Blot the spill, then sponge it with cool water. That first rinse matters most in how to get red wine out of clothes. Your odds are best while the wine is still fresh. After that, rub in a little liquid detergent, soak the piece in a mild detergent and vinegar solution, and wash it. Keep it out of the dryer until the stain is completely gone.
Key Takeaways:
- Blot fresh wine right away, and don’t rub, since rubbing spreads it and pushes it deeper.
- Table salt on a fresh stain absorbs some of the wine. Follow it with cool water or club soda.
- A 15-minute soak in warm water with detergent and white vinegar is the next step.
- Dried stains can still come out, though you may need to try more than one method.
- Take anything marked dry clean only to a cleaner as soon as you can, and point out the stain.
Why red wine stains are so stubborn
Red wine is full of pigment, and the pigment is what stains. Wine Spectator says you have the best chance of avoiding a permanent stain if you clean up the wine while it’s still fresh. It also warns that dryer heat may set the stain for good.
The fabric matters too. A stain comes out of sturdy cotton far more easily than delicate silk, the magazine says. You may have to try a few methods before one works.
How to get red wine out of clothes, step by step
These steps come from the University of Georgia Extension’s wine stain guide, written for washable fabrics. Check the care label first, and test each product on an inside seam.
- Blot the spill with a clean white cloth or paper towel to soak up as much wine as you can.
- Sprinkle table salt over a fresh stain right away to absorb some of it.
- Sponge the area with cool water, or with club soda if you have it, and blot well.
- Rub in a little liquid laundry detergent, or a paste of powdered detergent and water.
- Soak the garment for 15 minutes in one quart of warm water mixed with 1/2 teaspoon of detergent and one tablespoon of white vinegar.
- Rinse with water and check the stain.
- If any color remains, sponge it with rubbing alcohol, then rinse thoroughly.
- Wash it with a bleach that’s safe for the fabric. Use chlorine bleach if the fabric can take it, and an oxygen bleach if it can’t.
- Air dry it, and repeat the soak if you can still see a mark.
UGA notes that rubbing alcohol may remove fabric dye, so test it somewhere hidden before you use it on a colored shirt. If you’re choosing between bleach types, our guide to laundry whitener vs bleach explains what each one does.
At a restaurant with no supplies, blot with a dry napkin and dab the spot with cool water from your glass. Then work through the steps when you get home.
How to get red wine out of white clothes
White cotton gives you one more option, hydrogen peroxide. Wine Spectator reports on a 2002 University of California, Davis study that tested home remedies on cotton, cotton-polyester blends, nylon, and silk. Many did no better than washing with laundry detergent. The best option overall was equal parts hydrogen peroxide and liquid dish soap.
To try it on a white shirt, mix the two in a small cup and work the blend into the stain. Let it sit for around 30 to 60 minutes, then blot and wash the shirt according to its care label. Peroxide is a bleaching agent, so keep it off colored fabric unless a hidden test spot stays the same.
Watch the color as you work. Wine Spectator warns that some cleaners can turn a red or pink wine stain blue, and there’s no guarantee the blue spot will come out. Test any new product on an inside seam first.
Mistakes that set red wine stains
Rubbing is the first one. It spreads the wine and pushes it deeper, so blot instead. Pouring white wine on the spill doesn’t help either. Wine Spectator says it can spread the stain and, at best, works no better than regular washing on most fabrics.
Heat is the other trap. The dryer may set the stain for good, so check the spot in good light before anything goes near heat. And never mix vinegar with chlorine bleach. The CDC warns that bleach and vinegar can release gases that damage your lungs, so rinse well between steps.
How to get dried red wine out of clothes
A dried red wine stain is harder, but you can still work on it. Wine Spectator lists the same fixes for wet or dry stains: an oxygen cleaner, club soda or white vinegar, or hydrogen peroxide mixed with dish soap.
Start by rinsing the stain with cool water to loosen it. Rub in liquid detergent and let it sit for a while, then soak the garment in the detergent and vinegar solution from the steps above. For red wine stain removal on white cotton or other colorfast fabric, follow up with an oxygen bleach product. Use the amount and timing on its label, and rinse well.
If the shirt already went through the wash and the dryer, heat may have set part of the stain. Repeat the soak and wash, and air dry between attempts.
For dry-clean-only pieces, skip the soak. Wine Spectator says to leave those to the pros. Take the piece to your cleaner as soon as you can, point out the spot, and say what made it. Our post on how to remove stains from dry-clean-only clothing explains what’s safe to try at home before you hand it off.
When the wine lands on something you can’t soak
If the wine landed on a dress or a holiday tablecloth, OrangeBag can pick it up from your door. On our dry cleaning list, priced by the piece, blouses are $11.45, dresses are $24.95, tablecloths are $43.95, and napkins are $5.55 each. Each order adds a $9.95 service fee and a $3.00 delivery fee. Dry cleaning isn’t currently available in San Fernando Valley, Glendale, or Silver Lake.
Note the wine stain when you book, since every order has room for stains and special care instructions. Washable clothes can ride along by the bag at $2.65 per pound. Every price is on our laundry and dry cleaning price list. The Los Angeles laundry pickup page shows how pickup works.
Red wine stain FAQ
Does salt get red wine out of clothes?
It helps on a fresh spill. UGA Extension suggests sprinkling table salt on a fresh wine stain right away to absorb some of it. Then sponge with cool water or club soda and blot. Salt is only the first step, so follow it with detergent, the vinegar soak, and a wash.
Does club soda remove red wine stains?
It’s one option. UGA says to sponge a fresh stain with cool water, or with club soda if you have it, and then blot. Wine Spectator lists club soda too. If all you have is plain cool water, use that. Either way, start before the stain dries, then pretreat with detergent.
Does vinegar remove red wine stains?
White vinegar works as part of a soak. UGA’s method mixes one quart of warm water, 1/2 teaspoon of detergent, and one tablespoon of white vinegar. The garment soaks for 15 minutes before you rinse it. Never mix vinegar with chlorine bleach, and rinse well between products.
Does baking soda remove red wine stains?
It can soak some of it up. Wine Spectator notes that some people cover a still-wet stain on delicate fabric with a thick layer of kosher salt, baking soda, or talcum powder. The powder absorbs pigment, and then you shake it off or blot it and wash. Follow up with detergent and the vinegar soak.
Can you get red wine out of clothes after washing and drying?
Sometimes, but it takes patience. The dryer may have set part of the stain. Rinse it with cool water, rub in liquid detergent, and repeat the vinegar soak. On white cotton or colorfast fabric, follow up with an oxygen bleach product and wash again. Air dry between attempts, and take dry-clean-only pieces to a cleaner instead of soaking them.
Wine on your favorite shirt?
Note the stain when you book and leave the bag at your door. We’ll bring everything back clean and ready for the next dinner.
