Is The Trick For Removing Red Wine Stains Actually ... Adding White Wine? Here's How It Works

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Red wine stains are no joke. Even red wine is, itself, stained. In order to produce red wine, the anthocyanins in the grape skins are macerated and fermented, thereby producing a heavy pigment. The length of maceration and aging determines how red, pink, or deep purple a wine becomes. For this reason, lifting a light-bodied Pinot Noir stain from a favorite sweater might be easier than removing a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon or Merlot. Whether your mission is to get red wine stains out of a white tablecloth or (worse) a beige linen couch, there's a quick way to "fight fire with fire" that actually works: Simply erase red wine with white wine. 

Tannins — the natural compounds that come from grapes' seeds and skin — give wine its unique dimensionality and character. Alas, those same tannins also give red wine its infamous staining power. The anthocyanin pigments are the color, and the tannins are the binder. However, in a feat of scientific ingenuity, we've learned that the tannic structure of white wine effectively counteracts the tannins of the red wine, helping to neutralize the stain at its fundamental base level.

To remove a red wine stain, soak the stained area in white wine. This method works fabulously for submersible fabrics like clothing, napkins, or tea towels. If full submersion is not possible — like stains on area rugs or couch cushions — then that white wine can be poured directly from the bottle onto the stain. 

For a more precise application, dampen a clean cloth or sponge in white wine, then dab (don't rub) it onto the stained area. Allow the area to soak in the white wine for several minutes before gently cleaning once more with soap and cold water. To treat particularly stubborn red wine stains, add a little baking soda power to the soaking action. Simply treat the spot using the white wine method described above, then apply a thick paste made from a mixture of baking soda and water to the wine-soaked area. The sodium bicarbonate in the baking soda boasts the unique ability to take on the pigment of other particles, pulling the red wine stain from your fabric. For optimal results, leave the paste to soak for several hours before washing with soap and water (and skip the table salt method altogether). 

It's worth noting that, as always, DIY cleaning remedies are not guaranteed to work for every surface or material. Sometimes, the best way to knock out a red wine stain is with the help of good old store-bought OxiClean. Linen, for instance, is made from a loose weave that can quickly absorb and hold onto liquid and pigments; the Merlot-stain-prognosis here is somewhat grim. Polyester, by contrast, is made from a hydrophobic synthetic polymer, so the chances of completely removing a red wine stain with a splash of white wine are much higher in a polyester garment.