How to Get Red Wine Stains Out of Clothes Without Damaging the Fabric

You spilled red wine on your clothes. The dark purple stain seems impossible to remove, but red wine stains can be removed from most washable fabrics if you act quickly. The key is absorbing the wine, lifting the tannins, and using oxygen bleach. Here’s how to get red wine stains out of clothes without damage.

Red wine on clothes is a tannin stain caused by anthocyanin pigments and tannins bonding with fabric fibers. Red wine is a combination stain: it has both a water-soluble component (the wine itself) and a pigment component (the color). Removing red wine requires absorbing the liquid, lifting the tannins with a surfactant (dish soap), and breaking down the pigment with oxygen bleach.

To get red wine out of clothes, blot the stain (don’t rub), cover with salt to absorb the wine, rinse with cold water, apply dish soap and OxiClean, wash with Tide Free and Gentle, and check before drying. For white clothes, use oxygen bleach. Don’t use hot water first, don’t rub, and don’t put wine-stained clothes in the dryer.

Step-by-Step: Removing Red Wine from Clothes

Step 1: Blot the Stain

Use a clean cloth or paper towel to blot the stain. Press firmly to absorb as much wine as possible. Don’t rub, as rubbing spreads the stain.

Step 2: Cover with Salt

Cover the stain with table salt. The salt absorbs the wine and helps lift the pigment. Let it sit for 5 minutes, then brush off.

Step 3: Rinse with Cold Water

Rinse the stain under cold running water. Hold the fabric with the stain facing down so the water pushes the wine through the fabric.

Step 4: Apply Dish Soap

Apply Dawn Ultra Dish Soap to the stain. Work it in gently. The surfactants lift the tannins.

Step 5: Apply OxiClean

Spray with OxiClean Max Force Spray. Let it sit for 10 minutes. The enzymes break down the pigment.

Step 6: Wash

Wash with Tide Free and Gentle in warm water. Add half a cup of Arm and Hammer Baking Soda for extra cleaning.

Step 7: Check Before Drying

Check the stain before putting the clothes in the dryer. If the stain remains, treat again and re-wash. Don’t put wine-stained clothes in the dryer.

For White Clothes with Red Wine Stains

White clothes with red wine stains can be treated with oxygen bleach:

Step 1: Follow Steps 1 to 5 Above

Step 2: Apply Oxygen Bleach Paste

Make a paste of oxygen bleach powder and water. Apply to the stain. Let it sit for 30 minutes. Oxygen bleach is very effective on red wine.

Step 3: Wash in Hot Water

Wash with Tide Free and Gentle in hot water. Add 1 scoop of oxygen bleach.

Step 4: Add Vinegar to the Rinse

Add half a cup of white vinegar to the rinse for extra brightening.

Step 5: Dry in the Sun

Sunlight helps break down the remaining pigment. Dry white clothes in the sun.

For Dried Red Wine Stains

Step 1: Soak

Fill a tub with warm water and add 2 tablespoons of Tide Free and Gentle and 1 scoop of oxygen bleach. Submerge the clothes and soak for 1 to 2 hours.

Step 2: Apply OxiClean

After soaking, spray with OxiClean Max Force Spray. Let it sit for 15 minutes.

Step 3: Apply Baking Soda Paste

Mix baking soda with water to form a paste. Apply to the stain, let it sit for 30 minutes, scrub with an old toothbrush, and rinse.

Step 4: Wash

Wash with Tide Free and Gentle in warm water. Add oxygen bleach.

Step 5: Check Before Drying

Repeat if needed. Dried red wine stains may need 2 to 3 treatments.

Alternative Methods

White Wine Method

Pour white wine on the red wine stain. The white wine dilutes the red wine and helps lift the pigment. Blot, then rinse with cold water and treat as above.

Boiling Water Method (For White Cotton Only)

Place the stained fabric over a bowl. Pour boiling water through the stain from a height of 2 to 3 feet. The force of the water pushes the stain through the fabric. Don’t use this method on colored or delicate fabrics.

Milk Method

Soak the stain in milk for 30 minutes. The proteins in milk bind with the tannins and help lift them. Rinse and wash.

What Not to Do

Don’t rub the stain. Rubbing spreads the wine and damages fibers. Blot instead.

Don’t use hot water first. Hot water can set the tannins. Start with cold water.

Don’t put wine-stained clothes in the dryer. Dryer heat sets the stain permanently. Always air dry and check first.

Don’t use chlorine bleach on colors. Chlorine bleach strips color. Use oxygen bleach instead.

Don’t use fabric softener. It coats fibers and traps the stain.

Don’t wait too long. Fresh red wine stains are much easier to remove than dried ones.

FAQ

How do you get red wine out of clothes? Blot the stain, cover with salt to absorb the wine, rinse with cold water, apply Dawn dish soap and OxiClean, wash with Tide Free and Gentle in warm water, and check before drying. For white clothes, use oxygen bleach.

Does salt remove red wine stains from clothes? Yes. Cover the stain with table salt to absorb the wine and help lift the pigment. Let it sit for 5 minutes, brush off, then rinse with cold water and treat with dish soap.

Does oxygen bleach remove red wine stains? Yes. Oxygen bleach is very effective on red wine. Make a paste, apply to the stain, let it sit for 30 minutes, and wash with Tide Free and Gentle in hot water. For colored clothes, use OxiClean instead.

Can you put red-wine-stained clothes in the dryer? Don’t put red-wine-stained clothes in the dryer until the stain is completely gone. Dryer heat sets the stain permanently. Always air dry and check first.

Does white wine remove red wine stains? Yes. Pouring white wine on a red wine stain dilutes the red wine and helps lift the pigment. Blot, then rinse with cold water and treat with dish soap and OxiClean.

References

1. Tide. “How to Remove Red Wine from Clothes.” tide.com.
2. The Spruce. “Red Wine Stain Removal Guide.” thespruce.com.
3. Good Housekeeping. “Wine Stain Guide.” goodhousekeeping.com.
4. OxiClean. “Stain Solutions Guide.” oxiclean.com.