Removing Wine Stains

What is the most effective way to remove wine stains?

Red wine stains are an occupational (?recreational) hazard for wine drinkers. It is difficult to know what to use to remove red wine stains without actually making them “fixed” in the material. 

How do you effectively remove stains from clothing, carpet, tablecloths, or napkins? In 2001 a study was conducted by the University of California, Davis, on wine stain removal. The Red Wine Stain Removal study was conducted by Natalie Ramirez, a participant in a special summer high school research program. The study compared eight cleaners, from commercial wine-stain removal products to folk remedies:

• 3% hydrogen peroxide mixed with an equal volume of Dawn® liquid soap

• Camco’s Erado-sol® laboratory cleaning solution (also called StainRx®)

• Gonzo “Wine Out®” Red Wine Stain Remover

• “Wine Away®” Red Wine Stain Remover

• Salt (applied only to 2 minute-stains, as it was used to absorb the liquid out of the fabric)

• Sauvignon Blanc white wine

• A solution of vinegar and Dawn® liquid followed by rubbing alcohol

• Spray ‘n Wash®, a pre-laundry spot remover made by Dow Corning

Spill on McDuff!