Get a Red Wine Stain Out of a White Linen Shirt
Red wine stains can be stubborn, and removing them is made more complicated when the stain is on a delicate fabric, like linen. Whether the red wine stain is fresh or dried and set-in will determine how difficult it is to remove the stain. If you want to rescue your favorite linen shirt from a dark wine stain, there are a few tips that might help.
Instructions
If The Stain is Wet/Fresh...
1. Keep the stain moist. Once the stain has dried, it becomes more difficult to remove. Use water, club soda, or white wine to keep the stained area wet. If you need to run out and purchase a stain remover, leave the shirt in a sink filled with tepid water.
2. Pat the stain gently with a clean rag or paper towel. Do not rub the stain, as this can actually increase the size of the stained area and can also force molecules of wine deeper into the fibers of the shirt. If you are using club soda or white wine, this should help the stain begin to dissolve. Keep patting the stain, using a clean sheet of paper towel or rag each time.
3. Treat the stain with a stain remover, such as Wine Away before laundering. If the fabric is dry clean only, take it to a professional cleaner's immediately.
If the Stain is Dry/Set-in...
4. Test the stain removal product you plan to use on a small, less visible section of the shirt, such as under a collar or cuff to make sure it does not damage the fabric.
5. Treat the stained portion of the fabric with Wine Away or other on-the-spot stain remover of your choice, making sure to follow the directions printed on the product.
6. Bring the shirt to a professional dry cleaner if the care label says that your shirt is dry clean only. Be forewarned that even a professional cleaner can have difficulty with removing set-in stains.
Tags: professional cleaner, stain remover, clean only, club soda, club soda white, difficult remove, paper towel