Remove Red Wine Stains in 3 Easy Steps

Remove Pesky Red Wine Stains Off Your Shirt or Tie

By Janine Giorgenti

It always happens, doesn’t it?

(From ArtOfManliness.com)

You’re at a party, networking event, wedding, or enjoying a casual evening with friends or loved ones; sipping on the sweet goodness of red wine, when – all of a sudden – you have a newly minted red stain on your beloved new shirt or tie.

Now what?

Here’s how to remove that red wine stain in (3) easy steps:

1. Act Quickly!

Sounds simple right? When you spill red wine on a shirt, tie, or any fabric; time is of the essence. First off, do NOT reach for the glass of white wine sitting on your table. White wine, like red wine, has the composition of fruit juice – it will not act as a cleaning agent in this case.

Look for the following items:

Salt (this should be the first thing you look for)
Hot water
Club Soda
Milk

Honorable mention go to hydrogen peroxide, OxiClean, and kitty litter (yes, kitty litter); but for the sake of this article, let’s assume you’re not home (or at the home of a pet owner).

2. Use Salt

Salt, in the case of a red wine spill (and many other liquids), is your absolute best friend. The properties of salt allow for “slow absorption”, which will make it easier to ‘lift’ the stain. Salt works best when poured – copiously – over the site of the stain within two minutes of spillage.

3. Club Soda

Call me crazy, but I LOVE cub soda. Stop laughing, it’s an acquired taste. Nonetheless, club soda is an excellent stain remover, not only for your shirts or ties, but also household items like couches and rugs. Dab some club soda on a clean table cloth, and gently apply it to the stained area (do not rub).

The science behind it is simple; club soda has carbon dioxide in it (which is what creates the bubbles in the water). It is during the carbonation process that carbonic acid is created; making club soda more acidic than plain water. Club soda, in most cases, will also be mineral rich.

Bonus Tip: Salt and Club Soda is your go-to combination to fight a red wine stain!

Here’s what you do. Immediately following a spill (during the aforementioned two-minute window), apply salt – in generous amounts – over the site of the spill. Allow this to settle in for a minute or two. Proceed to dampen a clean tablecloth in club soda and dab at the site of the spill (with salt layer). Again, you do not want to rub, simply “poke” at it.

If neither salt or club soda is available, you will want to resort to using hot water. For cotton products, hot water is excellent.

Looking for a nice dress shirt or tie that will turn heads at your holiday party?

Call or text Janine Giorgenti to schedule a fitting appointment.

About the Author

Janine Giorgenti For over 25 years, Janine Giorgenti, renowned fashion designer and image consultant – has provided a long line of satisfied clients with unparalleled service and first class made-to-measure custom suits. Featured in the Wall Street Journal, Vogue Magazine, The New York Times, CNN, Fox News, CBS, and other top media outlets – Janine has established a clientele of some of New York’s most successful and discerning professionals – including such New York dignitaries as former New York Islanders legend Bobby Nystrom and chief economist Dr. Irwin Kellner.