First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot the wine with a clean, dry white cloth. Don't rub.
- Sponge with cool water or club soda right away.
- Keep the decanter away from heat, including hot air, until the stain is gone.
A red wine spill on dishes like decanters and carafes is easiest to handle while it's still fresh. Tannin stains such as wine get much harder to lift once they dry or warm up, and a narrow neck makes the inside tricky to reach. Blot quickly, then move to cool water and mild soap, since anything that has dried needs more patience.
Dried red wine stains in a decanter need patience, so plan on a few short soaks rather than one long scrub. Ceramic dishware and painted pieces need a gentler hand than glass, so test a small area first. A microfiber cloth shows you whether the color is actually lifting before you go again.
Before you start
What dishes & mugs can take
Safe to use1
- Water
Use with care7
- Hot water
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
8 items
What you'll need
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- Clean white cloth or white paper towelsBlotting without transferring color onto the glass. (opens Amazon)
- Table saltOptional on a fresh spill to absorb some of the wine. (opens Amazon)
- Club soda or cool waterThe first rinse for fresh wine. (opens Amazon)
- Mild liquid soapThe main wash in warm water. (opens Amazon)
- A soft cloth (opens Amazon)
- Non-abrasive cleanser for glass or ceramicFor stain left after the wash. (opens Amazon)
- Plastic or nylon padOnly if the cleanser needs light scrubbing. (opens Amazon)
- Oxygen bleach or 3% hydrogen peroxideFor dried stains that don't lift with washing. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Blot up the wine
Lay a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towel over the wine and press to soak up the liquid. Lift and replace it until little more comes up. Pressing keeps the wine from spreading across the glass.
Step 2 of 7
Sprinkle salt on a fresh spill
If the wine is still wet, cover the stain with table salt so it draws up some of the color. Once the salt has soaked in, brush it away and blot the spot again with the white cloth.
Tip. Skip this step on a dried stain, since salt only helps on fresh wine.
Step 3 of 7
Sponge with cool water or club soda
Dab the stain with cool water, or with club soda if you have it, and move to a clean part of the cloth as it picks up color. Blot until the cloth comes up clean.
Step 4 of 7
Wash with mild soap and warm water
Dip a soft cloth in warm water with a little mild liquid soap and wash the stained area. Keep working the spot until the cloth stops picking up color.
Careful. Bar soap and natural soap make tannin stains harder to remove, so check the label for soap before you use it.
Step 5 of 7
Rinse with clean water
Rinse the decanter under clean running water until no suds remain. Hold it up to the light to check for any leftover color or film.
Tip. Rinse after every cleaner you use, not only the soap.
Step 6 of 7
Use a non-abrasive cleanser if needed
If the stain still shows after washing, apply a non-abrasive cleanser made for glass or ceramic with a soft cloth. Work it gently in small circles, then rinse well.
Tip. Test any new cleaner on a small, inconspicuous area first.
Careful. Metal tools and steel wool scratch glass, so keep to the soft cloth and a plastic or nylon pad if you need one.
Step 7 of 7
Let it air dry away from heat
Stand the decanter on a towel away from any heat source and let it air dry. Check it in good light before you put it away.
Careful. Heat sets the stain, so keep the dish out of the dryer and away from hot air until it is clear.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for red wine on dishes & mugs
Choose a plain oxygen bleach product for dried stains, and keep a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution from the drugstore on hand as the second option.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
e-cloth General Purpose Cloth
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on dishes & mugs, and its directions fit the steps above.
Finished the steps? How does it look?
Nice work. Let it dry completely and check it again in good light. Here is what done looks like:
How to tell it's really gone →A faint mark usually needs one more round, not a stronger product.
If the stain was already dried or set, the method changes.
Old, dried or set-in stains →When to call a professional →How to tell it's working
The stain should lighten after each pass, and the color should move onto the cloth. If it stops lightening after the cleanser, stop scrubbing and move on to the set-in options below.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your dishes & mugs
Wine glasses
Wine glasses follow the same method as a decanter, so use the blot, salt, wash and rinse steps in the same order. Hold each glass up to the light after rinsing to check the bowl and stem for any color left.
If the stain is dried on the rim, treat it with the set-in options below, which work on glass as well as a decanter.
Carafe
A glass or ceramic carafe gets the same treatment as a decanter, so follow the steps in the same order. Carafes often have a narrow spout where wine collects, so blot that area with the white cloth before washing.
