Marble is becoming increasingly popular in homes because of the beauty it adds to kitchens and bathrooms.
One of the things that can tarnish that beauty, though, is a red wine stain.
The stain will stand out against the white of the marble.
Spills happen, and although they may be more noticeable in light-colored rooms, you do not have to panic when someone spills red wine during your dinner party.
We’ve done the research, and all you need to remove red wine stains from marble are a few everyday household items and some determination.
Red wine stains are easiest to get out of marble if you act quickly, but all homeowners can remove red wine stains from their marble.
What You’ll Need
You’ll need a few essential household cleaning items to remove red wine stains from marble successfully.
- Cleaning cloth or sponge
- Bowls
- Water
- Dish soap
- Bleach
Now that you have gathered everything, please read on to learn how to remove red wine stains from marble.
1. Wipe up any excess wine
Red wine stains are easiest to remove from marble if you work while the stain is still fresh.
Working on the wine stain as soon as it happens helps prevent the wine from setting in, which would be more challenging to remove.
As soon as you realize that red wine has spilled on your marble, grab a sponge or a cleaning cloth to blot it up.
Remove as much of the wine as possible; this will limit the severity of the stain, making it easier to remove in the following steps.
Pro tip: The red wine will stain your cleaning cloth.
If you are concerned about that, you can use a sponge or paper towels to clean the red wine stain.
2. Combine water + dish soap Then clean The Area
Mix one part dish soap and two parts water in a bowl.
Apply the solution to the affected area and wash thoroughly.
Once you have washed the area, rinse to remove all traces of the dish detergent and allow the affected area to dry.
If the stain was minimal and you caught it immediately, that may be enough to altogether remove the red wine stain from your marble.
If the stain remains, though, proceed to the next step.
3. Combine Bleach and Water (If Necessary)
If the red wine stain remains on your marble after you have washed the area, you are going to need a more robust solution.
In a bowl, mix water and a little bleach.
Remember always to wear protective gloves and work in a well-ventilated room when handling bleach because it is a toxic chemical.
4. Clean the affected area with bleach Solution
Apply the bleach and water solution to the stain.
Allow the solution to sit for 10-20 seconds before beginning to wipe down the area.
Clean the affected area of your marble with the solution.
You may have to repeat this step a couple of times to altogether remove the red wine stain, depending on the extent of the stain itself.
5. Rinse and dry the affected area
Rinse the affected area of your marble with clean water to remove any traces of the bleach and water solution.
Then, allow the site to dry completely.
You can use a cleaning cloth or some paper towels to wipe up the excess moisture.
If you have been helped by this article, you may want to check out our similar article that’s dedicated to showing how to get wine stains out of glasses.
The video below demonstrates how to remove red wine stains from marble.
0:07—Combine a little bleach with water.
0:20—Pour some of the bleach and water mixture onto the red wine stain.
0:39—Allow the mixture to sit for 10 to 20 seconds.
0:50—Wipe down the marble with a damp cleaning cloth.
1:20—Pour more of the bleach and water mixture onto the marble and repeat wiping down the marble once more.
1:26—Clean your marble with a standard cleaner to ensure your marble is extra clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I remove old red wine stains from my marble?
Red wine stains can be difficult to remove from marble, especially if the stain has sat on the marble for some time.
In such cases, the stain has often set in, which is why it is so difficult to remove altogether.
Luckily, there are still steps you can take to remove the old red wine stain from your marble.
First, use a stone cleaner that is certified as safe by the fabricator of the marble surface.
A great option is Black Diamond MARBLE & TILE FLOOR CLEANER that I found on Amazon.
It is safe for several different types of stone, very concentrated, and gets excellent reviews on Amazon.
Clean the stain thoroughly.
If you do not have any safe stone cleaner at home, you can use a little mild dishwashing soap instead.
Depending on the severity of the stain and the strength of the seal on your marble, this may make significant progress towards removing the stain entirely.
Soak a soft cleaning cloth in hydrogen peroxide and set it on top of the stain if it does not.
Cover the top of the cloth with plastic wrap and then place a heavy object—like a book or a small weight—on it.
The plastic wrap will prevent any hydrogen peroxide from getting on the heavy object.
Allow the hydrogen peroxide to sit on the stain for several hours or even overnight.
Doing this should help remove the stain and bleach out any old red wine stain that may remain.
Why does red wine stain marble so easily?
Marble is a porous stone, which means that anything spilled on it will be absorbed, especially if the stone seal has been damaged somehow.
Marble does not react well to anything with high acidity.
The natural acidity of red wine can etch through the seal on the stone and soak into the stone itself.
The best way to protect your marble from red wine stains is to have a good sealer.
Again, the Black Diamond Stoneworks Marble Sealer would be my go-to.
A good marble sealer will provide a barrier between the red wine and the marble.
Although a sealer is not a perfect defense, it can buy you time to wipe up the stain before it has a chance to stain the marble at all.
If this article has been helpful, you may want to check out our similar article that helps to get rid of red wine stains from granite.
