Today’s National Wine Day … so what better time to appreciate a little vino at the end of a long, hard day? Few evening routines compare to the simple pleasure of snuggling up in bed with a great book or TV show — and a great glass of wine. But if you laugh too hard, your pet jumps on the bed, or you just have a clumsy moment, that wine can spill … and that ruins the vibe fast. But, thanks to these simple do’s and don’ts, you can keep a full-bodied Bordeaux spill from turning into a full-fledged panic situation.
DO’S
Blot the stain gently with a cotton cloth to remove excess liquid.
Strip the bed immediately to minimize the risk of the stain soaking through to the mattress.
Isolate the area. Pull the fabric taut in the stained area and put a bowl underneath. Secure with a rubber band.
Sprinkle a generous layer of salt over the stain to absorb the liquid. Baking soda works too.
Carefully pour boiling water onto the stain to flush it out.
Machine-wash on the hottest cycle. For white sheets, add bleach per package instructions.
DON’Ts
Don’t rub the stain. Doing so will set it in. Blot instead!
Don’t wait until the next day to wash the sheets. Time is of the essence when it comes to red wine.
Don’t put the linens in the dryer if there’s still any trace of the stain. Instead, do another wash cycle.
OTHER TIPS:
Repeat the above steps for all affected linens (comforter, sheets, topper, mattress protector) individually. Just be sure to check the care tag for washing instructions.
Instead of (or after) boiling water, pour a mixture of one part dish soap (such as Dawn) and two parts hydrogen peroxide onto the stain. If the mattress itself has a wine stain, dampen a cotton cloth with this mixture (or mix it in a spray bottle and spray it on). Let it sit for at least 10 minutes, then gently blot (again, blot, don’t rub!) to help lift the stain. Finish by blotting with hot water using a damp cloth.
If red wine spillage continues to occur, switch to Chardonnay.
