How to Get Red Wine Out of Clothes: A Complete Guide
Red wine stains have a reputation for being difficult to remove, but spilling a glass doesn’t necessarily mean your favourite shirt, dress or tablecloth is ruined for good. Acting quickly and using the right treatment for the fabric can significantly improve your chances of removing the stain.
The key is knowing what to do and what not to do. Scrubbing aggressively, applying heat or experimenting with unsuitable stain removers can push the wine further into the fibres or cause permanent damage to the fabric.
In this guide, our garment care experts explain how to get red wine out of clothes, from fresh spills on everyday clothing to stains on white, delicate and dry-clean-only garments. We also delve into when it’s best to trust professional dry cleaners like ihateironing to avoid damaging the item at home.
Why are red wine stains difficult to remove?
Red wine contains natural pigments called anthocyanins, which give the wine its deep red and purple colour. When wine is spilled onto clothing, these pigments can quickly penetrate the fibres of the fabric.
The longer the wine remains untreated, the more opportunity it has to settle into those fibres. Heat can make matters worse by helping to set the stain, which is why putting a wine-stained garment straight into a hot wash or tumble dryer isn’t recommended.
Different materials also react differently to moisture and stain treatments. A cotton T-shirt, for example, can usually withstand considerably more home treatment than silk, wool or a structured suit jacket.
Before attempting to remove any stain, always check the garment’s care label.
What should you do immediately after spilling red wine?
If you’ve just spilled red wine on your clothes, acting quickly gives you the best chance of getting it out.
Start by gently blotting the affected area with a clean, dry, absorbent cloth or paper towel. Work from the outside of the stain towards the centre to avoid spreading it further.
Don’t rub or scrub the stain. This can push the wine deeper into the fibres and spread it across a larger area.
If possible, place a clean towel behind or underneath the stained fabric while you work. This helps absorb moisture and prevents the wine from transferring onto another part of the garment.
Once you’ve absorbed as much of the excess liquid as possible, you can decide how to treat the stain based on the fabric and its care instructions.
How to get red wine out of clothes
For washable everyday fabrics such as cotton or polyester, start by rinsing the stain with cool water. Where possible, rinse from the reverse side of the fabric so the water helps push the wine back out of the fibres rather than further through them.
Next, apply a small amount of suitable liquid laundry detergent or stain remover to the affected area. Always follow the product instructions and, particularly with coloured clothing, test the treatment on an inconspicuous area first.
Allow the treatment to work for the recommended amount of time before washing the garment according to its care label.
Most importantly, check the stain before drying the item. Heat from a tumble dryer can make any remaining stain much more difficult to remove. If you can still see the mark, repeat the treatment or consider professional cleaning rather than drying the garment.
How to get red wine out of white clothes
The basic process is similar, but white fabrics may give you additional treatment options.
After blotting and rinsing the stain with cool water, a laundry stain remover suitable for whites can be applied according to its instructions. For compatible washable fabrics, an oxygen-based stain remover may also help break down remaining colour.
However, don’t assume that every white garment can withstand strong bleaching agents. White silk, wool, linen blends and garments containing elastane or decorative details may be damaged or discoloured by harsh products.
Check the care label before applying anything, and avoid mixing different cleaning chemicals in an attempt to create a stronger stain treatment.
How to get red wine out of a dress
If you’re trying to work out how to get red wine out of a dress, the first thing to consider is what the dress is made from.
A machine-washable cotton summer dress can usually be treated using the method above. A silk evening dress, embellished occasion dress or structured garment needs considerably more caution.
For a fresh spill, gently blot away as much wine as possible without rubbing. Then check the care label.
If the dress is marked dry clean only, avoid soaking it, washing it or applying DIY stain-removal mixtures. Water and household treatments can cause colour loss, water marks, shrinkage or damage to delicate finishes. Instead, try to get it looked after by a dry cleaning professional as soon as possible before the stain sets.
Especially for valuable or delicate dresses, professional cleaning is usually the safer option. Tell your cleaner what caused the stain and, if possible, when it happened. This information can help them choose the most appropriate stain-removal treatment.
Can you remove dried red wine stains?
A dried red wine stain can be more challenging, but that doesn’t necessarily mean it is permanent.
For washable clothing, a suitable stain remover can be applied before washing according to the garment’s care instructions. Older stains may require more than one treatment.
Avoid repeatedly scrubbing the fabric or increasing the water temperature in the hope of forcing the stain out. Aggressive treatment can damage fibres without successfully removing the mark.
If the stain remains after careful treatment, particularly on a favourite or expensive item, this is a good point to hand it over to a professional cleaner.
What about red wine on delicate fabrics?
Extra care should be taken with fabrics such as silk, wool, cashmere, velvet and other delicate materials.
These fabrics can react badly to aggressive stain removers, prolonged soaking, rubbing and incorrect water temperatures. Some treatments may successfully lighten the wine stain but leave behind discolouration, texture changes or permanent damage.
If a spill happens, we recommend you take your garment to a professional dry cleaner, or book an order online for an on-demand dry cleaning service which collects from your door.
Common red wine stain removal mistakes
When researching how to remove red wine stains from clothes, you’ll find plenty of household remedies. Some can be ineffective or unsuitable for particular fabrics, so it’s important not to experiment blindly.
Common mistakes include:
- Rubbing the stain: This can spread the wine and work it deeper into the fabric.
- Using hot water: Heat can make the stain harder to remove.
- Drying before checking: Don’t tumble dry or iron the garment until you’re confident the stain has gone.
- Using harsh products without checking the fabric: A treatment that’s suitable for white cotton may damage wool, silk or coloured clothing.
- Mixing cleaning products: Combining household cleaning chemicals can damage clothing and, in some cases, create dangerous reactions.
- Waiting too long: The sooner a red wine stain is treated, the better your chances of removing it.
Does salt remove red wine stains?
Salt is one of the most frequently suggested remedies for a fresh wine spill because it can absorb some of the liquid. However, it isn’t a guaranteed stain remover and isn’t appropriate for every garment.
Similarly, you may see recommendations involving baking soda, vinegar, washing-up liquid or even white wine. Results can vary considerably depending on the fabric, dyes and age of the stain.
For clothing you particularly value, we’d recommend avoiding improvised treatments unless you’re confident they’re suitable for the fabric.
When should you use a professional cleaner?
Knowing how to remove red wine from clothing is useful, but knowing when not to risk treating a stain yourself can be just as important.
Professional cleaning is worth considering when the garment is dry-clean-only, made from a delicate material, particularly valuable, heavily stained or has already resisted careful home treatment.
At ihateironing, our cleaning experts assess garments and stains before cleaning to determine the most appropriate treatment. While no stain removal can ever be guaranteed, professional treatment avoids some of the risks associated with experimenting with household products on valuable clothing.
The key to tackling red wine stains
Your best approach is to act quickly, blot rather than rub, use cool water where the care label allows, choose treatments suitable for the fabric and avoid applying heat until the stain has disappeared.
For everyday washable clothing, careful home treatment can often be effective. But when red wine lands on your favourite dress, suit, silk blouse or another delicate garment, professional stain removal and cleaning can give you the best chance of saving it without causing further damage.
And if you’d rather leave the stain removal to the experts, ihateironing can collect your laundry and dry cleaning directly from your door, professionally clean your garments and deliver them back to you.
ihateironing is a network of professional dry cleaners providing the finest dry cleaning and laundry service with convenient collection and delivery at any time that suit you. We operate in London, New York, Brighton, Edinburgh, Oxford, and beyond.