The surprising solution to red wine stains lying in plain sight

A wine expert has shared his surprising solution to remove red wine stains effectively, and it was hidden in plain sight.

John Kelliher is the co-founder of Grapeline Wine Tours, a company that has held tours through California's premier wine regions since 2002, and has had his share of spills – and all the most common solutions.

"I cringe when I see people pour boiling water on wine stains," said Kelliher of the go-to remedy, "It's like cooking the stain into the fabric.

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Another popular fix is salt, but it can actually make the pigments cling to certain materials even more.

Club soda, another go-to, is effective in diluting the stain, but it simply doesn't have the acidity to neutralise red wine's staining capacity.

"The reason red wine stains are so tough is that the pigments don't just sit on the surface," Kelliher explained.

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The beverage has a unique chemical makeup, which includes compounds called anthocyanins (natural pigments found in grape skins that tend to bind strongly to fabric fibers), as well as tannins and others, which make stains difficult to remove.

"They actually penetrate deep into the fibres and create chemical bonds. That's why simply dabbing with water rarely works. You need something that can break those bonds."

And the solution was sitting in front of us the entire time: White wine.

"White wine has the perfect pH level to counteract red wine's staining properties," he explained, "The acids in white wine dilute the pigments and prevent them from setting permanently into the fabric."

But don't go pouring a whole cup onto the stain – that'll create a whole new one.

Instead, Kelliher recommends a simple four-step approach.

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1. Pour a small amount of white wine onto the stain – just enough to cover the affected areas.

2. Blot it gently with a clean cloth, don't rub or srcub as this can drive the stain deeper into the fabric fibres.

3. Rinse with cold water to wash away the diluted compounds you just mixed together.

4. You may apply a sprinkle of baking soda on the stain before washing it in the washing machine for a deep clean.

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The tip is so effective, Kelliher has made sure his "guides always keep a bottle of cheap white wine specifically for spill emergencies".

If, for some reason, white wine is not available, he suggests milk or even white vinegar mixed with dish soap as alternatives.

The proteins in milk can help lift the stain, while white vinegar and dish soap can together recreate the acidic properties of white wine.

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In both cases, simply pour the solution on, blot and rinse before washing properly.

Kelliher also advises wine fans to act quickly, saying that waiting to deal with the stain is the "biggest mistake" he sees.

"Even with the best techniques, a stain that's been sitting for hours is going to be much harder to remove than one you tackle immediately."

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