Dec 02, 2020 | Flooring Canada
Nothing brings a party to a screeching halt faster than a spilled glass of wine. Or, when you’re enjoying a glass of red wine at home and your wayward hand (or pet, or child) knocks it over. We’ve all heard some of the old tricks to getting these truly stressful stains out of either carpets or wood floors, but what should one really do when the inevitable happens? First things first: stay calm. Here’s the expert advice.
The first thing is often the most important thing, and with red wine stains, it’s no different: soak up that stain, fast! Remember, dab—don’t scrub. Whether the red wine stain is on a carpet or a wood floor, the sooner you can absorb any of the excess spilled wine, the better. It’s never good to have the wine sink further in to the carpet fibers or wood. So get a cloth on top of that stain, ASAP.
For red wine stains on carpet, diluting the stain is critical—but it can also be tricky. The key is to carefully pour only very small amounts of water on the stain as you continuously blot the stain with a clean, dry cloth. It’s important not to pour too much water on the stain at once. Your goal is to dilute the offending liquid, but just enough so that it doesn’t spread any farther.
Once you’ve diluted the stain on your carpet by soaking and blotting, the next thing to do is check with your specific carpet manufacturer. (Carpet characteristics can vary widely, and your manufacturer will likely have specific notes about how to deal with this particular kind of stain.) Once you have that knowledge, you can confidently move on to removing the stain.
Some folks swear by a DIY option of baking soda for stain removal. Make a paste of baking soda and water, using a ratio of three parts baking soda to one part water. If you go this route, apply the paste to the stain and let it dry. Once it’s dried (and ideally soaked up much of the stain), vacuum up what’s left. After this point, if there’s still a visible stain, apply a carpet stain remover product approved by your floors’ manufacturer to the area.
If your red wine spill happened on a wood floor, the process is slightly different. After you’ve soaked up the excess wine, try using an oil soap, such as Murphy’s, mixed with water, and then scrub the floor surface so that, ideally, the stain lifts. Another DIY solution is to mix some baking soda with mineral oil, and then rub the paste on the stain. After about a half hour or so, remove the paste with a dry cloth. (As always, before using any DIY solution on a wood floor, contact your flooring manufacturer first!)
Sometimes, whether the stain is on your carpet, or your wood floor, there’s a chance that you may need to call in the professionals—especially if the stain has managed to set. Professionals can deep clean your carpet, or professionally re-sand or replace a part of your wood floor. Hopefully, your stain didn’t set in for long, and this won’t be necessary, but it’s good to know that calling on the pros is always an option.
Don’t let the idea of a spilled glass of red wine ruin your idea of a calm night—or fun party. By acting fast when spills happen, it most often means that the stain will not be there forever. As always, you can reach out to your local Flooring America with any questions about what to do with stains on your carpets or wood floors. Stains happen to everybody, and your local Flooring America is here to help.