How to remove wine stains from clothes, carpet and tablecloths, even dried ones

The short answer: for how to remove wine stains, blot the spill, salt fresh red wine, rinse from the back with cool water, then soak 15 minutes in warm water with a little detergent and white vinegar.

• Soak mix: 1 quart warm water, 1/2 teaspoon detergent, 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• Wash on the warmest setting the care label allows
• Air-dry until the stain is completely gone
• Fixes for carpet, tablecloths and dried stains
• Next step: Plan it with the Cleaning Schedule ($4.49).

You can remove most wine stains if you act before the stain dries and before anything goes in the dryer. To remove wine stains, blot the spill, sprinkle fresh red wine with table salt, rinse from the back with cool water or club soda, then soak 15 minutes in 1 quart warm water with 1/2 teaspoon liquid detergent and 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Rinse, wash on the warmest setting the care label allows, and air-dry until the stain is completely gone.

That's the short version. Below is the full method for clothes, a fabric-by-fabric table, what to do with a dried stain, and steps for carpet, tablecloths and upholstery. There's also a small stain kit for holiday hosting, since dinner parties are when most wine ends up where it shouldn't.

For other marks in the same laundry load, use the stain remover guide to match each spot with a suitable treatment.

Fast method for fresh wine stains on clothes

The University of Georgia Extension's wine stain removal steps are the base for this method. Speed matters most.

1. Blot, don't rub. Press a white towel or paper towel on the spill to lift as much wine as possible. Rubbing pushes it deeper.
2. Salt fresh red wine. Sprinkle table salt on the wet spot to soak up liquid, then brush it off.
3. Rinse from the back. Hold the fabric stain-side down under cool running water, or sponge with club soda. Flushing from the back pushes the stain out the way it came in.
4. Soak 15 minutes. Mix 1 quart warm water, 1/2 teaspoon liquid dishwashing or laundry detergent and 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Submerge the stained area.
5. Rinse and check. Rinse with water. If a pink or purple shadow remains, dab with rubbing alcohol after testing it on a hidden seam, since alcohol can remove some dyes.
6. Wash with the right bleach. Launder in the warmest water the label allows. Add oxygen bleach for colors, or chlorine bleach only if the fabric is bleach-safe.
7. Air-dry and inspect. Look at the spot in good light. Repeat the soak if you see any trace. Don't use the dryer until it's gone.

At the table, steps 1 to 3 take a minute or two. Do those right away, then finish the soak and wash after guests leave.

How to remove red wine from clothes by fabric

Always check the care label first. If it says dry clean only, blot, skip the water and take it to a cleaner quickly. Tell them what the stain is.

The University of Kentucky's stain removal guide for washable fabrics groups wine with tannin stains like coffee, berries and fruit juice. It says detergent and hot water usually remove them when the fabric allows hot water, and old tannin stains may need bleaching.

How to remove dried or set-in wine stains

A dried wine stain isn't hopeless. It just needs more time.

1. Rehydrate. Run cool water through the back of the stain for a minute.
2. Pretreat. Rub liquid laundry detergent into the spot and let it sit 15 minutes.
3. Soak longer. Use the detergent and vinegar soak for 30 minutes, then rinse well.
4. Oxygen bleach soak. For colorfast fabric, soak in oxygen bleach mixed by the package directions. Several hours or overnight often helps old stains.
5. Wash and air-dry. Wash warm if allowed, then check the spot before drying.
6. Repeat. Old stains often need two or three rounds.

If the stain went through the dryer, follow the same steps. It may fade more slowly. Don't iron the area, because the UKY guide warns that heat sets stains.

How to get wine out of carpet

The University of Georgia Extension also gives a carpet method. Use as little liquid as you can so the backing and pad stay dry.

1. Blot up as much wine as possible with white towels. Work from the outside of the spot inward.
2. Mix 1 teaspoon mild, neutral detergent in 1 cup lukewarm water. Sponge it on and blot.
3. Mix 1/3 cup white vinegar with 2/3 cup water. Sponge on and blot.
4. Repeat the detergent and vinegar steps until no more color transfers to the towel.
5. Sponge with plain water and blot to rinse.
6. Fold a clean towel several layers thick, lay it on the spot and weigh it down with heavy books for 4 to 8 hours.

