Red wine on bamboo fabric

Short answer: Rinse straight away with cold water from the inside. If there is no water nearby, cover the stain with salt until you can rinse it. Then wash at 40 degrees.

Cold water is the first step

Red wine is a colour stain, and the sooner you rinse, the less colour bonds to the fibre. Hold the inside of the fabric under the tap so the water pushes the wine out the way it came in. Use cold water, as heat can set the colour. This applies to women's bamboo sweatpants, where spills often land on the thigh.

Dab, do not rub

Right after a spill, dab gently with a clean napkin or tea towel to soak up most of it. Do not rub, as that pushes the wine deeper and spreads the stain. Work from the edge towards the centre. Move to a clean part of the cloth once it picks up colour, and keep going.

Salt as a stopgap

If you are out or there is no water nearby, salt can help. It draws liquid out of the fabric and keeps the stain damp so it does not dry in before you can treat it properly. Sprinkle on a thick layer and leave it. It also works on a women's bamboo sweatshirt, where the sleeve is often hit.

Treat before washing

Once rinsed, a drop of washing up liquid or stain remover on the wet fabric can loosen the rest of the colour. Work it in gently and leave it for ten to fifteen minutes. Rinse again in cold water. Then wash as usual, including a men's bamboo sweatshirt, where the fabric is slightly thicker.

Wash at 40 degrees

After pretreatment, wash the garment at 40 degrees with similar colours. Turn it inside out first. Do not raise the temperature even if the stain seems stubborn, because heat can set a trace. Follow the care label and choose a programme suited to soft fabrics.

Check before drying

Always check the stain before drying. Heat from a tumble dryer, radiator or direct sun can lock in a trace of colour so it no longer washes out. If a pink or grey shadow remains, repeat the treatment with washing up liquid and cold water, and wash again before drying.

When the stain has dried in

If the wine has dried, soak the garment in cold water with a little detergent for a couple of hours. The water softens the colour so it can loosen from the fibre more easily. Then treat the stain with washing up liquid and wash again. It may take a few rounds, so be patient.

Light and dark fabric

On light fabric a red wine stain is easy to see, but it can also come out completely if you act fast. On dark fabric it is harder to spot, yet it can leave a patchy surface if it dries in. Treat the stain the same way whatever the colour, and check it in daylight before drying.

Frequently asked questions

Does white wine work on red wine stains

It can dilute the colour, but cold water does the same job and is easier to find. Either way, the stain still needs rinsing and washing afterwards.

What if the stain has dried

Soak the garment in cold water with detergent for a couple of hours, then treat the stain with washing up liquid. Repeat if a shadow remains.

Can red wine be fully removed

Often yes from light fabric, if you are quick. If it has dried in with heat, a faint shadow may remain even after several washes.