Red Wine Stain Removal from Carpet

Dear Dr. Dave and Dr. Dee,

Do you know anything about removing a stain from red wine spilled on our white carpet? I scrubbed with a detergent solution, but there's still a pink area on the rug. Now I never want to entertain again.

Signed,

Party pooper

Dear Party pooper,

In a spray bottle, pour one cup of water, then add 1 teaspoon dishwashing liquid, and shake slightly to mix. Lightly spray the area with this detergent mixture. Do not saturate your carpet. Instead of rubbing the carpet, blot the carpet with a white paper towel or clean white rag.

If the stain is still shows, then a stain removal product that works particularly well without harsh chemicals is Folex Instant Spot Remover. Another good product is Oxy Carpet Cleaner. Both products should be available at your local retail store. One reader was enthusiastic about Simple Solution Stain and Odor Remover for pets, which removed the red wine stain on her carpet.

One rule-of-thumb if throwing a party and you have white carpeting: do not serve red wine, red punch, red sauces or other dark drinks or food items that stain. There are plenty of other beverages that you can serve that won't stain such as white wine, non-cola drinks, and lemonade. Unfortunately, once a stain sets, it's very hard to get rid of.

See www.fabriclink.com for other stain removal tips.