Red wine goes great with a meal, but those stains do not pair well with your clothes.
When that sneaky drop of merlot lands on your favorite dress, let Tide show you how to get red wine out of clothes. Whether it’s a dark spot of red or a dribble of stray white or rosé, wine stains are tough—but not impossible—to remove. Your clothes and table linens can be good as new again with these simple red wine stain removal tips from Tide.
Pour
Pour club soda or cold water onto the wine stain.
Remove Excess
Blot with an absorbent cloth.
Pretreat
Pour Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid Detergent onto the stain, and either rub the fabric together gently, or use a soft-bristled toothbrush to work the detergent into the fibers of the garment. Let it stand for 5 minutes before rinsing again with cold water.
Dose
Use the cap to ensure you use the right amount of detergent and pour it into the detergent dispenser if you have an HE machine or directly into the drum before loading the clothes if you have a non-HE machine.
Wash
Wash on the usual cycle with Tide on warm. Always be sure to follow the instructions on your garment’s care label.
Unload
When the wash cycle is complete, unload the garments immediately.
If the stain persists after washing, repeat the previous steps before tossing in the dryer because drying will set the stain.
If last night’s wine-tasting left a nice merlot stain on your favorite blouse, don’t worry! Tide has plenty of great tips on how to remove wine stains. But don’t forget, always consult the care label on your stained garment before trying any of these tips as not all fabrics are created equally! If the garment is especially delicate or very important to you, you may want to seek a professional clean.
For a fresh red wine stain, create a cleaning solution mixing three parts hydrogen peroxide and one part Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid Detergent. Apply directly to the red wine stain, allowing it to sit for half an hour to an hour. Blot the stain clean with a white cloth, then machine wash using Tide Detergent. If the stain persists, repeat the process until you’re satisfied, then allow the garment to air dry.
If you have a red wine stain that has dried or set, don’t despair. With a mixture of three parts hydrogen peroxide and one part Tide Ultra Stain Release Liquid detergent, you can fight even the toughest red wine. Always be sure to test the mixture in a small, inconspicuous area of the fabric beforehand. Apply the mixture to the red wine stain, blotting gently with a clean white cloth. Then allow the solution to sit on the stain for up to an hour. Blot the mixture clean and rinse with water, repeating if necessary. Once satisfied, you can wash the garment as you normally would.
There are few things worse than a red wine stain on white clothing, but if you act fast while the stain is still fresh, you can keep those whites bright as new. First cover the stain in white vinegar to neutralize the red pigmentation of the wine. Next, rub in some Tide Plus Bleach Alternative before machine washing on the hottest water setting allowed by the garment’s care label. Repeat if necessary before allowing the garment to air dry.
If you’ve got a red wine stain on your carpet or rug, first blot as much of the stain away as you can with a clean white cloth or paper towel, switching to a clean cloth after each blot until no more wine is transferred. Cover the entire stain with salt until the stain is no longer visible. Allow the salt to soak up the stain for a few hours, then use a vacuum to remove the salt.
Mix equal parts clear dishwashing soap, like Dawn, and hydrogen peroxide. Apply this mixture to the stain, allowing it to soak in for at least half an hour. Rinse with water and repeat the process if necessary. Finally, machine wash with your favorite Tide Detergent and allow the garment to air dry.
Tablecloths are great for protecting dining room tables, but they often take the brunt of family dinners, easily becoming stained by drinks, desserts, or messy children. For stains on your tablecloth, boil some water in a kettle or pot. While you’re waiting for the water to boil, stretch the stained area of your tablecloth over a glass bowl in your sink, securing it with a large rubber band. This should keep the stained area taut. When the water boils, pour it directly onto the fabric, which should wash the stain out and into your glass bowl.
Using white vinegar and Tide Ultra Stain Release is a great way to remove red wine stains from clothing. Of course, you should always check your garment’s care label and spot test your cleaning solution on an inconspicuous area of fabric to ensure there’s no damage. First, cover the stain in white vinegar to neutralize the red pigments of the wine. As soon as you’ve done this, rub in some Tide Liquid Detergent and launder in the hottest water recommended by the garment’s care label.
Even though bleach can be harsh and damaging to many fabrics, particularly ones colored with dyes, bleach remains one of the best ways to get a red wine stain out of white fabric. Simply soak the stain in the bleach for about ten minutes and machine wash in the hottest water setting allowed by the garment’s care label. Repeat if necessary before drying.
Baking soda is a fantastic way to soak up and break down a red wine stain. Blot the stain with a clean white cloth or paper towel first to soak up as much excess as possible, switching to a clean cloth until no more wine can be lifted. Next, make a paste of baking soda and water then cover the stain with the solution. Allow it to sit on the stain until dry, then remove with a vacuum or brush. For clothing, machine wash in the hottest water setting allowed by the garment’s care label and air dry.
Red wine, specifically, will stain fibers if it's allowed to sit for too long and exposure to heat can render these stains permanent. To deal with these stains, you need a detergent that can dilute the stain, lift it, and wash it away in one step, without rubbing. Tide Ultra OXI High-Efficiency Liquid Detergent is the result of years of laundry know-how and uses built-in pretreaters to help get your favorites back to their pre-pinot stain glory.
Wet a cloth with cold water and blot the stain or run cold water through the back of the stain. If available, use Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover.
Remove the excess residue from the wine stain.
Press the tip of the Tide to Go Instant Stain Remover onto the stain several times to release some of the stain remover solution.
Rub the tip gently across the stain to remove it. If necessary, add more liquid and continue to rub gently.
Important: If the treated area is exposed to direct sunlight, then wipe with a damp cloth or a napkin to remove excess solution.
Liquids have the annoying habit of dripping everywhere, and the next thing you know, you've just spilled your glass of wine down your shirt. Luckily, Tide has you covered when it comes to stain removal—from wine stains to other liquid stains like beer, coffee and tea.
Tide can help you with the cleaning by managing tough stain removal and making your whites whiter.
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