You may no longer need vinegar to get red wine out of the carpet because other options are now available. If you mistakenly spilled the liquid on your carpet, using methods like a hydrogen peroxide solution, baking soda, and white wine could help.
1. Use the Baking Soda Method
This is often the easiest route to take. Once you notice the spill, making a baking soda paste and applying the same can be a major step to get rid of the stain.
So, here’s how to make it happen!
a. Start with Blotting
This is the first thing to do because you may be unable to get all the liquid at once. Blotting or dabbing the spot helps you to get as much of the liquid out of the carpet as possible.
Here are a couple of things to note:
- Make a gentle dab on the surface.
- Use either a clean, dry rag/cloth or paper towels to dab the liquid out of the carpet’s surface.
b. Dilute the Wine with Water
The dabbing wouldn’t be completed, if you still have some stains left on the surface. To that end, you should do the following:
- Pour a small amount of cold water onto the red wine stains on the carpet.
- Allow the water to “sit” for a few seconds. Within that time, it saturates or makes the red wine stains “softer.” This makes it easier to blot more of the stains faster.
- You can then continue blotting the surface until a considerable amount of the stains have been absorbed into the paper towels or the rag.
c. Prepare and Apply the Baking Soda
Use a 3-to-1 ratio to make a paste of baking soda. That is, you will use three parts of baking soda and one part of water.
Mix the solution until it takes on the form of a cake batter.
Now, make a generous and spaced application of the solution to the red wine stains on the carpet.
Wait for 15 to 20 minutes for the paste to dry. Once dried, use a vacuum to take away the dried paste and the residue made from the carpet.
2. How to Get Red Wine Out of Carpet with Salt
An “ordinary” sprinkling of salt on the stains will remove it faster than using vinegar. If you want to explore this option, here is what to do:
a. Blot the Stains
Use paper towels or a dry cloth to blot the red wine stains out of the carpet. Blot as much as you can to leave only a little on the surface.
b. Sprinkle the Salt
Get a teaspoon of salt and sprinkle evenly around the areas covered by stains. Make sure to cover those areas so they are not visible.
Wait for up to 10 minutes for the salt to dissolve into the stains.
Use a vacuum to remove the salt with the stains it has absorbed.
3. Club Soda Removes Red Wine Stains from Carpets
Using club soda can also help with getting red wine out of the carpet instead of using vinegar. You may also want to add a pinch of salt.
Here’s how to go about it:
a. Blot-out Excess Wine
With a clean, dry cloth, blot-out excess red wine from the carpet. Paper towels can also serve.
The rule of thumb is to start blotting from the outside of the spill. This prevents the stain from expanding to the other parts of the carpet.
b. Pour the Club Soda
Now, pour the club soda directly into the stains made by the red wine. You can count on the soda’s carbonation to lift off the stains.
If this doesn’t seem to work, consider adding some pinches of salt atop the club soda. By acting as a “buffer,” the salt will further reduce the chances of the stain setting on the carpet.
c. Vacuum the Soda
Allow the soda to sit for 15 minutes or more. You can then vacuum it out of the carpet.
However, if the above processes don’t work as desired, you can always repeat them until the rest of the stains are “lifted off” the affected area.
4. A Moderate Application of Hydrogen Peroxide Could Help
Consider using hydrogen peroxide to get red wine out of the carpet. As usual, you will blot out the excess wine before any other thing.
Once done, here are the rest of the steps:
a. Make a Cleaning Solution
Proceed to make a cleaning solution using a part of dye-free dishwashing liquid or soap. You could also use a spoonful of baking soda for this purpose. Next, mix the above part with 2 parts of hydrogen peroxide.
The two will be used in place of commercial carpet stain removal.
b. Apply the Solution
Sponge on the above solution directly to the red wine stain on the carpet. Allow it to sit for about 5 minutes before vacuuming.
Use a clean cloth to wipe off the surface and be sure to blot out any residue left behind by the solution used.
Note: using hydrogen peroxide could expose the carpet to some dangers, including discoloration. As such, it is best to use the solution on a white carpet than a colored one. Also, the solution should be used in a smaller part of the carpet where the stains are to be sure of the effectiveness before a broader usage.
5. Use White Wine to Remove Red Wine Stains
It might sound funny, but using white wine to counter the stains created by red wine on a carpet can work.
a. Apply the White Wine to the Stains
Pour half a cup of white wine or just enough of it to cover the stains created by the red wine on the carpet.
b. Blot, Vacuum, Blot
Use a clean, dry cloth to blot the stains until the red stains fade away. You can add a baking soda solution atop the stains to fasten the process
Next, use a vacuum cleaner to “suck up” residues created by the baking soda solution.
Blot the more until the rest of the stains are gone. Thereafter, use a dry, clean cloth to dab the spot and let it dry afterward.
FAQs
1. How Does Salt Aid Stain Removal on a Carpet?
Salt helps to soak into the stains created by the red wine and to “suck up” the same after a few minutes.
2. Will Baking Soda Remove Red Wine from Carpet?
Yes, a generous application of baking soda paste on a red-wine-stained carpet can get rid of the stains.
3. How Long Does Red Wine Stain Removal on a Carpet Take?
The process could take from a few minutes (when using hydrogen peroxide) to 20 minutes when using either baking soda or club soda and salt.
Conclusion
Getting red wine out of the carpet without the help of vinegar can be achieved if you use baking soda, a mixture of club soda and salt, or by pouring white wine atop the red stains. Limit the use of hydrogen peroxide to white carpets – and be sure to blot the surface before applying any of the solutions discussed in this article.