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Removing red wine stains
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Removing red wine stains
Red wine is a classic that always comes at the wrong time. A glass knocked over on the rug, a splash on the sofa during a party or a drop running down the table onto the floor. Red wine stains immediately and can soak in quickly, especially in fabric. What makes it even more annoying is that the stain sometimes seems minor at first, but after drying, you suddenly see a purple or reddish-brown shadow, especially on light-coloured materials.
With red wine, it’s all about reacting quickly and smartly. Not by scrubbing, but by removing the wine from the material as quickly as possible without making the stain bigger.
Voor deze vlekken geldt hetzelfde advies: Red Wine, White Wine, Wine Stain, Wine, Rosé, Champagne, Asti Spumante, Asti
Characteristics (anatomy) of a red wine stain
Red wine contains strong colourants that easily adhere to fibres. It also contains natural acids and sugars. The dyes penetrate the fibres of the fabric and can leave a permanent stain if you are too late. Sugars can leave a sticky residue, causing the area to attract dirt more quickly and appear darker. On hard floors, red wine often remains as a thin, coloured layer on the top layer, but can remain in the structure and seams. Incorrect actions, such as using hot water or rubbing vigorously, can actually set the colour deeper or spread it further.
Removing red wine stains from carpets or rugs
Carpets and rugs are very sensitive to red wine because the liquid sinks between the fibres very quickly. As a result, the stain sometimes appears smaller on the surface than what has actually been absorbed into the material. Especially with deep-pile rugs or thicker carpets, red wine can sink deeper, resulting in a larger stain than you initially expected. This is particularly noticeable on light-coloured carpets, as the dyes leave behind a distinct pink, purple or reddish-brown tinge.
What makes red wine particularly difficult is the combination of strong colourants and residues that remain after drying. The colour may spread around the stain like a kind of haze, especially if pressure is applied by walking or if you use too much moisture. After drying, you often see a clear edge, because the liquid has been drawn outwards during the drying process. In addition, sugars in wine can cause a slightly sticky feeling, which makes the area attract dirt more quickly and appear darker over time.
When dealing with carpets and rugs, it is important to note that rubbing or unnecessarily wetting the material can easily cause the stain to spread. Too much moisture causes a ring to form more quickly, and the dyes can spread further through the fibres. It is also important that the area does not remain damp for long, as this increases the chance that residues will continue to adhere and the shadow will remain visible. Red wine is a stain where you often only see what is left behind once it has dried completely.
Treat with James Stainwonder
This stain can be treated with James Stainwonder. All you need is a bottle of James Stainwonder!
- Test for colour and material resistance in an inconspicuous area: apply, let it dry completely and evaluate.
- Allow the surface to dry completely.
- Apply James Stainwonder to the dry stain by turning the bottle upside down, placing the opening of the bottle on the stain and treating the entire stain.
- The product works for 12 hours, so the effect does not have to be visible immediately.*
- Is the stain not completely gone after treatment, but it has improved? You may repeat the treatment.
* With wool: in the vast majority of cases, James Stainwonder does not cause any discolouration. You have already established this by testing the product in an inconspicuous area as described above. In that case, you do not need to carry out the following step. If a (slight) discolouration did occur, you should neutralise James Stainwonder as soon as the stain has disappeared. In this case, immediately place a damp cotton cloth on the spot where the stain was and let it dry.
Immediate treatment with water
This stain can be treated immediately with water. For this you need a white, cotton cloth and water. Follow the steps below:
- First remove, as far as possible, any loose substances using a spoon.
- Immediately hold a white cotton cloth under the cold tap, wring it out and place it flat on the stain.
- Leave the cotton cloth in place to dry completely, no peeking. Should the cloth become saturated, replace it with a fresh one as described above. Then leave the cloth until it is completely dry.
Note: Do not perform the above instructions if water causes aspect loss or discoloration on the material to be treated.
Removing red wine stains from hard floors
On hard floors such as PVC, vinyl, LVT, laminate and natural stone, red wine usually remains on the top layer at first. That seems favourable, but the risk lies in what happens to the wine during transport. Red wine can remain in the structure, small scratches and along edges. As a result, after drying, you may sometimes see a pink haze or a rim that follows exactly where the moisture has run. On matt floors, this is particularly noticeable in raking light, because a thin layer of residue causes the floor to reflect differently.
With laminate and click flooring, the sensitivity is mainly in the seams. Red wine can seep along a seam, leaving a dark mark that is not immediately noticeable when cleaning up. If residues remain in the joint, odours may develop or permanent discolouration may remain visible. Natural stone poses another risk: some types of stone are more porous, allowing dyes to penetrate the surface more quickly and remain visible for longer as discolouration, especially in light-coloured stone.
When working on hard floors, it is important to ensure that the wine is not worked further into the structure and edges and that no coloured layer remains on the top layer. When residues dry up, the area may become dull or shiny compared to the rest. In addition, a layer of dirt left behind can attract more dirt, so that after a few days you will only notice that there is still a ‘trace’ present. With red wine, the difference is often visible in daylight and from an angle, not always directly from above.
Treatment with James Remover
This stain can be treated with James Remover.
Before use, always test in an inconspicuous area for color and material resistance: apply, leave for 5 minutes, clean the tested area with water, allow to dry and evaluate.
- Spray directly onto the purpose area
- Leave to soak for about 1 to 5 minutes
- Then, use a white cotton cloth to remove the grease
- If necessary, gently treat stubborn stains with a soft brush or plastic spatula.
- After use, always clean the area with water.
Attention: be careful when working near a glue seams. Allow James Remover to soak in shortly. Do not let the product penetrate into cracks or seams.