Test both solutions on a hidden corner first. Wool and natural-fiber rugs may need a professional. For overall carpet care, see our guide to how to clean carpet.

How to remove wine stains from tablecloths and napkins

Holiday linens take the most hits. A plan keeps them from becoming a January problem.

• During the meal: blot and salt the spill, and lay a napkin over it if you can. You don't need to stop dinner.
• Right after: strip the table, shake out crumbs and flush each stain from the back with cool water.
• Soak overnight: use the detergent and vinegar soak, or oxygen bleach for colorfast cloths.
• Wash and line-dry: check each stain before anything goes in the dryer.
• Store clean: wine and food left on stored linens can darken over months.

If you're planning the table now, our guides to how to set a table and hosting Christmas dinner on a budget cover the rest. Serving drinks? Our Christmas cocktails list has ideas you can batch ahead, so you're not pouring at the table all night.

How to remove wine from upholstery

Upholstery is trickier because you can't flush it from the back.

1. Blot right away and keep blotting.
2. Read the furniture's care tag. Some fabrics are meant for water-based cleaners, and some are not.
3. Test the detergent solution on a hidden spot, like the back of a skirt or under a cushion.
4. Sponge lightly, blot and repeat. Don't soak the cushion.
5. Rinse with a damp cloth and blot dry.
6. Call a professional for velvet, silk or dry-clean-only pieces.

Common mistakes that set wine stains

Most stubborn wine stains aren't caused by the wine itself. They come from what happens in the first hour.

• Rubbing hard. Scrubbing spreads the stain and roughs up the fibers, which holds more color. Blot and flush instead.
• Hot water first. Rinse cool, then wash warm only after pretreating.
• Colored vinegar. The UKY guide says not to use colored vinegar because it can leave its own stain. Use plain white vinegar.
• Waiting until tomorrow. A quick rinse at the sink buys you time, even if the full soak happens after guests leave.
• The dryer "just to check." Heat locks in whatever is left. Air-dry and look in daylight.
• Too many products at once. Layering cleaners wastes time and can be dangerous. Use one method, rinse, then try the next.

If you're tired at the end of a party, do only the cool rinse and leave the item soaking in plain cool water overnight. That one step makes the morning treatment much easier.

Wine stain types and what changes

For greasy spots without wine, see how to remove oil stains from clothes; a detergent-first method works better. For pen marks, see our guide to how to get ink out of clothes.

Cost and time by method

The costs are rough estimates using products most homes already have.

Safety rules for wine stain removal

• Never mix bleach with vinegar or ammonia. The Washington State Department of Health explains that mixing bleach with ammonia or acids like vinegar releases toxic gases. Rinse the vinegar soak out completely before using chlorine bleach.
• Test a hidden spot first. Alcohol, vinegar and bleach can all change some dyes.
• Follow the care label. It tells you the safe water temperature and whether bleach is allowed.
• Skip the dryer and iron. Heat sets stains. Air-dry until you're sure the stain is gone.
• Ventilate. Open a window when you use alcohol or bleach.

Build a holiday stain kit before guests arrive

Most wine spills happen at the table, so keep a small kit where you can grab it. As someone who loves cooking and hosting, I'd rather spend thirty seconds on a spill than the evening worrying about the tablecloth.

• White paper towels and two white cloths
• Table salt
• Club soda or a pitcher of cool water
• Liquid laundry detergent
• White vinegar in a labeled bottle
• Oxygen bleach for the next morning

Add "check linens for stains" to your post-party list. The Cleaning Schedule ($4.49) has daily, weekly, monthly and seasonal lists, so stain checks and linen care get a regular slot instead of getting forgotten.

Hosting the whole season? The Holiday Season Bundle ($15.99) includes the Cleaning Schedule, a meal planner, the Christmas Budget & Gift Planner and three more tools. Browse the Home shop or the holiday shop. Before the doorbell rings, our guide to cleaning house before holiday guests covers the rest of the prep, and the laundry schedule keeps linens moving afterward.

The short version

Blot, salt, rinse cool from the back, soak in detergent and vinegar, and wash with the right bleach for the fabric. Keep it out of the dryer until it's gone. Most wine stains come out, even the ones you find the next morning.