A moment's lapse of attention and it happens: The red wine glass tips over, the party comes to a brief halt and your eyes fall on your light-colored shirt, your favorite jeans or the fresh tablecloth. Removing stubborn red wine stains is one of those annoying mishaps where the first impulse is usually panic. But you don't usually have to fall into this trap. If you understand what happens in the fabric and why, you can get rid of most of these stains completely. With products that are guaranteed to be available in every household.
Our blog article shows you how to deal with fresh and dried red wine stains, what worksfor clothing and delicate fabrics, which home remedies really help and which mistakes you should avoid.
Briefly explained: Why do red wine stains stick so nastily?
Well, it is precisely this combination that is so problematic. Red wine contains so-called anthocyanins, i.e. natural color pigments that bond quickly and firmly with textile fibers. Added to this are tannins, plant tannins that act as natural fixatives. Heat accelerates this process considerably, as the tannins form a permanent chemical bond with the fibers from around 40 °C to 50 °C.
| The golden ruletherefore applies toremovingwine stains : No hot water, because heat fixes the stain permanently in the fiber. Only work with cold water, whether fresh or dried,on clothing, tablecloths or upholstery. |
Immediate measures: Remove fresh red wine stains from clothing
Every minute makes a difference. If you act immediately and correctly, fresh red wine stains can be completely removed in most cases. However, if you wait until the party or dinner is over, you make the stain unnecessarily comfortable.
Step-by-step instructions: Removing a fresh red wine stain
What you need:
- A clean cloth or kitchen paper
- Salt from the spice rack
- Cold water
- Washing-up liquid, bicarbonate of soda or a stain soap for pre-treatment
This is how you proceed:
- Dab off immediately: Dab off as much moisture as possible with a clean cloth or kitchen paper
.⮊ Do not rub! Rubbing pushes the stain deeper into the fibers and enlarges it. - Cold rinse: Rinse the garment immediately under cold running water
.⮊ The more pressure, the better, because the water rinses the pigments out of the fibers
. - Sprinkle salt: Apply a generous amount of salt to the still damp stain. The salt draws out the remaining moisture and color pigments. Leave on for 5 to 10 minutes, then shake off, do not rub in
. - Pre-treat: Apply bicarbonate of soda paste or a stain soap directly to the stain and work in gently. Leave on for 10 to 15 minutes
. - Washing: Machine wash at the maximum permitted temperature according to the care label.
- Check before drying: Only check that the stain is really out after washing
.⮊ ATTENTION: Never put a visible stain in the dryer, as heat permanently fixes what the wash cycle has not removed.
|
✔ The simple solution from bluu: With our bluu Stain Soap Stick based on olive oil and soapwort, you are prepared for any mishap. It is our reliable specialist for color-intensive stains and can easily removenasty red wine or coffee stains. |
Removing red wine stains: saving clothes & fabrics with household remedies
A quick trip to the kitchen is often enoughfor fresh wine stains . The good news is that you don't need a special product with aggressive chemicals that unnecessarily stress your textiles or leave questionable residues in the fibers.
Here is an overview of the most effective home remedies & when they work:
|
Home remedy |
Suitable for |
Application |
Please note |
|
Salt |
All fabrics |
Sprinkle onto the damp stain,leave on for5 to 10 minutes & shake off |
Never rub in |
|
Mineral water / Soda water |
All fabrics |
Pour on directly, the carbon dioxide dissolvescolor pigments |
Still water is less effective |
|
Baking soda / baking powder |
Clothing, Tablecloths |
Mix with water to form a paste, apply & leave on for 15 minutes |
Not for dark colored laundry (can lighten) |
|
Lemon juice |
White textiles |
Drizzle onto stain,leave onfor 15 to 20 minutes & rinse with cold water |
Not for Colored laundry Silk & sensitive fabrics |
|
White wine or sparkling wine |
Fresh stains on light-colored fabrics |
Pour directly onto fresh red wine stain & rinse immediately with cold water |
Not for dried stains |
|
Shaving foam |
Clothing, upholstery |
Apply to stain,leave onfor 5 minutes & dab off cold |
Not for silk, wool |
