It’s getting to that time of year – the celebrations begin, and the cork pops off. Whether or not you have any seasonal events pencilled into your calendar, there’s one thing that’s for sure – most of us could use a glass of wine these days!

But when the red wine is flowing, the red wine inevitably spills…

Here, we talk you through how to clean red wine stains from your carpet or rug. Learn what to do and what to avoid in order to give your space the best chance of recovery.

If in doubt, contact us – with our expertise on all things carpets and rugs, we know what works (and what doesn’t) when it comes to red wine stains. We’ll be able to protect the quality of your carpet and restore your space to its former glory.

1. Be quick – but ask yourself this one thing first

When it comes to spills, speed is everything – but don’t get too far ahead of yourself.

Before you start trying to treat the stain, consider what material your carpet or rug is made out of.

Not all fibers are created equally. Different materials will respond to substances in many different ways, and the right course of treatment will vary widely depending on whether your carpet is made of wool, silk, synthetic fabric, or something else entirely.

There are way too many rules to get into here, but generally speaking:

• Don’t use any water on silk or viscose
• Don’t use hot water or too much water on wool
• Synthetic carpets and rugs can be saturated

If in doubt, give us a call – our experts will know how to help.

2. Blot and tap

Try to absorb as much of the stain as you can, as quickly as you can:

• Get a clean white cloth (yes, it has to be white – colored cloths might bleed into the stain)
• Tap – don’t rub – the stain, gently absorbing the liquid
• Work your way from the outside inwards
• Repeat until you have absorbed as much of the liquid as possible

3. Treat the stain (preferably by the experts)

This is the tricky bit, which is why it’s so important to get an expert in – and no, we’re not just saying that.

We’ve seen countless beautiful carpets and rugs that have been permanently damaged by well-meaning customers who treated the area with a product that promised to help (but didn’t).

If you can’t get a professional in, think very carefully about what you use. The internet is full of how-to articles that might work for a certain type of carpet but will destroy other types of rugs. Chemical treatments can damage the dyes and fibers, resulting in long-term problems.

For starters, always avoid:

• Hairspray
• Off-the-shelf stain removal products
• Baking soda
• White wine (yes, treating red wine stains with white wine is a myth)

If it’s safe to expose your carpet or rug to water, you can try spraying on a diluted mix of white vinegar and water onto the stain and blotting dry. However, for the best chances of saving your carpet or rug, it’s worth calling the experts.

Our pro cleaners will bring the most powerful equipment and all-natural products to deep clean your wall-to-wall carpet, with a custom cleaning plan suited for your particular fiber type. We’ll pick up area rugs from your home and treat stains at our facility, where our experts will use specialized machinery to get your rug in tip-top shape.