How to Get a Red Wine Stain Out of a Shirt

The pigment in the grapes causes red wine to stain.

Red wine spilled on your shirt causes a stain due to the pigment in the grapes used to make the wine. While many shirts have been tossed into the trash due to red wine stains, there's no need for you to throw your shirt away. The key to the removal process is to tend to the red wine stain as soon as possible so the stain doesn't spread further into the fibers.

Things You'll Need

• Table salt
• 1 tbsp. hydrogen peroxide
• 1 tsp. liquid dish soap
• Bowl
• Sponge
• Laundry detergent

Instructions

1. 

   Table salt wicks up red wine stains from porous surfaces.

   Pour table salt on the site of the red wine stain on your shirt as quickly as possible after the stain occurs. As you gather and prepare other cleaning supplies, the table salt will wick up the red wine and prevent it from spreading into the fibers of your shirt.

2. Brush the table salt off your shirt into a garbage can or down the garbage disposal.

3. Combine 1 tbsp. of hydrogen peroxide and 1 tsp. of liquid dish soap in a bowl. Dab the peroxide solution onto the remaining red wine stain on your shirt using a clean sponge. Work the soapy peroxide solution into the fibers of the shirt with the sponge and allow it to soak for 15 minutes.

4. Flush the red wine stained area with cold water to remove the peroxide and detergent solution. Wash the shirt, according to directions, using laundry detergent. Check to make sure the red wine stain is fully removed before placing your shirt in the dryer since the dryer heat will set any remaining stain.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're out and cannot fully tend to the red wine stain on your shirt, dab at it with milk, club soda or even white wine to lighten and lift the stain as much as possible.

• Substitute baking soda or cornstarch for the table salt, if needed, to absorb red wine spilled on your shirt or other surface.

References

• Mrs. Clean USA: Red Wine Stain Removal
• Gourmania: Remove Those Red Wine Stains