After washing, rinse the spout thoroughly so no soap is left inside. If the carafe is made of anything other than glass or ceramic, test a small hidden spot with the cleaner first and stick to the blot and rinse steps only.
Ceramic dishware
Ceramic serving pieces follow the same steps as a decanter, in the same order. Use the soft cloth for the wash and save the non-abrasive cleanser for stains the wash doesn't lift.
Check the outside and inside separately after rinsing, since wine can sit on one side only.
Painted or decorated pieces
Skip the oxygen bleach on any painted or decorated area, since it can damage the paint. Stick to the wash and the non-abrasive cleanser on those spots.
Rinse the decorated area last, so no cleaner stays in the design.
Old, dried or set-in stains
A stain that has already dried has had time to set into the glass, so the wash alone may not lift it. Start with an oxygen bleach product on a small, hidden spot, since a color change there means you should stop. If that spot stays clear, apply the product to the stain as the label directs.
If the stain is still there, dab a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution onto it with a cloth and leave it briefly before rinsing with clean water. Use only the drugstore strength, because stronger solutions are for bleaching hair.
If the stain still shows after both treatments, it is probably set for good. At that point, a glass or ceramic cleaning service is the realistic next step.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on red wine on dishes & mugs?
Many home remedies you'll find online don't suit glass or ceramic, so only the ones that fit this stain are worth trying. Only a few suit a decanter or carafe, and the safest start is cool water or club soda followed by mild soap.
Works2Helps5Skip1
Chemical safety
Never mix these
Some products in this guide react dangerously with each other. Use them one at a time and rinse with water in between.
Oxygen bleach (OxiClean) + Vinegar
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
Baking soda + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
OxiClean's label says not to mix it with other household chemicals.
Hydrogen peroxide (3%) + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
OxiClean's maker says it should not be mixed with household chemicals other than detergent in the wash.
If they mix by accident: Don't use the mixture; ventilate the room and avoid breathing fumes or touching it; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222 for disposal advice or if anyone feels unwell.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't move the decanter between hot and cold
A sudden change in temperature can crack or break glass and ceramicware. Don't pour liquid into a hot decanter, and don't set a hot one on the countertop, a metal surface or in the sink.
Don't soak the decanter for long
Glass and ceramicware should not sit in water for an extended time. Wash it, rinse it and move on rather than leaving it to soak.
Don't use fluorine-based cleaners
Cleaners with fluorine compounds damage ceramic, glass and stone. Check the ingredient list before you pick up a cleaner.
Don't mix bleach with ammonia or vinegar
Chlorine bleach mixed with ammonia, vinegar or other acids gives off toxic fumes. If you use bleach at all, rinse everything out with plain water before using another product.
When to call a professional
If a stain survives the wash, the cleanser and the set-in options, a glass or ceramic cleaning service can assess it. Ask them about the material first, since that decides which methods are safe.
Questions
Does red wine permanently stain a decanter?
Not usually, if you act while the wine is still fresh. The stain sets as it dries and warms, so the sooner you blot and wash, the easier it lifts. Dried stains take the longer set-in approach.
Can I use warm water to clean it?
Yes, warm water is the right temperature for the wash. What matters is keeping the temperature steady, so bring the decanter to the same warmth as the water before you wash it.
Is salt really useful on a fresh spill?
Yes, table salt on a fresh spill absorbs some of the wine before it sinks in. It only takes up part of the stain, so you still need to blot and wash afterward.
Does club soda work better than water?
Club soda is a useful first rinse for fresh wine, and plain cool water works just as well. Either one is fine for the sponge step, so use whichever you have on hand.
Why does a dried stain need more than one attempt?
Dried wine has had time to set into the surface, so one wash often lifts only the outer layer. Repeating the wash and then trying the set-in option usually gives better results than scrubbing harder.
What should I do if the stain is still there after all this?
Stop scrubbing and try the set-in option, testing the product on a hidden spot first. If nothing lifts the stain, a glass or ceramic cleaning service is the next step.
Methods, care labels and related guides
Good to know
Red Wine on other materials
Other stains on dishes & mugs
Start from the bigger picture
How we know this
Every method, amount and warning here comes from university extension services, industry bodies and product makers. We read them, check every step for unsafe combinations and changed amounts, and write it up so you can follow it.