What do I do the moment it spills?
Blot, and keep blotting. The CRI's Spot Solver entry for 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?
| Step | Solution | Mix and caution |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detergent solution | 1/4 teaspoon of liquid dish detergent per cup of lukewarm water; never stronger |
| 2 | Vinegar solution | 1 cup of white vinegar per 2 cups of water |
| 3 | Warm water | Lukewarm tap water, to rinse out what came before |
| 4 | Spot removal kit | Follow its directions; any stain-resist step goes last |
| 5 | Ammonia solution | 1 tablespoon of household ammonia per cup of water; "can cause a color change", so test first |
| 6 | Call a professional | When 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 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, and the guide to coffee stains for the other drink that ends up on carpet most.
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