Tips on Removing Red Wine Stains from Carpet and Rugs

It’s the classic infomercial blunder: a full, deep red glass of wine splashes against the bright white carpet, covering it in a seemingly indelible burgundy stain. But don’t worry – all is not lost. Before you start ripping out your carpet, you can try these tips to restore it to its former splendor.

Tip #1: Act Fast and Act Decisively

The longer the wine sits on your carpet, the more likely it is to permanently stain. But don’t start going for the household cleaners just yet. The first thing you need to do is blot. Using cloth, rags, paper towels, and anything else you have handy, you should press down firmly on the stain. Do not rub back and forth. Your goal is to lift as much liquid as possible without spreading it. Only move on to the next step when your cloth is coming up dry.

Tip #2: Dilute the Stain As Much As Possible

Once you’ve taken up as much of the wine as you can, you should then pour cold water directly on the stain. Careful! Don’t pour so much that you spread the stain. Just apply enough water to saturate the area and then proceed to blot that water up. Repeat this process until the water starts coming up clear. You may still see a pale stain, but you’ll deal with that in the following step. Important note: do not use warm water or hot water during this process. That will actually make the stain penetrate more deeply.

Tip #3: Use Dry Powder to Pick Up the Rest of the Liquid

At this point, you’ve removed as much of the stain as you can through blotting and dilution. It’s time to dry it up. Use either baking soda or salt to soak up the remaining liquid. Thoroughly apply directly to the stain and then vacuum it up. One note: not all vacuums deal well with fine powders, so you may want to use the hose attachment.

Tip #4: Treat the Stain Using Household Cleaners

White vinegar is often used to remove stains from carpets. You can mix a single tablespoon of white vinegar with two cups of warm water. (At this stage you can use warm water rather than cold water because you are trying to penetrate the carpet to access the stain that has set in.) Optionally, you can also add another table spoon of dishwashing liquid or carpet cleaner. Pour this mixture on the stain and then blot the stain again until the stain has lifted. You may need to repeat the process of trying the stain completely and then treating it again a few times.

Naturally, there’s a catch involved here. This will only treat the visible stain. If you had a significant spill, it’s likely that the wine actually penetrated beneath the carpet and potentially into the padding. Over time, you’ll often find that stain coming back – especially if you use an at-home carpet cleaner, or you spill something on the carpeting again. The only way to truly get rid of a deep or set in stain is to have a professional clean it properly. The professionals at Power Pup Clean specialize in treating set in stains and odors. Give us a call to restore your carpets back to their natural beauty!