Red wine stains on the carpet? Here's how to get rid of them

Oh no—a red wine stain! At first, it’s a real shock—how on earth are you supposed to get that intense color out of your favorite rug? Don’t panic—it’s not impossible. In this post, you’ll learn which household remedies and handy tools can provide first aid for red wine stains on your rug.

Table of Contents

• Cleansing with Shaving Foam
• Cleaning with Salt
• Cleaning with Alcohol
• Cleaning with soap and laundry detergent
• Cleaning with Bile Soap
• Cleaning with Vinegar and Lemon
• Cleaning with glass cleaner

First, there’s the method I mentioned earlier, which involves using shaving cream to remove stains. Shaving cream is actually meant to moisturize facial hair during shaving and make it softer. It works in a similar way with carpet fibers. While men’s skin is meant to be pampered by numerous additives, these additives in shaving cream are more of a hindrance when cleaning carpets. Here, it’s really just a matter of loosening the dirt so it can be absorbed afterward. That’s why you should choose a foam without additives when shopping. Since there’s always a chance that some shaving foam residue might remain in the carpet, it makes sense to try other methods first. This also applies to soap or carpet cleaners. Dust and dirt particles can cling more easily to any residue in the future.

Of course, aside from the type of carpet fiber, the nature of the stain should be the deciding factor in which home remedy you try. For fresh red wine stains—just like with clothing—you should actually use salt. Remember: This only works on fresh, still-damp stains! If the salt turns reddish, you should gently blot it from the outside in. Please don’t do it the other way around! Otherwise, the stain will just get bigger and bigger.

If the spill happened a while ago, try using white wine. Sparkling wine is also said to work well. If you’re not entirely comfortable using alcohol, you can try one of the following methods in addition to sparkling water. These methods are not only said to remove old red wine stains from carpets, but they’re also effective on sofas, couches, and various types of upholstery.

Dissolve some dish soap, liquid soap, or laundry detergent in cold water and pour it into a spray bottle. Don’t use too much, because—just like with shaving cream—some residue will remain in the carpet, which can then act as a magnet for dirt. Then spray the area generously and let it soak in for about thirty minutes. Afterward, blot the carpet dry with paper towels. For stubborn stains, you’ll probably need to repeat this several times.

Another home remedy for removing old red wine stains from carpet is gall soap. You might remember: Our grandmothers’ generation swears by it. If you want to try this remedy, apply the gall soap to the stained area using a cloth, let it sit for fifteen minutes, and then blot it up with a paper towel. Next, spray the stain with cold water from a spray bottle. Please don’t just pour water on it, because it’s important that the moisture is applied evenly and not too heavily. Then blot the area with a paper towel, and the stain should be gone.

You should also expect a fifteen-minute wait if you use vinegar or lemon as a home remedy to remove older red wine stains. Apply the undiluted solution to the stain with a cloth, then moisten it with water, and after letting it sit, blot it up with paper towels.

A lesser-known method for removing red wine stains is to use colorless glass cleaner. Spray the glass cleaner on the stain and let it sit for about half an hour, then blot it up with a paper towel. Be sure to use colorless glass cleaner—otherwise, you’ll no longer have a red wine stain on your carpet, but you’ll end up with a stain of a different color.