Tackle red wine stains with ‘game-changing’ 75p kitchen staple

Never fear a red wine stain again with this .

If you’re partial to a glass of , you’ll probably also know the gutwrenching feeling that comes with accidentally spilling it. The deeply coloured beverage is well known for instantly staining carpets, soft furnishings, and clothing – and it’s an absolute nightmare to clean if you don’t know the right methods.

Red wine stains because it contains pigments called anthocyanins, which give grapes their purple hue, as well as tannins that act like a binding agent and allow pigments to easily attach to surfaces. This not only stains fabric but is also the reason you sometimes end up with red lips or teeth after drinking a glass.

Removing red wine stains is no easy task, but there are some steps you can take to make the process simpler. Your first instinct might be to rush out and buy expensive , but there’s actually a much cheaper way.

In fact, one popular cleaning tip involves using an item almost all of us have in our kitchen cupboards.

The hack was shared on after someone asked for help getting a red wine stain out of their “expensive” cream sofa. They said: “I spilt some Cabernet on my expensive couch, and my husband is gonna be p***ed! I poured soda water on it and used a white vinegar/soda water mixture, but it’s still badly stained. Any advice or tips?”

The most popular solution came from a commenter who told the poster to use salt to draw some of the stain out. They claimed that “salt and boiling water” can help lift a red wine stain, but they noted they’d never tried it specifically on a sofa.

They wrote: “Salt and boiling water. Usually done when fabric can be put over a pot so water can go through, such as a shirt. My ex was an alcoholic, and I learned quickly how to get red wine stains out. I never had to do it for a couch, but it might be worth a shot.”

According to wine company, the most important thing to remember when dealing with a red wine stain is that you should never scrub it. While it might seem like scrubbing helps to pull some of the stains out, you’ll actually be making it worse – as you’ll be spreading it out and pushing wine deeper into the fabric.

You should also work as quickly as possible to remove the stain, as red wine will sink and settle into the fibres the longer that it’s left to sit. Red wine can also dye white and cream fabrics, you need to work quickly if you don’t want to be left with a permanent red mark on your carpet or sofa.

La Crema recommends using salt or an alternative like baking soda to remove the stain. You can do this by sprinkling the substance over the stain and leaving it for a few minutes to soak up as much of the stain as possible. If you act quickly enough, this may be enough to remove the stain on its own.

How to remove a red wine stain

1. Protect any layers of fabric underneath the stain: If possible, place a cloth or a napkin underneath the stain to prevent it from spreading onto any other fabrics or surfaces.
2. Soak up as much red wine as possible: Using a napkin or paper towel, press against the stained fabric to soak up as much of the excess wine as you can. Do not rub when you’re doing this.
3. Don’t let the stain dry: Keeping the stain damp will help to remove it. Some swear by counteracting red wine with white wine, but keeping the area damp with cool water, sparkling water, or soda water is also acceptable. Never use hot water.
4. Press salt against the stain: Cover the stain entirely with salt and press the crystals against the damp fabric. This will absorb some of the wine to help lift the stain.
5. Repeat the soaking and blotting process: Brush off the salt crystals to see how much of the stain remains, and if necessary, repeat steps three and four again to try and lift more of the stain.
6. Launder if possible: If your stain is on clothing or a removable sofa cover, then wash at as cool a temperature as you can to avoid setting the stain. For stubborn stains you may need to use a stain remover and soak in cold water.