How to get red wine out of carpet, fresh or set in

Step by step: how to get red wine out of carpet, fresh or set in

1. 1

   Blot the spill immediately

   Press white cloths or plain paper towels onto the wine and lift, switching to a clean one each time, until no more red transfers. Do not rub; rubbing spreads the wine and pushes it toward the backing. Work from the outside edge inward.

2. 2

   Cover a fresh spill with salt (optional)

   If the wine is still wet and you cannot treat it right away, pour table salt over the whole stain. It draws up liquid while you get supplies. Leave it until it turns pink, then vacuum it up thoroughly before going on.

3. 3

   Dilute with cool water or club soda

   Sponge a little cool water or club soda onto the spot and blot it right back up. This thins the wine so more of it lifts out. Keep the area damp, not soaked.

4. 4

   Blot with a mild detergent solution

   Mix 1 teaspoon of mild, clear dish detergent in 1 cup of lukewarm water. Apply it to a white cloth, dab the stain, and blot. Test it on a hidden spot first.

5. 5

   Follow with a vinegar solution

   Mix 1/3 cup of white vinegar with 2/3 cup of water. Dab it onto the stain and blot. Then repeat the detergent solution, and keep alternating while the stain keeps fading.

6. 6

   Rinse with clean water

   Sponge the area with plain water and blot until the cloth comes up clean. Any detergent left behind turns sticky and pulls in dirt.

7. 7

   Weight it down to dry

   Cover the spot with about 1/2 inch of folded white towels or paper towels and set heavy books on top. Leave it for 4 to 8 hours. Remove the stack, brush the pile up with your hand and let it air dry.

Which red wine carpet remedies actually work?

Fast blotting and dilution do most of the work; the remedy you pick matters less than how quickly you start. Here is how the common options compare.

The detergent, vinegar and weighting method comes from the University of Georgia Extension, which also suggests club soda for wine on carpet and a household cleaner such as 409 for what is left. Tide’s wine guide covers the salt approach for carpet: blot until no more wine transfers, cover the stain with salt, let it soak for a few hours, then vacuum.

How to get dried red wine out of carpet

Rewet a dried stain with cool water first, then work through the detergent and vinegar steps. Old wine stains usually need several rounds.

• Lay a cloth dampened with the detergent solution on the stain for 10 to 15 minutes to loosen it, then blot.
• On light-colored synthetic carpet, mix equal parts 3% hydrogen peroxide and clear dish soap, test it in a closet, then dab it on, wait about 30 minutes, blot, and rinse well. Tide suggests this mix for wine on fabric.
• Rinse every product out before you try the next one, and never add bleach.

If a pink shadow remains, a professional carpet cleaner has reducing agents made for tannin and dye stains. The Carpet and Rug Institute also recommends any spot cleaner be applied to a white cloth, worked from the edges to the center, and rinsed out with clear water.

Red wine on wool carpet or rugs

Treat wool gently: cool water, a wool-safe detergent and blotting only. Skip hydrogen peroxide, ammonia and heat, which can damage or discolor wool. Wool resists stains well if you blot fast, but a large or set stain on a wool rug is worth sending to a rug cleaner. See our wool rug guide for drying tips.

For wine on tablecloths and clothes, use our wine stain guide instead; fabric you can soak and launder has more options than carpet.

Mistakes to avoid

• Rubbing the stain, which spreads it and roughs up the pile.
• Pouring white wine on red wine; it only adds more liquid and sugar.
• Using hot water or a steam cleaner before the stain is gone, which can set it.
• Using bleach, which leaves a permanent pale spot on most carpet.
• Skipping the rinse, so detergent residue turns into a dirty ring.