Just when social hour is going swimmingly (even if it’s just you taking a break), it happens. Someone — even you — drops or knocks over a glass of red wine, and you watch in horror as it seeps mercilessly into your carpet. What to do? First of all, don’t panic. Reach for a smart solution to get that stain out, pronto.
1. “Rinse”
Okay, so you can’t exactly rinse your carpet or upholstery. But you can get the same effect with the right technique. Try spraying some diluted dishwashing soap right on the stain. Don’t worry about saturating it; ou’ll have a chance to soak some of that up and let it try.
Once you’ve sprayed it well, grab a soft-bristle brush and tamp it. Tamping is similar to blotting is an up and down “pounce” with your brush. It’ll help your soaking solution penetrate deep into the stain, and it’s actually more effective and less likely to spread the stain than scrubbing or rubbing.
2. Vinegar to the Rescue
After tamping, flush the stain again with clean water and spray it with vinegar. Tamp some more and let the solution sit for several minutes before flushing with more water.
3. Hydrogen Peroxide
Head to your medicine cabinet and grab your hydrogen peroxide. Pour it over the stain and let it stand. Be patient and let it sit for a while. When you come back, you should see improvement. If you need more power, a few drops of ammonia applied to the already-wet area can help knock out the rest of the stain. At this point, flush it with more water.
4. Enzyme Detergent
A good enzyme detergent can help you remove any remnants of the red wine stain. Follow the stain removal directions on the bottle. If color remains, you can use a powdered, sodium precarbonate that’s safe on colors. Then rinse again. Once the stain is removed, blot the water up with a clean cotton rag. You can also use a carpet cleaning machine to draw out the moisture, and set a fan on the spot.
