How to Remove Red Wine Stains From Carpet, Felt, or Wool

Red wine, being an acidic solution, can pose a problem when removing a resulting stain from carpeting, felt, or wool fabrics. The following steps, though, should help you remove this problematic stain successfully.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Absorbent cloth
• Sponge
• Club soda or suds and warm water
• Ammonia and water

1. If the stain is new, blot the excess liquid immediately with an absorbent cloth.

2. Using a sponge, blot the stain with club soda. If the stain is old, however, use suds and water to lift the stain from the material. If this step proves unsuccessful, move to the next step.

3. Add some ammonia to some lukewarm, clear water. Rinse the stain with this solution. Ammonia is alkaline so it is useful in removing acidic stains like wine. If the fabric stained is wool, be careful. This material becomes rather delicate when one uses ammonia on it. Therefore, sponge and blot the stain using great care. This alternate method of removing red wine stains usually proves effective.

4. Lastly, allow the fabric to air dry completely.

Tips & Warnings

• The reason ammonia usually works on a stain like red wine is that, because of its alkalinity, it usually neutralizes the acid in the stain.
• Baking soda and water also act to neutralize the acid in red wine, but usually the combination is used on fabrics in clothing, such as cotton or linen.
• Remember, when you're removing red wine from wool, apply the substance with gently.