Red Wine+Clumsy Lady

I was too rushed to think of taking a picture of the spill,
but here's our couch mid-cleaning, after try one, and after a second run-through...Back to pretty!


My Italian blood dictates that I be passionate about pasta, talk with my hands, and have a love affair with wine.

Keeping in mind that all these things are true, you should also know that my boyfriend has a love of light-colored furniture, which is how this question arises...When red wine and light furniture collide, how do you maintain a happy house?

The internet has many tips on removing red wine from anything you can think of, and after many spills and many frantic "Googlings", I've found the best recipe for red wine wine spills. And the best news is that it probably won't require a trip to the store (every lost second counts when we're talking about red wine), and it WORKS .

I have a tendency to force myself to stay up and watch TV when I should just go to bed. This often means I fall asleep in a sitting position, and wake up in the middle of the night to move to the bedroom, alone and slightly embarrassed because

I. Am. Stubborn.
This last week at work has been particularly exhausting, and I once again insisted on staying awake when I had no business doing so. I was awoken at 12:30 a.m. by the clink of my glass tipping out of my relaxed hand; a glass that was half-full of Cabernet. As I mentioned, we have light-colored furniture, and this was no sprinkling of stain. I bolted up, grabbed my iPad (ie, my Googler), and started searching for remedies that could be found in my kitchen.

Without further adieu, here's my step-by-step for all my fellow red-wine-enthusiasts-who-may-also-be-clumsy peeps...
1. Grab a towel and blot the stain until no more color comes up.
2. Sprinkle a thick layer of salt over the entire affected area, let sit for at least five minutes.
3. While the salt is pulling up more moisture, mix together a few drops of liquid dish soap and 12 cup of white vinegar. Grab a clean towel.
4. Brush or vacuum the salt off your stain.
5. Using the clean towel, blot and rub (gently) both sides of the stain if possible with your vinegar and dish soap combo. Let this sit for at least 5 minutes.
6. Get another clean towel and fresh, cold water. After the five minutes has lapsed, rinse the area by blotting and gently rubbing with clean water until no more color comes up.
7. Let the area air-dry and hope for the best!
8. If the stain is still noticeable after drying, repeat steps 5-7.

I used this remedy on both a light microfiber couch and a tan shag rug (sadly, on two different nights in the same week), with spectacular results (hooray!). Although it would be amazing if I didn't spill in the first place, I think I'll be switching to white wine for the time being!

Please keep in mind that every fabric is different, and although this worked for me, it may not work for you. But best of luck, and if you find something better, please share it!