We explain why red wine is difficult to wash out. We offer a selection of simple but effective methods on how to clean red wine stains from textiles.
A family celebration or a romantic candlelit dinner can be remembered not only for pleasant emotions, but also for wine stains on the tablecloth or clothes. Although this is an annoying little thing, it can ruin the mood, especially since getting rid of such stains can be very difficult. Moreover, improper cleaning can irreparably ruin the item. To prevent this from happening, we have prepared a selection of effective methods on how and what to wash red wine from clothes, tablecloths and other textiles.
Is it possible to wash out red wine?
The drink is prepared from red grape juice, which contains anthocyanins. These are stable red pigments. In addition, wine contains tannins. They fix the pigment in the fiber structure. Thus, wine spilled on the fabric quickly penetrates the structure of the material. After 8-10 hours, the tannins begin their work of fixing the pigment. A stain older than three to four days is already firmly fixed in the fibers, it can be considered old. Despite this, with proper treatment, a wine stain, even an old one, can be removed. You just need to choose the right cleaning method. They are not universal, different cleaners are suitable for different cases.
First Aid for Ruined Fabric
It is important to remember that it is easiest to remove a fresh stain. The longer it is on the fabric, the harder it is to get rid of it. Therefore, when a stain appears, it is very important to start dealing with it immediately. If wine is spilled, the first thing to do is not let it soak in. An absorbent will help with this. Any absorbent that is at hand will do: fine salt, soda, starch, baby powder, talc, etc.
The powder is poured onto the wet mark and left for a few minutes to “pull” some of the moisture out of the textile. Then the wet absorbent is carefully shaken off, a new portion is added, and all manipulations are repeated. After this, it is advisable to wash out the remaining trace. If this is not possible, for example, if wine is spilled on clothes that cannot be changed yet, you can squeeze a little lemon juice onto the mark. In this case, you need to try to ensure that the liquid does not soak the fabric beyond the stain. The juice will destroy the pigment, it will easily come off during subsequent washing.
It is not always possible to use an absorbent. In this case, you still need to try to remove as much moisture as possible. To do this, take a paper napkin, handkerchief, or something similar and gently blot the stain. Blot, do not wipe. You cannot rub the dirt, otherwise there is a high risk of smearing it over the material. Then the area of contamination will only increase.
Cleaning rules
Wine stains are difficult to clean, so to avoid ruining the item, you need to remember a few simple rules.
Check the label on the product for the type of material and care instructions. Always take these into account when choosing a cleaning method.
The selected product is applied pointwise so that it does not go beyond the boundaries of the mark. This is done in the direction from the edge to the center. Then the stain will not spread across the textile.
To make sure that the cleaning agent will not damage the fabric, a test is carried out before treatment. To do this, a small amount of the agent is applied to a small, inconspicuous fragment. If the test is positive, proceed to cleaning.
And one more thing.It is correct to start cleaning with the most gentle and safe preparations. If the result is not satisfactory, then move on to cleaning with more aggressive substances.
How and what to wash red wine from colored and white clothes
Soap plus ammonia
A simple way to wash red wine off a shirt. First, the mark is generously soaped with baby soap. Leave it soaped for 15-20 minutes. Then put the item in a solution of ammonia. To prepare it, dilute a tablespoon of the preparation in a liter of warm water. The mark should be completely covered with the liquid. After half an hour, take the item out, rinse it and send it to the wash. After rinsing, it is advisable to dry it outside so that the unpleasant smell of ammonia disappears.
Vinegar
For cleaning, use only table vinegar. Pure essence will not work. Soak a cotton pad in vinegar and gently wipe the dirty area. If the wine does not wash off, repeat the procedure. After that, wash the item in the usual way.
Soap plus peroxide
A product from the list of how to wash red wine from white fabric, and it removes not only fresh but also old marks well. The wine stain is generously poured with peroxide, lightly rubbed into the material. Then take laundry soap, preferably the fattest, and rub the mark with it. After that, pour peroxide over the contaminated area again and leave for 7-10 minutes. After this time, wash the mark under running water. If a trace remains, repeat the manipulations.
Boiling water
An old method that is only suitable for cotton, linen and mixed fabrics with durable coloring. The dirty area is laid out over a basin or bowl so that the mark is above the center of the container. Take boiling water and pour it directly onto the stain. It will disappear literally before your eyes. The method works great on fresh stains, but does not always help with old ones. Important.Do not pour boiling water on silk, wool and delicate materials.
Citric acid
To remove the stain, you will need crystalline citric acid. Mix it with water in equal proportions. Rub the resulting mixture gently into the stained area. Leave it until the mark disappears. After that, rinse the textile and wash it.
Salt plus soda plus washing powder
It works best on fresh stains, but may not help with old ones. To prepare the mixture, you can take any washing powder, but not a detergent with a bleaching effect. Take all the ingredients in equal quantities, mix, add a little water to mix everything into a paste. Gently rub it into the material, leave for 10-15 minutes, then brush off with a soft brush. Wash the product.
Aspirin
You can take any tablets, but it is easier to work with effervescent ones. Dissolve a tablet of the drug in a glass of warm water; it is better to crush a regular one beforehand. Soak the fragment contaminated with wine in this solution for half an hour. After that, wash the product in the usual way.
Mineral water
It will help to remove a fresh mark. It should be poured with mineral water or, if for some reason this is impossible, a rag or cotton wool should be soaked in mineral water and applied generously to the wine stain. The gases contained in the mineral water will “push” the pigment out of the fiber. After such treatment, the item should be washed immediately.
Chemicals
Correctly selected household chemicals will help to wash out an old red stain. For white and light-colored plain items, you can use bleaches. The safest of them are produced on the basis of active oxygen. They act gently on the fabric, do not destroy its fibers. These are Persol, Elizar, etc. Chlorine-containing agents are more aggressive, with regular use they destroy textile fibers. They should not be used often.
Special stain removers are suitable for colored and dyed fabrics . When choosing a product, you need to consider the composition of the material, otherwise there is a high risk of ruining it. There are universal stain removers on sale that remove stains of various origins, and specialized products. The latter are extremely effective and, if used correctly, are safe for the fabric.
Important.Before using any chemical product, read the instructions on the packaging. Use the product only in accordance with the manufacturer's recommendations.
Peculiarities of cleaning different materials
The choice of cleaning method depends on the type of material. In order not to spoil the product, it is necessary to take into account the features of fabrics with different compositions.
Silk and wool
Made of natural fibers. Very sensitive to high-temperature treatment. They cannot be doused with boiling water or washed in hot water. Fabrics require delicate cleaning. It is better to dry clean the product.
Cotton and linen
Natural fabrics with high wear resistance and resistance to high temperatures. They tolerate boiling, treatment with boiling water. Any bleaching is possible for white textiles. The method of cleaning colored materials is chosen in accordance with the stability of the dye. So, when choosing how to wash red wine from jeans, you need to take into account that the fabric color may not be stable enough. Therefore, it is better not to use aggressive agents. Treatment with boiling water, table vinegar, aspirin will do. The stain remover should be marked "for jeans".
Synthetics
Artificial fibers are very different, so before cleaning it is important to study the information on the clothing label. Most synthetics do not tolerate high-temperature processing, boiling and processing with boiling water are prohibited. Chemicals are chosen with caution, it is necessary to make sure that the product is approved for use on this type of material. From home remedies you can use vinegar, aspirin, mineral water, etc.
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