Accidents happen. If you’re like me, you’ve probably had a red wine incident or two in your lifetime (or more). The good news is that removing red wine stains from painted walls is much easier than one might think. In fact, there are a few simple steps that can be followed to achieve optimal results. So before you panic and start thinking about whether or not the paint on your walls is going to have to be replaced, follow these simple tips for how to remove red wine stains
Step 1
With a moist sponge, remove the wine stain. If the wine stain is still fresh, you might be able to remove it at this point.
Step 2
Directly apply a small amount of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide to a clean cloth or sponge. Using a cotton swab, dab the peroxide onto the red wine stains. Scrubbing will cause the stain to spread.
Step 3
If the red wine stains remain, combine 1 part bleach to 4 parts water.
Step 4
The bleach and water solution should be used to clean the stained area of the painted wall. Rinse the area well with clean water. Continue to wash the wall with the bleach solution if any red wine stains remain.
The pigments in grape skins, notably anthocyanins, give red wine its color. This is the same component that stains your hands when you handle plums, berries, and cherries.
The anthocyanins work as acid-base indicators, which is the same interaction that occurs in litmus tests. The color of the anthocyanins is determined by the pH of the environment to which they were exposed. The anthocyanins turn red when exposed to acid, while they turn blue when exposed to alkalinity. Because wine contains acid, its anthocyanins are red. However, when these anthocyanins are subjected to more alkaline substances, including baking soda, they begin to turn blue.
Yes, baking soda is a well-known stain remover that can get rid of red wine stains on walls.
If you go this method, exercise extreme caution to avoid ruining the paint finish.
Yes, you can use an equal parts bleach and water solution. Make a bleach and water mixture large enough to cover the size of the red wine stain. Dab the red wine stain with a clean cloth. Repeat this process until the red wine stain is gone.
Even if the bleach is color-safe, it is not recommended to use it on painted walls that are not white.
Color-safe bleach is typically used on fabrics and will most likely damage your painted walls.
