How to Take a Red Stain Out of Carpet

Red wine can easily stain a carpet.

Red wine, juice and fruit stains are generally feared by homeowners. Red stains are notoriously stubborn and can ruin the look of a light-colored carpet. While removing a red stain from your carpet may involve multiple treatments and a great deal of patience, with the proper cleaners and a careful technique, you should be able to get most red stains out and keep your carpet looking fresh and clean.

Things You'll Need

• White wine
• Clean white cloth
• Sponge
• Bleach, ammonia, commercial carpet cleaner or club soda
• Table salt
• Vacuum cleaner
• Dish soap
• Vinegar
• Water-displacement spray
• Steam cleaner

Instructions

Wet Stains

1. Pour a little bit of white wine onto the stained area, if you are cleaning up red wine. The chemical make-up of the white wine will dilute the color of the red wine and will make the removal process easier.

2. Blot the wet stain with a clean white cloth. Be careful not to rub or scrub the stained area, simply press down firmly on the stain to draw the wine out of the carpet. Repeat the blotting with a damp sponge. This method should lift much of the stain out of the carpet.

3. Spray the carpet with a cleaning solution of your choice. If your carpet is white, you will not have to worry about removing any dye, so you can choose to use diluted bleach or ammonia. For colored carpet, start with club soda or a commercial carpet cleaner that is safe for colored carpets. After spraying the stain, continue to blot with a clean cloth.

4. Spread a generous amount of table salt onto the wet stain if it still remains after blotting. Cover the salt with a cloth and put something heavy on top to weigh it down. Allow the salt to sit overnight. Vacuum up the salt in the morning.

Dried Stains

1. Mix some dish soap with water to create a diluted solution. Saturate a cloth with the solution and press firmly down on the stain for several seconds. Press a dry towel onto the stain to soak up the water.

2. Dilute one part vinegar into two parts water. Saturate a clean cloth in the solution and press it firmly onto the stained spot for several seconds.

3. Leave the stain for 10 minutes and blot again with a dry towel. Repeat the process until the stain is removed.

4. Apply a water-displacement spray to the stain if it remains. Spray the solution liberally and blot carefully. Repeat until the stain disappears. Once the stain is gone, steam-clean the carpet to remove any trace of the spray.

Tips & Warnings

• Test spray the cleaner you choose to use on an inconspicuous area to ensure that it doesn't discolor your carpet.

References

• Carpet Stain Removal: How to Remove Red Wine Stains from Carpet
• Mrs. Clean: Red Wine Stain Removal
• Housekeeping Here: Remove a Red Stain in the Carpet
• Mrs. Clean: How to Remove Red Stains from Carpeting