Red wine stains can be tricky to remove, and if you realize that you have a red wine stain on a dry clean only shirt, you may even feel frustrated.
Once you discover one of these stains, it is usually dry, making it even more difficult to remove at home.
You can’t wash a dry clean only shirt with soap and water, so how are you going to get this stain out?
The easiest way to clean the shirt would be to take it to the dry cleaners, but you may also be wonder:
Can dry cleaners remove red wine stains?
As a whole, dry cleaners have unique treatments that they use on a variety of stains, including red wine stains, to remove those stains from clothing without damaging the clothing. Using various chemicals like vinegar and ammonia to remove stains makes dry cleaners exceptionally well-prepared to treat difficult stains like red wine. Removing red wine stains is easier if the stain is fresh and untreated, so bring your clothes to the dry cleaner as soon as possible.
Read on to learn more about how dry cleaners remove red wine stains and some tips for what you can do to help your dry cleaners remove the stains successfully.
How Dry Cleaners Remove Red Wine Stains
The main reason that red wine stains are difficult to remove at home is that these stains are two different types of stains in one.
They are both an alcohol stain and a color stain, and both require different approaches to remove the red wine stain altogether.
Dry cleaners use a special vinegar-based stain remover first to remove the alcohol stain.
It is essential to remove the alcohol stain first because it will be impossible to extract it once the stain is exposed to heat.
Then, to treat the color stain, dry cleaners use an ammonia-based chemical to lift the red coloring caused by the tannins in the wine.
Tannins are naturally occurring dyes that are present in many drinks, including coffee and tea, in addition to red wine.
This dry-cleaning process is designed to remove the red wine stain without damaging your clothing, but it is easier if you bring the stained garments to your dry cleaner as soon as possible.
How You Can Help Your Dry Cleaners Remove Stains
Now that we know how dry cleaners remove red wine stains, we should also discuss how to help your dry cleaners remove those stains.
Below are three excellent tips that will help you help your dry cleaner to remove those stains.
1. Resist Trying A Home Remedy
The first tip is not to try a home remedy first.
While many different home remedies for removing red wine are available on the Internet, not all of them work.
Some home remedies will permanently stain your clothes instead of removing the red wine stain.
Failed stain removals are more challenging for dry cleaners to get rid of entirely.
So, the first thing you can do to help your dry cleaner remove the red wine stain is to let them be the first people to remove the stain.
2. Act Quickly
The second tip is all about timing.
It is essential that you do not store your stained clothing.
Red wine stains can set into the fabric when the stain bonds with the garment fibers.
Set stains are also more challenging for dry cleaners to remove.
If you have delicate items, such as cashmere or silk, even dry cleaners may not be able to remove a set red wine stain without damage entirely.
While some experts recommend waiting no longer than five days to bring your stained clothing to the dry cleaners, we recommend taking them as soon as possible.
The fresher the stain, the easier it is to remove.
3. Give Your Dry Cleaner Information About the Stain
The third thing you can do to help is giving your dry cleaner all the information about the stain.
While a red wine stain will probably be noticeable, a white wine stain may not be.
Don’t assume your dry cleaners will see the stain.
While careful with your clothes, they are human, so they are more successful when forewarned.
Below is the list of questions you should answer for your dry cleaner about any stain on your clothes.
An excellent dry cleaner will also be asking these questions.
If you begin to discuss a stain and your dry cleaners do not ask these questions, you need to find a new dry cleaner as soon as possible.
Information to give your dry cleaner about a stain:
Where is the stain?
What is the stain?
When did the stain occur?
If you don’t know, tell them when you first noticed the stain.
What treatments have you already tried?
With this information, you will be able to help your dry cleaners successfully remove red wine stains from your clothes, leaving them clean and stainless once again.
Are Red Wine Stains Permanent?
If you act quickly and don’t apply heat to the stain, red wine stains are not permanent.
As we mentioned earlier, red wine stains are two types of stains combined: alcohol stains and color stains.
Most garments are porous, which means they absorb liquid quickly.
Red wine is full of natural dyes called chromogens and tannins.
The red wine will work its way through the garment soon, leaving the natural dyes to make the color stain that can be so difficult to remove at home.
Although we are usually tired when we notice a red wine stain, it is vital that you not apply heat to the stain and not scrub it.
Heating the stain will cause the alcohol stain to set in, making it impossible to remove.
Scrubbing the stain could push the color stain deeper into the fabric.
So, avoid both of these home remedies.
The best thing to do is to take the stained garment to your dry cleaners immediately.
If you do so, there is no reason the red wine stain will be permanent.
