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09/05/2003 Archived Entry: "Wiping Out Wine Stains"

Red wine can be one of the most impossible stains to remove. If you’ve ever tried to clean up a red wine spill using club soda, salt, baking soda, or any other of the frequently recommended methods you’ve probably found that your stain might turn pink instead of red but it’s still there.

Jennifer Rosen of the Rocky Mountain News has found three workable solutions to the problem:

For small items you can actually use milk to remove the stain. Put the soiled item into a saucepan and fill it with milk. Bring it to a boil and then remove from the heat. Let it soak in the pan and then rinse it when you can see that the stain is gone. This method definitely is of limited practicality. You’ll waste a lot of milk and you won’t be able to fit a throw rug in your average All-Clad sauce pan.

Shaving cream is moderately successful at cleaning up red wine pills on fabric. It’s a more practical solution for removing stains on larger items like carpets but it usually doesn’t completely eradicate the offending stain.

The perfect remedy for stains is a solution of two parts Hydrogen Peroxide to one part Blue Dawn dishwashing detergent. Just pour a small amount on the spot, scrub it slightly, and sponge it off. The results are virtually flawless, leaving no trace of a stain behind. It surprisingly works on even the most antiquated stains in your home.