Drinking wine is not just a fun way to quench your thirst, it has a ton of benefits for your physical and mental health. Drinking wine in moderation has been associated with lowered depression, increased memory consolidation, better heart health, and improved blood sugar regulation, among other things. This drink that can be made with the help of a variety of grapes and yeasts has anti-inflammatory effects and is rich in antioxidants like resveratrol.
The stains that are caused by wine spills are however a completely different matter. As far as we know, nobody benefits from such accidents which are bound to happen at some point. Stains like these that you come across on your sofa or couch can look tough and displeasing to the eyes but even they can be got rid of if you use the right materials. We will therefore be looking at some of the best ways to deal with such stains on your furniture without much hassle. So, follow on.
1. No scrubbing
In the list of all the don’ts, the one that features at the top is “don’t scrub!” Scrubbing on a wine spill will make it further harder to remove the stain because it allows the liquid to spread into nearby parts. Your dentist may have already told you that red wine contains a natural substance called chromogen which can be converted into a dye. Moreover, both red and white wine come with another potential staining agent called tannins which brings bitterness and a feeling of dryness on the tongue. Now that you know what you are dealing with you are probably better off than trying to put too much pressure to remove the stains as this can make the liquid seep even further into the fabric.
2. Avoid delaying
It is understandable that the procrastinator in you will want to deal with the spill later on but experts recommend that you take action as soon as possible. Make light dabs on the surface to blot the stain. Delaying or leaving the stains unattended overnight will only make it harder to remove the red wine from the couch because of its tendency to spread out and dry quickly. Cover the surface with a number of paper towels or clean clothes that will absorb the spilled liquid. Try spilling a little hot water over the stains to help the molecules disintegrate before going ahead with the stain removers. Keep blotting the area with paper towels or a cloth that absorbs well after spilling hot water until the stains start becoming lighter.
3. Use salt or baking soda
While removing red wine stains from the couch and sofa, your best bet is to go for the already trusted methods like sprinkling baking soda and table salt over the stained area to remove the dye. You can alternatively use a paste made of baking soda and water on the surface to soak the color. Blot the stains lightly by completing several 3- to 4- minute rounds of sprinkling salt and removing them off with water. Once the stain appears to be vanishing, go ahead with washing and vacuuming.
4. Club Soda
A good way to get rid of the pestering red wine stains is to use regular club soda over it. Club soda is a great help for mixing drinks, especially for those who do not like wine. The acidic nature of it can help take off the tough stains, especially when used with a pinch of salt or white vinegar. This water containing dissolved carbon dioxide gas is perfect against stains that appear on the couch or on the rug and simply do not get removed with plain water. In the absence of club soda, you can also try using sparkling water to do the job.
5. Hydrogen peroxide and dishwashing liquid
A mixture of dishwashing liquid and hydrogen peroxide is considered great for combating red wine stains because of its bleaching properties. Before going ahead with laundering the material, make sure that you have completely removed the stains. For couch material or floor mattresses that cannot be washed, it is recommended that the area is thoroughly rinsed with water.
Richard from insidebedroom.com explains more about the best floor mattress of this year. You can even mix club soda with hydrogen peroxide for a different approach. This particular method is helpful even when you are trying to take stains off from your clothes or upholstery.
6. Oxi cleaner
A solution of oxi cleaner mixed with hot water is proven to be very effective against tough wine stains. Oxi cleaner sprays are considered good for even dry stains, be it fabric that is colored or white. Oxi cleaners mostly contain sodium percarbonate which is comparatively mild on your fabric than other harmful chemicals used in some commercial cleaners. Before going ahead with this step, make sure that the fabric of the furniture is spread tight across the edges.
White wine
This is one of the highly debated methods of having stains caused by red wine removed from your furniture as a lot of people consider it a hoax but there are others who vouch for its efficiency. After sprinkling the stained area with a little amount of white wine, allow it to sit for a while before blotting it. White wine contains enzymes that help dissolve the pigment in red wine called anthocyanin. However, we will still recommend using a regular stain remover over this method if too much time has passed since the spill took place or if the fabric is too soft.
Bottom line:
Even if you do not fully know how to choose the correct wine, you should definitely know which steps to take to remove red wine from the sofa. We hope that the tips we mentioned above help you get rid of red wine stains from anything and everything at your home. Do not hesitate at any point to seek professional help because sometimes even after you have tried everything there remain those stains that will simply not go away.
