Red wine on a light bamboo t-shirt

Short answer: Blot most of it up at once, cover with salt or white wine, then rinse from the wrong side with cold water. Keep heat away until the stain has gone.

The first thirty seconds

Red wine binds to the fibre quickly. Put a clean cloth under the fabric and blot from above with a second cloth so the wine is drawn out rather than rubbed in. Never rub, because that spreads the stain and drives the colour deeper.

Salt or white wine

Cover the stain with salt as soon as you can. Salt draws the liquid out of the fibre while it is still wet. White wine works too, because it dilutes the pigment. Both are first aid until you can rinse properly.

Treatment at home

Rinse from the wrong side with cold water. Then soak the garment for an hour in lukewarm water with oxygen bleach and wash as usual. Avoid warm water and the tumble dryer until the stain has fully gone. See bamboo t-shirts for women.

When the stain is old

A dried wine stain can often be lightened by repeated treatments with oxygen bleach. On light fabric it usually works, and on dark fabric you would not see the stain anyway. See bamboo tops for women and bamboo clothing for women.

Frequently asked questions

Does sparkling water work

It helps dilute and rinse, but salt draws more out of the fibre.

Can I use chlorine bleach on white

Not advised for bamboo viscose. Oxygen bleach is just as effective and far gentler.

Why does the stain turn purple

The pigment in wine shifts tone with acidity. It says nothing about the chance of removal.