able to remove the stain.

2. Combine 1 teaspoon laundry soap or pretreatment (or dish soap, like Dawn) and 1 cup hydrogen peroxide in a small bowl. Soak a clean sponge in the mixture, squeeze it halfway dry, then gently blot the stain.

3. Place a dry towel or washcloth between the front and back of the garment if the stain has not penetrated through to the back of the fabric. This will prevent staining on the back of the material.

4. Review the washing instructions on the label of the fabric. Heed any special care instructions.

5. Wash in cool water and air dry if the fabric is machine-washable.

6. Wash gently in the sink with a mild detergent if the fabric is hand-wash only.

Tips & Warnings

• Always use white paper towels, as colored towels may stain.

• Avoid scrubbing or rubbing the stain excessively. This can cause the stain to further penetrate the fabric.