Getting red wine spills from a wool carpet could be a hard thing to do – but it can be done. In this article, we show you just how to get the job done and on time!
Understanding How Wool Carpet Reacts to Spills
Wool carpeting is made out of shorter lengths of wool. The benefits include but are not limited to durability, especially to wear and tear; luxurious feel and appearance, and high quality.
On the flip side, it is not always the “best” type of carpeting to get. The downsides include the high absorption of water and spills.
If you mistakenly spilled red wine on the carpet; rest assured that you are in for a lot of work to get the liquid out.
Steps to Removing Red Wine Spills on Wool Carpeting
The golden rule is to start the spill-removal process as soon as the first drop of red wine touches the carpet.
Here is how to remove the spills from the carpet.
1. Use the Spot-Cleaning Method
This has to do with the process of removing the spills caused by the red wine on the spot. The spot-cleaning method involves:
a. Blot the Stain
Start by using a paper towel or a clean, white cloth to blot the stains on the wool carpet. Stick to dabbing the cloth or towel into the stain and not rubbing it all around the surface.
b. Blot with Water
As the stains lift, get a new piece of paper towel or a clean cloth and immerse the tip in water. Use it to blot the stains again.
c. Blot Dry
Blot the area with another clean cloth or paper towel. If the spill hasn’t been sitting for long, the stains should be gone by now.
2. Use White Vinegar and Wool Detergent
A combination of wool detergent and white vinegar can be effective for removing red wine stains on wool carpets.
The steps include:
a. Preparing the Solution
The solution needs these ingredients:
- A liter of warm water.
- 9ml or 1 teaspoon of wool detergent and;
- A teaspoon of white vinegar.
b. Blot the Stain
Use a clean cloth to dip inside the above solution and use the same to dab the stain on the wool carpet.
Continue until the stains have all come off.
c. Wipe the Surface
Use a damp sponge to dab the surface. This helps to remove any residues left by the solution.
d. Dry and Let to Dry
Get a clean cloth or a paper towel. Use it to blot the remaining liquid on the area and then leave the surface to dry.
3. Use Hydrogen Peroxide
The key is to make sparing use of hydrogen peroxide as overt usage can bleach the wool carpet.
This is how to use it to get red wine out of the wool carpeting:
- Blot the affected area (where the red wine spilled).
- Pour a capful of a teaspoon of hydrogen peroxide.
- Wait for the stains to “get lifted.”
- Go in with a clean cloth or paper towel to blot the remaining stains away.
How to Achieve the Best Results by Removing Red-Wine-Stains from Wool Carpet
How you did the cleaning is an exposé to what the results would be like. When done rightly, removing stains caused by a red wine from wool carpeting is simple. When done incorrectly, you would be exposing the carpet to further stains and damage.
Here are tips on how to achieve the best results with the cleaning process:
a. Start ASAP
Do not waste a lot of time figuring out how best to tackle the spill. Here are some things to have in mind:
- Wool carpeting is liquid-deterring. As such, it can deter absorbing of liquid faster, including water. However, you don’t want to take chances with red wine, because of the potential of staining the carpeting.
- Stains caused by spilling red wine can be “difficult” to remove and this is due to the tannin content and the beverage’s deep pigment.
- The wine tends to spill faster and if not checked on time, will extend to other parts of the wool carpeting.
Those are good reasons why the cleaning process should start as soon as you spot the stain. Further delays will cause the stain to “sit” and that makes it more difficult to remove.
b. Blot before Anything Else
The immediate goal is not to remove the entire stain – because that is not always possible on the first try.
You should rather aim to get them out, little by little. That is where “blotting” comes in. With a piece of clean cloth or a paper towel, you can dab the stains away from the area.
c. White Wine is Discouraged
It may be possible to use white wine to remove stains from red wine – but not when dealing with wool carpets.
Using it here compounds the problem, as it creates a brownish that becomes almost impossible to remove immediately.
d. Don’t Apply Heat
Heat-induced removal processes are not advised because they end up making the stains “sit” on the area instead of being “lifted off.”
e. Use Hydrogen Peroxide – Moderately!
You can use a capful of hydrogen peroxide and not more. Moderate use ensures that the wool carpeting is not bleached at the end of the cleaning process.
f. Blot and Dab – Don’t Scrub
You may have imagined that scrubbing the affected area will bring all the stains out, but that’s logical. Realistically, it doesn’t happen that way.
Rubbing the area only “pushes the stains” deeper into the carpet. Besides, it could damage the carpeting due to the exertion of force – and heat.
You either blot or dab the stains from the area.
FAQs
1. Can I Steam Red Wine Stains Out of Wool Carpeting?
No, you cannot. Any form of heat, especially the one coming from a steamer only causes the stain to “sit” on the affected area.
2. Scrubbing vs. Dabbing: Which is Better?
Blot the stains instead of dabbing. The former ensures a concentrated effort while the latter only “spreads” the stains and exposes the wool carpeting to damage.
3. Can I Use Warm Water to Get Red Wine Out of Wool Carpets?
Yes, you can use a liter of warm water mixed with a teaspoon each of vinegar and wool detergent to remove the stains.
Final Words
Wool carpeting is a good investment. The durability, resilience, and environmental-friendliness are worth the investment. When red wine spills on it, the stains can spread faster and dent the beauty of the carpeting. Be quick to use any of the methods to mop up those stains and keep the carpet looking good for a long time to come.