As a carpet cleaning company in Minneapolis, we get asked frequently how to remove red wine stains from the carpet. We’ve all done it – spilled wine, grape juice or other dark liquids on the carpet and getting it out isn’t always that easy. Of course the sooner you attend to the stain the better your chances are of getting the stain out completely.

You don’t want to call a cleaning service just for one little stain, so here is how we get the stains out of our own carpets, without having to use the big machinery.

How to Remove Red Wine Stains from the Carpet

Blot the stain – The sooner you start blotting the stain the better your odds are that the stain will come out. Use a dry cloth, preferably one you don’t mind staining. Fold it over several times so it is fairly thick and start blotting it by putting pressure on it. You can step on it or press the cloth into the carpet with your hands. When the cloth is saturated get a new cloth or you’ll start putting the liquid back into the carpet.
Flush the stain – After removing as much wine from the carpet as possible by blotting, it’s time to flush the stain with water. You can also use club soda if you have any on hand. Flush the stain and blot again until you get as much of the moisture out as possible.
Salt/Baking Soda – If the stain still remains you can sprinkle salt into the stain and wait for it to soak up what is left of the wine. You can also make a paste of one part baking soda to 3 parts water and massage into the stain. Wait for the paste to dry – 1-3 days depending on the humidity, and then vacuum up the dried paste.
This process should remove the stain if it was caught right away. Or it should remove enough of the stain so it isn’t so noticeable and can be cleaned by a professional when they come to do your annual carpet cleaning.