How to Get a Red Wine Stain out of a White Linen Shirt

Co-authored by Safir Ali

Last Updated: September 18, 2022 References

It may seem impossible to get a red wine stain out of your white linen shirt, but don't despair! It may not be the easiest stain to deal with, but there are several measures you can take to get that stubborn stain out and have your shirt looking like new. The important thing to do is to take action immediately when the stain happens so it doesn't have time to settle.

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Dabbing the Stain

1
Remove your shirt. Act quickly. Immediately after the stain happens, go change into something else and take off your linen shirt. Make sure that as you are taking off the shirt, you do not touch any other part of the shirt to the stained section. This could spread the stain to other parts of the shirt. ^{[1]
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2
Lay out the shirt. Lay the shirt out on a flat, even surface. If the shirt is stained on the front, roll up the back of the shirt so that the stain does not spread through the front of the shirt onto the back. You can also slip a towel in the shirt between the front and back to prevent spreading.

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3
Dab the stain. Take a clean cloth or paper towel and blot gently at the shirt. Make sure not to rub or scrub the shirt. This could cause the stain to get ingrained into the shirt and make it harder to get out.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} If the stained area is big, start from the outside, working your way towards the center. This way, you can contain the stain and keep it from spreading.^{[3]
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4
Dab with a damp cloth.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Safir Ali
Professional Dry Cleaner
Expert Interview. 15 September 2020.} After you have already absorbed all you can with a dry cloth, try dabbing the shirt with a dampened cloth. The moisture from the damp cloth prevents the stain from setting and can help you absorb the spilled wine. ^{[5]
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Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Using Salt

1
Lay your linen shirt on a flat surface. If you have already dabbed out as much wine as you can, make sure your shirt is laid out with the entire stain laid flat on a table or counter. Again, make sure the shirt is laid out in such a way that the stain cannot spread though to the back of the shirt.
2
Sprinkle salt liberally on the stained area. Make sure that there is a mound of salt on the stain so that the stain is no longer visible. Let it sit until you see the salt turning pink.Salt acts as an absorbing agent to the stain by sucking up the stain off the shirt. ^{[6]
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3
Remove the salt from your shirt. After you see the salt turning pink, about five minutes, remove the salt from your shirt. An easy way of doing this is to hold the shirt over a trash can and brush the salt into it. Rinse the shirt with cool water to remove remaining salt particles. Repeat the process if needed. ^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Using Boiling Water

1
Boil water. Using a tea kettle boil about three cups of water. This should take about ten minutes. If you do not have a tea kettle, use a water heater or other container that is easy to pour from.
2
Position the shirt. While you are waiting for the water to boil, find a large bowl or basin. Place the bowl in the sink. Take the stained shirt and stretch the section of fabric that is stained over the bowl. Take a rubber band and put the rubber band around the ring of the bowl to clamp down the shirt. ^{[8]
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3
Pour the boiling water over the shirt. After the water has boiled, remove it from the stove. Take the kettle or pot of water over to the sink with the bowl. From a height of a foot or more, pour the water directly over the stain. Make sure that you are pouring carefully so that the water does not splash and burn you. The heat of the water should wash the stain out of the shirt. ^{[9]
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4
Rinse the shirt. After you have poured all the hot water, remove the rubber band from the bowl and take the shirt off the bowl. Be careful, as the bowl might be hot. Put the shirt in the washing machine or run cool water over the shirt. ^{[10]
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5
Let the shirt air dry. Do not put the shirt in the dryer. If there is still a remnant of the stain, the heat of the dryer will set it into the shirt. Instead, allow the shirt to air dry.

Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Using Items in Your Kitchen

1
Use white wine. Many swear by using white wine to get out red wine stains. Lay out the shirt and pour the white wine over the stain. Then using a clean cloth or napkin dab at the stain and soak it up. This method works best directly after the stain happens. Essentially, the white wine is moistening the area of the stain and preventing the red wine from setting. ^{[11]
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- You want to make sure that you are using a very pale white wine to prevent further staining.
- Keep in mind that although many have used this method successfully, there is some controversy about using white wine. Some argue that all white wines have a tint to them, so using them can help and harm at the same time.^{[12]
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2
Use club soda. Right after the stain occurs, pour a generous amount of club soda over the stain. Keep pouring as you see the red stain fading. Keep a paper towel handy and blot at the stain. Just as with the wine, pouring club soda helps to remove the stain by preventing the red wine from setting. ^{[13]
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- Some argue that water is just as effective as club soda. Use water as an alternative if you do not have any club soda or seltzer in your home.
3
Use baking soda. Make a paste out of baking soda by using a 3-1 ratio of baking soda and water. Make enough paste to cover the stain. Leave the paste on the stain until dry. Then carefully scrape off the paste from the stain.
- Baking soda effectively removes stains by absorbing and lifting stains.
4
Use vinegar and baking soda. Instead of making a paste, some suggest sprinkling baking soda over the stain. Then take a clean napkin or cloth, pour white vinegar on it and wring it out. Wipe the towel over the stain.This should remove the stain. ^{[14]
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Using Cleaning Ingredients

1
Use a mixture of dish detergent and Hydrogen Peroxide. Make a solution of 1-2 parts dish detergent and hydrogen peroxide. Apply the solution to the stained area. Let it sit for five minutes. Rinse the affected area thoroughly using a wet towel. Repeat if the stain is still visible. Wash or rinse shirt in cold water to get out any remnants of the mixture. Let the shirt air dry. ^{[15]
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- There is no need to dab the mixture to the spot. The mixture acts as a lifting agent so dabbing is not necessary.
2
Soak the shirt in bleach. Take the shirt and put it in a large bowl or tub. Pour chlorine bleach over the shirt until the stain is fully covered in the bleach. Let the shirt soak in the bleach for about ten minutes. Then throw the shirt into the washing machine and use the hottest setting. ^{[16]
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- Let the shirt air dry, as putting the shirt in the dryer can cause any remaining stain to settle.
- Be extremely careful using bleach. It is poisonous and should not come into contact with your skin or eyes.
- Do not mix bleach with cleaning substances containing ammonia.
3
Soak in OxiClean. Put a few scoops of Oxiclean in a large bowl or tub filled with hot water. Make sure the OxiClean is fully dissolved. Put the shirt in the bowl or tub until the stained section is submerged. Let it soak for about 15-20 minutes. Then take out the shirt and pour out the water. If you can still see the stain, repeat the process until the stain is removed. ^{[17]
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4
Use a commercial wine-remover or linen-cleaner. There are many cleaners on the market formulated for getting out stains. Choose a cleaner that is meant either for getting out wine stains, or one that is made for linen. If you choose a cleaner meant to remove wine stains, read the label or do research to make sure it can be used on linen. Then follow the instructions on the bottle. ^{[18]
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Warnings

Do not put the shirt in the dryer until the stain is gone because the heat from the dryer will cause the stain to set.

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Make sure if you are using an alternative cleaning product that it can be used on linen. If you don't you can run the risk of harming the material further.

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