# How to Get Red Wine Out of Carpet The Carpet and Rug Institute's order for wine on carpet, the strength of each mix, what salt and club soda are not, and when to stop and call a cleaner. Canonical: https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/red-wine-out-of-carpet/ Updated: 2026-10-01 Publisher: Klein's Carpet Cleaning Blot the wine straight away with a white cloth, then follow the Carpet and Rug Institute's order for wine: a weak dish detergent solution, a white vinegar solution, lukewarm water, a spot removal kit, and last a weak ammonia solution, which can change colour and must be tested first. Work from the edge inward, blot instead of rubbing, and rinse between solutions. Klein's Carpet Cleaning, in Waterdown, takes on the marks that are left. By Klein's Carpet Cleaning, Waterdown, Ontario. Last updated October 1, 2026. ## What do I do the moment it spills? Blot, and keep blotting. The CRI's [Spot Solver entry for wine](https://carpet-rug.org/spot-solver/wine/) begins: "Act Quickly! Delaying may cause the spill to become a permanent stain." Press a dry white cloth or plain white paper towel onto the wine, lift, and press again with a clean part, until almost nothing more comes up. Rubbing pushes the wine sideways and deeper into the pile, which makes the mark bigger. ## What is the CRI's order for wine? Removing wine from carpet, in the CRI's order StepSolutionMix and caution 1Detergent solution1/4 teaspoon of liquid dish detergent per cup of lukewarm water; never stronger 2Vinegar solution1 cup of white vinegar per 2 cups of water 3Warm waterLukewarm tap water, to rinse out what came before 4Spot removal kitFollow its directions; any stain-resist step goes last 5Ammonia solution1 tablespoon of household ammonia per cup of water; "can cause a color change", so test first 6Call a professionalWhen a mark remains Pretest every solution in a hidden spot such as a closet floor. The CRI says to apply a little "to a white cloth, and work in gently", leave it a few minutes, blot, and stay with each solution as long as colour is still transferring to the cloth. ## What about salt, club soda or white wine? None of them is in the CRI's entry. Its wine list is detergent, vinegar, water, a kit and ammonia, in that order. Salt and club soda can help draw liquid up while you blot, but they do nothing the blotting itself does not, and salt left in the pile has to be rinsed out afterwards, which our [salt guide](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/salt-stains-on-carpet/) covers. Pouring white wine on red adds more liquid to a spot you are trying to dry. That is our reading; the CRI simply does not list them. ## Why does the vinegar step come after the detergent? Because detergent leaves the fibre slightly alkaline. The CRI explains that white vinegar, a 5% acetic acid solution, "is used most often to lower the alkalinity caused by detergent solutions or alkaline spills". Detergent left in the fibre also "may cause rapid soiling", in the CRI's words, so the vinegar and water steps that follow are part of the job, not an optional extra. ## Which carpets are hardest? Pale wool and other natural fibres, which take up dye readily and do not tolerate strong alkaline cleaners, and any carpet where the wine has dried. Synthetic carpet with a factory stain treatment usually gives up fresh wine more easily. If you are not sure what your carpet is made of, the label or the receipt usually says; test the ammonia step there with extra care. This is general guidance from how fibres behave, not a manufacturer statement. ## When should I stop? When a solution stops moving colour onto the cloth and the next one does nothing either, or when the carpet starts to look fuzzy or lighter where you have been working. Stop there. The CRI's final step is to call a professional, because they "have the ability and the equipment to use more aggressive cleaning solutions to remove stubborn spills". Tell the cleaner what was spilled and what you have already put on it; see [home carpet cleaning](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/residential/), and the guide to [coffee stains](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/coffee-out-of-carpet/) for the other drink that ends up on carpet most. ## Get a free carpet cleaning quote Tell us which rooms, how many stairs, and about any pets or stains. We reply within one business day, by phone or email, and the quote is agreed before anyone starts. [Request a free quote](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/quote/) [Call 289-776-7299](tel:+12897767299) ### The short version - Blot fast, never rub - Detergent, vinegar, water, kit, ammonia - Pretest each one - Rinse between solutions - Stop when nothing transfers ## Carpet stains, one by one - [Chewing gum and candle wax](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/gum-out-of-carpet/) Hard first, then a solvent that must never reach the backing. - [Pet urine](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/pet-urine-out-of-carpet/) Fresh and dried urine, and the two mixes never to make. ## More guides - [How do you clean carpeted stairs?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/how-to-clean-carpeted-stairs/) Vacuuming the nosing, spot cleaning a step, and what to leave to a professional. - [How often should office carpet be cleaned?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/how-often-to-clean-office-carpet/) Vacuuming, interim and restorative cleaning by daily foot traffic, from Interface's chart. - [Can carpet tiles be cleaned, or do they need replacing?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/can-carpet-tiles-be-cleaned/) What Interface, the carpet tile maker, recommends, and the machine that can void its warranty. - [What is encapsulation carpet cleaning?](https://kleinscarpetclean.com/guides/encapsulation-carpet-cleaning/) How the low-moisture crystallizing method works, how long it takes to dry, and its limits. 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