How to Get Red Wine Out of Carpet (Even When It's Dried)

Holiday season means more glasses of red wine in the living room — and sooner or later, one tips over. The good news: most wine spills come out if you act fast and use the right steps. The bad news: the most common "fixes" make it worse.

If the spill just happened

1. Blot immediately with a dry white cloth or paper towels. Press, lift, repeat. Don't rub.
2. Dilute it. Pour a small amount of cool water on the spot and blot again. Repeat a few times.
3. Apply a detergent solution — ¼ teaspoon clear, non-bleach dish liquid in 1 cup of lukewarm water. Blot from the outside of the stain toward the center.
4. Follow with a vinegar solution — 1 part white vinegar to 2 parts water — then blot.
5. Rinse with plain water, blot dry and weigh down a stack of paper towels overnight.

Test each solution on a hidden spot first and wait a few minutes to make sure the carpet's color doesn't change.

If the wine has already dried

Dampen the area with cool water and let it sit a few minutes to rehydrate the stain, then follow the same steps. Dried wine usually takes a few rounds. Be patient — scrubbing harder only frays the fibers and spreads the dye.

What not to do

• Don't rub. It pushes the dye deeper and roughs up the pile.
• Don't use hot water. Heat can set the stain.
• Don't use colored napkins. They can transfer their own dye.
• Don't soak the carpet. Too much liquid wicks into the pad and the stain comes back as it dries.
• Be careful with "miracle" hacks. Bleach and strong peroxide can lighten carpet permanently, especially on wool.

When to call a pro

If a pink or purple tint is still there after it dries, the dye has bonded with the fiber. Stop there — stronger chemicals can make a small stain into a bleached spot. A professional cleaning has the best chance of lifting what's left without damage.

Keep our stain removal guide handy for the season, and if the holidays leave more than one spot behind, get an instant estimate for a cleaning.