Treat using a moist cotton cloth
This stain can be treated immediately with water. Use clean water and preferably a white cotton terry towel.
Removing red wine stains from upholstery
Furniture fabric is particularly sensitive to red wine because the liquid quickly soaks into the fibres and spreads easily. This not only creates a coloured stain, but often also a rim or circle that is larger than the area where the wine actually fell. On light fabrics, you will usually see a purple or pink tinge that becomes more noticeable after drying. With dark fabrics, it is sometimes less noticeable as a colour, but you may see a dull spot or an area where the fabric looks different due to residual substances.
Red wine contains strong colourings and sugars. This combination can cause the spot to remain visible after drying, and also feel somewhat stiff or sticky. That is precisely why such a place seems to get dirty more quickly later on: dust and skin fat adhere more easily to a sticky residue. If wine gets into the filling, the smell can linger longer and the discolouration can reappear from the inside, especially if the furniture gets warm or the humidity rises.
When dealing with upholstery fabric, it is important to note that excessive moisture or rubbing will make the stain larger and push the dyes deeper into the fabric. Circles can also form quickly because the fabric spreads moisture outwards during drying. In addition, the structure of the fabric may visibly change if you work too hard, leaving you not only with a stain but also with an area that looks different. With red wine, it is therefore particularly important to control the size of the damp area and to prevent the spot from remaining damp for a long time.
Treat with James Stainwonder (*furniture fabrics)
This stain can be treated with James Stainwonder. Always test for colour fastness and material perpetuation in an inconspicuous area: apply, let it dry and evaluate.
- Allow the surface to dry completely.
- Apply James Stainwonder to the dry stain by turning the bottle upside down, placing the opening of the bottle on the stain and treating the entire stain. Spread a little James Stainwonder on a clean, dry cotton cloth towel and use it to cover the stain. This is to prevent circles from appearing after drying.
- The product works for 12 hours, so the effect does not have to be immediate. Do not remove the cotton cloth until it is dry to see the result.*
- Is the stain not completely gone after treatment, but it has improved? You may repeat the treatment.
* With wool: in the vast majority of cases James Stainwonder does not cause any discolouration. You have already established this by testing the product in an inconspicuous area as described above. In that case, you do not need to carry out the following step. If there is a (slight) discolouration, neutralise James Stainwonder with water as soon as the stain has disappeared (to do this, however, lift the cotton cloth in between to be able to assess whether the stain has already disappeared). In this case, immediately place another damp cotton cloth on the spot where the stain was and let it dry.
Immediate treatment with water
This stain can be treated immediately with water. For this you need a white, cotton cloth and water. Follow the steps below:
- First remove, as far as possible, any loose substances using a spoon.
- Immediately hold a white cotton cloth under the cold tap, wring it out and place it flat on the stain.
- Leave the cotton cloth in place to dry completely, no peeking. Should the cloth become saturated, replace it with a fresh one as described above. Then leave the cloth until it is completely dry.
Note: Do not perform the above instructions if water causes aspect loss or discoloration on the material to be treated.
Would you also like to benefit from James’ effective stain removal? Discover our full range and order your James products easily online. You’ll soon be enjoying a clean and stain-free interior again!
Frequently asked questions and myths
There are all sorts of stories going around about how to remove these red wine stains. From granny’s remedies to persistent tips from the internet – but what really works? In this section, we answer frequently asked questions and debunk a few myths. This allows you to get started with confidence.
Does salt really help against red wine?
Salt is a popular tip, mainly because it can absorb moisture. It can indeed help to prevent a large puddle from remaining on the carpet. But it does not remove the dyes from the fibres. If you only use salt and then finish, a pink shadow often remains. Salt can also remain in the carpet and make the fibres rough if you do not remove it properly. So consider salt as an emergency measure to bind moisture at most, not as a complete solution.
Is it wise to pour white wine over red wine?
This is a well-known ‘party tip’, but it is rarely a good plan. You enlarge the area and add extra liquid, which allows the dyes to spread further. Sometimes it seems to work because you dilute the red wine, but you still have colourants in the material afterwards, plus a larger wet area that can cause rings. It is better to dab immediately and then clean locally, so that you really remove the stain from the material.
Can I remove red wine stains with sparkling water?
Sparkling water is often mentioned because it can help loosen a fresh stain. It can be useful as quick first aid, especially if you have nothing else. But it is not a guarantee. If you use too much, you will increase the stain and get circles. Furthermore, sparkling water does not always remove the colourings completely. If the stain is still visible after drying, you will usually need a cleaner that specifically helps to loosen and absorb dyes.
Why does the stain sometimes become browner after drying?
Red wine changes colour as it dries and can oxidise. As a result, after drying, you often see a brownish-red shade that appears harder than the original purple colour. Sugar residues can also attract dirt, making the area appear darker. That is precisely why it is important not only to absorb the liquid, but also to remove the residual substances from the material. Proper absorption and drying make all the difference here.
Does a stain remover always work the first time?
This is often not the case with red wine. This is because the dyes can be deeply embedded, especially in carpets and upholstery fabrics. One treatment usually removes most of it, but a slight shadow may remain visible once it is dry. This does not mean that it has failed, but that you need a second local treatment. Gently repeating the process is better than scrubbing harder, as this keeps the fibres and fabric structure intact.
Deal with any stain using the right approach from James
Red wine is a fast-acting, strong stain, but with the right approach, it can usually be removed effectively. By dabbing immediately, avoiding heat and then cleaning the area, you can prevent the stain from setting or spreading. With the right James products and advice from James, you can safely tackle red wine on carpets, hard floors and upholstery. The sooner you start and the more calmly you work, the better the end result will be.