It's an old wives' tale that has persisted for decades, but it turns out white wine isn't the best solution for a red wine spill. Experts from Which? have come up with the ultimate stain removal cheat sheet for everything from blood to tomato sauce.
Red Wine Stains: The Truth
According to their guide, if you spill red wine, washing-up liquid and hairspray are the ultimate saviours – not white wine. 'Washing-up liquid contains surfactants, which helps water to soak into the tiny fibres of a fabric, trapping and lifting the stain off the material,' Which? said. 'Alcohol-based hairsprays can also help break down the pigment in red wine stains, meaning they're easier to remove from fabric.'
Otherwise, the consumer champion advises blotting the stain with a clean cloth before popping the item in the washing machine. It added: 'The salt absorption method suggested for blood stains could also come in useful here, especially if it's a large amount of red wine.'
General Tips for Stain Removal
'You should always check the individual care labels on your clothes before attempting these methods,' Which? cautioned. 'But as long as you proceed with relative caution, you shouldn't find they cause you any major issues.' The main takeaways are to avoid any bleaching agents on darker clothing, rinse items thoroughly before washing, and try to use cooler wash cycles to avoid 'setting' stains into the fabric. 'If you're really worried about ruining a treasured garment, try a discreet patch test on a lesser-seen section.'
The Ultimate Stain Removal Cheat Sheet
To create the cheat sheet, Which? asked its members for their top tips to tackle five common stains – blood, red wine, grass, tomato sauce, and sun cream. It then tested the most common tips and came out with the ultimate solution for each stain.
Blood Stains
If you get blood on your clothes, you might be tempted to pop them in a hot wash. However, this is actually the worst thing you can do, according to Which?. 'Blood contains proteins that bind together when exposed to heat, making it one of the most challenging stains to remove,' the consumer champion explained. 'This means that putting blood-stained items in a hot wash is actually one of the worst things you could do, as it really fixes the stain into the fabric.' Instead, it's best to soak the stained items in a mixture of cold water and salt. 'Salt is excellent at absorbing liquids and helping to draw out moisture, and will help to break down the proteins in the blood when combined with cold water,' Which? said. 'This will, in turn, make the stain easier to lift.'
Grass Stains
If you have kids, it's likely their clothes are often covered in grass stains. Thankfully, there's a pretty easy fix – a paste made from washing-up liquid and bicarbonate of soda. 'Baking soda acts as a mild alkaline cleaner, working to break down organic pigments and disrupt the bright green chlorophyll compounds found in grass,' Which? said. 'It also helps to neutralise the slightly acidic qualities of grass stains, enabling them to be dissolved and wash away more easily.'
Tomato Sauce Stains
Whether it's a lasagna or a curry, tomato-based sauces can be a nightmare to shift from clothes. If you do end up covered in sauce, you'll be pleased to hear that good old-fashioned washing-up liquid is the solution once again. Which? said: 'Washing-up liquid contains surfactants and degreasers that are very good at breaking down grease and oils, enabling them to easily lift stains. The natural bleaching power of sunlight can finish the job of removing stubborn stains, especially on lighter fabrics.'
Sun Cream Stains
Finally, if you end up with sun cream stains on your favourite white clothes, don't be tempted to reach for the bleach. 'Using bleach in an attempt to remove sun cream can actually turn the stains pink and make them much more noticeable, so it's best to avoid conventional bottled stain removers in this case,' Which? advised. Instead, white vinegar should be your first port of call. 'The acidic qualities of vinegar help to break down the oily, mineral components that make up most sun creams,' the consumer champion added.
Quick Reference Guide
- Blood: Soak in a mixture of cold water and salt. Wash on a cool cycle.
- Red wine: Apply neat washing-up liquid or spray liberally with hairspray. Rinse and repeat. Wash on a cool cycle.
- Grass: Apply a paste of washing-up liquid and bicarbonate of soda. Rinse. Wash as normal.
- Tomato sauce: Scrub in neat washing-up liquid. Leave overnight. Wash as normal. Hang in direct sunlight.
- Sun cream: Soak in vinegar and water, or work in a bicarb paste. Leave overnight. Rinse and wash as normal.
