Vines and wines: Getting rid of wine stains

Oh, those dreaded wine stains.

We’ve all had to deal with them, those drops of red on a white piece of clothing or that arrow of red splashed across 2 feet of rug when someone knocks over a full glass.

How to get rid of them?

Home remedies abound — pouring club soda or white wine on a wet red wine stain; using salt, milk or just plain old water. Even kitty litter.

First, two rules: Blot, don’t rub. Blot before, blot during, blot after. Blotting absorbs; rubbing forces the wine into the fabric. Second, use your remedy quickly. Once the stain starts to dry, removal is more difficult.

As for those remedies, several have been tried successfully at Chez Berninger.

• White wine: Don’t break out that $45 chardonnay. Cheap white wine works just fine. It helps neutralize the red wine. Generously soak the stained area. Gently blot.
• Club soda: Use generously. Gently blot. Some think the carbonation helps take away the stains.
• Salt: Grab the salt shaker and generously pour salt on the stained area. Salt will absorb the stain. Brush it off and rinse with water.
• Water: Rinse quickly, heavily and repeatedly with plain tap water, first cold, then hot. If caught immediately and the stain is light, this is the easiest solution.
• Kitty litter: We’ve used it on icy sidewalks and in the bottom of votive candle bags, but never on wine. You’re on your own with this one.

If you’re leery of home remedies, then go with a commercial product.

Richmonder Julie Brantley, who says she’s had ample opportunity for cleaning up wine spills, uses a couple of products and a well-tested plan.

Step 1: Dab the wine spill with paper towels to get out the excess liquid.

Step 2: If carpet, spray with Woolite Stain Solutions for Protein and Liquid stains.

Step 3: Work the spray into the stain and use paper towels to press down and remove the stain.

Step 4: If there is still some color residue left, reapply and continue to press the area hard with paper towels.

“For clothes — and carpet, if stain is still there after steps 1 through 4 — I use OxiClean pretreated gel stick on the stai n and soak — or dab with — in a mixture of warm water and OxiClean stain remover powder,” she said.

Margaret Coleman uses a pet product called Resolve. “Spray it on, then blot it,” she said.

Yet another product is Wine Away. It worked extremely well recently on one of those 2-foot-long streaks on a light blue-and-white carpet and has worked in the past on clothing. It is made from fruit and vegetable extracts, contains no bleach and is available in many wine shops.

If the remedies don’t work 100 percent or the stain has been dry for days before you discover it, oftentimes the best solution is to call a professional for rugs and take clothing to a professional cleaner.

But how to prevent those wine spills in the first place? Sippy cup, anyone?

Posted: Wednesday, September 16, 2015 10:30 pmBY JACK BERNINGER | Special correspondent

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