How to Remove Red Wine Stains from Suede

by DoItYourself Staff

Everybody at one time or another in the life is going to have to remove red wine stains from any of a number of different types of fabrics. Below are some steps for removing red wine stains from suede using the following three cleaning agents:

Dishwashing soap and hydrogen peroxide
Regular table salt
Club soda

Removal Using Dishwashing Detergent and Hydrogen Peroxide

Step 1: Mix Solution

Use a small bowl or glass and mix approximately half a cup of a gentle dish detergent such as Dawn and half a cup of hydrogen peroxide. Mix these two ingredients thoroughly.

Step 2: Apply to Stain

Using a towel or rag, liberally apply the mixture to the red wine stain and allow it to soak for a few minutes.

Step 3: Dab, Don’t Rub

No matter what the material you’re trying to clean is, never rub to remove a stain, no matter what is causing the stain. Instead, you should always dab at the red wine stain in order to soak up the stain. Rubbing the stain will actually work the stain deeper into the fiber of the material instead of removing it. Once the red wine stain is removed, you can use a hair dryer to speed drying of the material.

Stain Removal Using Salt

Step 1: Apply Salt to Stain

Regular granulated salt, when applied to a material that is still wet with the red wine that is causing the stain, will act similar to a sponge, soaking the red wine and causing the stain out of the material. With a cloth, gently dab the granulated salt into the suede material.

Step 2: Remove Stained Salt Granules

Once the granulated salt has soaked up all of the red wine that is staining your suede, it needs to be carefully brushed off of the material. Ideally, you would actually use a vacuum or other suction device to remove the salt that has soaked up the red wine staining your suede.

Stain Removal Using Club Soda

Step 1: Soak Stain With Soda

Liberally dampen a cloth with the club soda and press the cloth against the material, allowing the soda to soak into the stained material.

Step 2: Blot Up Soda

After allowing the club soda to work and loosen the stain from the suede fibers, you need to carefully blot it up using a clean cloth. Again, use a dabbing or blotting action and don’t rub or you will only end up grinding the red wine farther into the fibers of the suede to such an extent that you will have to take the material to a professional for cleaning.

No matter which method you use to clean a red wine stain from suede, never rub at the stain, always dab or blot at the stain. Also, no matter which method you use, test a small and unobtrusive portion of the material in order to be sure that your cleaning method won’t remove any color from the material. The preceding paragraphs contain a variety of methods for removing red wine stains from suede.