How to get red wine out of linen fabric

We've all been there – a fun dinner with friends, sharing a bottle of red wine. Someone reaches across the table and -oops!- a glass is toppled, and red wine spills all over your favorite white linen tablecloth.

Or maybe a glass is placed on top of a linen napkin and leaves a red wine circle.

And then there's the crowded bar, when you're carrying a glass of wine back to your table and someone jogs your elbow, splashing wine onto your new linen shirt.

Red wine stains on linen fabric? Don't panic! If you follow these simple tips you can remove the stain with just a few household items and cleaning products. In this post we'll tell you how to effectively remove red wine stains and spills, and prevent them setting into the fabric.

Tackle red wine stains straight away

Firstly, the key with any spills or splashes is to ACT QUICKLY! If you start working on the stain immediately you have more chance of preventing it becoming fixed into the fabric and turning into a permanent stain.

This isn't always possible, of course, but if you have the necessary items to hand and notice a red wine spill, then these steps will help tackle the stain.

1.Blot the stain

Move the bottle or glass of wine away, so you don't create more spills as you clean up. Use a clean cloth or paper towel to blot the stain, removing any excess spilled wine. This is especially important when dealing with stains on white linen fabric as you don't want any dye to run onto the linen. Don't press hard as this will work the wine into the fabric. Instead, use firm but gentle presses until no more liquid comes away.

2.Pour salt on the red wine stain

This is an old trick. Cover the stain with a generous heap of table salt. This will absorb the excess wine. Once the liquid has fully absorbed, gently brush the salt away and follow the next steps.

3.Apply stain remover

If you have a stain remover to hand, lay the stained linen article out flat and treat with the product, as per the manufacturer's instructions. White vinegar can also work well as a stain remover – blot onto the stain and let it sit for a few minutes before following the next stage in the red wine stain removal process.

You can also blot the stain with dishwashing liquid or your regular dish soap as a stain removal treatment.

4.Soak the red wine stain

Fill a large tub or pan with a solution of lukewarm water mixed with laundry detergent and hydrogen peroxide. You can also use oxygen bleach with linen, but we advise against using chemical bleach as it can damage the linen fibers.

Both cold water and hot water can actually set the stain, so always use tepid water to soak and wash a red wine stain.

Soak for 15 minutes to an hour, depending on how long the stain has been on the article.

As well as washing liquid and hydrogen peroxide, some people have also had great results using club soda as a pre-wash soak. Find a spacious bowl or tub, then place the stained area into the tub, leaving the rest of the item on the outside. Cover the red wine stain with club soda and leave overnight.

5.Wash as usual

To completely remove a red wine stain, the final stage is to wash the clothes or table linens. If you normally wash your linen item in your washing machine, launder as usual on a cool cycle with gentle laundry detergent.

6.Air dry

Avoid using a tumble dryer on red wine stains as the heat can set any marks into the fabric. Instead, hang to dry outside – the sunshine will also bleach the stain out – or over a clothes rack indoors.

Repeat if necessary

If these methods haven't fully removed a red wine stain, or the stain is old and difficult to remove, repeat the above stages, from the stain remover and soak onwards.

Remember, to effectively remove red wine stains you need to act fast. It's perfectly possible to save your linen fabric from a permanent stain with a few simple products like table salt, club soda, white vinegar and dishwashing liquid. If you have dedicated stain remover products these will be really useful, but if not, reach for these everyday items.