Often a splash of red on carpet can be a tiny reminder of a laid-back night in – although, when it’s your own carpet that’s at stake, it’s hard to be carefree about such a stubborn stain. Even though red wine on carpet can look like a crime scene, it’s usually not quite so serious.
Commercial wine stain removers are generally quite effective on red wine carpet – and you can even use general carpet cleaning products. Just make sure you follow the instructions and test the product out on a small patch of carpet first. If you don’t have a specialist carpet cleaner on hand when a spill occurs, there are some home solutions that do a great job of getting red wine out of carpet.
Red wine on carpet isn’t only a waste of a great drink – it can also be a nightmare to clean. The trick is to act fast, because the sooner you act, the easier it will be to clean.
How to Remove Red Wine from Carpet
Grab a clean cloth and blot up as much of the stain as you can. Be gentle and use a lifting motion to soak up the top layer and stop the wine from being pressed deeper into the carpet. You need to gently dab the stain rather than rubbing it.
Now apply your carpet stain remover, following the instructions on the label.
If you don’t have a stain remover on hand, there are a few more remedies you can try.
Believe it or not, more wine can actually be the answer to removing the stain. White wine can help neutralise red wine stains on carpet by diluting the colour and make it easier to lift the red wine out.
This technique also applies to soda water, and the carbonation helps lift the red wine from the carpet. Just pour it onto the stain and blot the moisture with a clean, damp towel or sponge.
Sprinkle a little salt onto the stain to help draw out the moisture. You’ll need to sprinkle enough to absorb the wine, then a little extra on top. The wine will actually soak into the salt and the size of the stain should shrink.