First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot, don't rub: use a clean white cloth or white paper towels.
- Sponge with cool water, or club soda if you have it, then blot thoroughly.
- Optional on fresh spills: sprinkle table salt on the stain to absorb some of it.
- Keep heat away: no dryer, iron or hot air until the stain is gone.
Marble is sensitive to acids, so red wine needs a gentle approach from the start. Use a light detergent solution on a fresh spill, and only move to stronger options if the mark stays. Set stains need a poultice left on for up to 48 hours, and some marks may never come out completely.
On a marble countertop or marble table, the mistake to dodge is reaching for anything acidic, even a mild household cleaner. White marble shows the stain more clearly, so check the mark in good light as it lifts. If a red wine stain on a marble floor still shows after repeated treatments, a stone restorer can judge what's left.
Before you start
What marble & natural stone can take
Safe to use1
- Water
Use with care5
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
Avoid1
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
10 items
What you'll need
Tap an item to get it on Amazon, or tick what you already have.
- Liquid detergentMakes the mild cleaning solution for the first wash. (opens Amazon)
- Clean white cloths or white paper towelsLift wine without adding color to the spill. (opens Amazon)
- Denatured alcoholFor a stain that survives the detergent and rinse. (opens Amazon)
- Drugstore hydrogen peroxideThe mild type sold as an antiseptic, for an absorbent cloth on the stain. (opens Amazon)
- Household ammoniaSoaks a pad for the next round on stubborn spots. (opens Amazon)
- Rubber glovesProtect your hands when using peroxide. (opens Amazon)
- Chlorine bleach and mild powdered laundry detergentOnly for the last step, on light-colored marble. (opens Amazon)
- Table salt (opens Amazon)
- Club soda (opens Amazon)
- Cellulose sponge (opens Amazon)
As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Blot up the spill
Lift the wine with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towels. If the spill is fresh, sprinkle table salt on it right away to absorb some of the wine. Then sponge the spot with cool water, or with club soda if you have it, and blot thoroughly.
Tip. Work from the outside of the stain toward the middle so it doesn't spread.
Careful. Don't rub the spill, because rubbing spreads it across the stone.
Step 2 of 7
Sponge with detergent solution
Dissolve 1/2 teaspoon of liquid detergent in 1 quart of warm water. Sponge the stain with this solution, working from the edges inward.
Careful. Don't scrub with scouring powder or a scrub pad, which scratch stone and worsen etches.
Step 3 of 7
Rinse with clear water
Wipe the area with a clean cloth dipped in clear water. Keep rinsing the cloth until no detergent is left on the stone.
Step 4 of 7
Try denatured alcohol
If the stain remains, dampen a clean cloth in denatured alcohol and apply it to the spot. Follow with a cloth or sponge dipped in clean water, removing all traces of alcohol.
Tip. Test a hidden spot first.
Step 5 of 7
Apply hydrogen peroxide
If the stain is still there, lay an absorbent cloth soaked in hydrogen peroxide directly over it. Use the mild drugstore kind sold as an antiseptic, not the stronger type sold for bleaching hair. When you lift the cloth, rinse the area with clear water before going on.
Careful. Don't use hydrogen peroxide without rubber gloves.
Step 6 of 7
Use an ammonia pad
If the stain still remains, saturate a pad with ammonia and lay it on the spot. Keep the pad damp until the stain is gone, then sponge with clean water and allow to dry.
Step 7 of 7
Finish with bleach poultice
Only on light-colored marble, and only after the peroxide and ammonia steps are rinsed out, mix water, chlorine bleach and a mild powdered laundry detergent into a poultice. Put it on the stain, cover it with a damp cloth, and let it stand until the stain is bleached out. Then rinse thoroughly and dry.
Careful. Make sure the stone is clear of every earlier product and rinsed with plain water before you start, so nothing else is left on the surface.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for red wine on marble & natural stone
Choose a liquid detergent with no soap in its ingredient list, and buy the mild drugstore kind of hydrogen peroxide.
Amazon Basics Microfiber Cleaning Cloths
How we picked these: each product is made for this type of stain, its maker doesn't warn against using it on marble & natural stone, 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 is gone when the spot matches the stone around it and a damp, clean cloth lifts no more color. If the area looks dull or rough once it's dry, the surface may be etched, and that needs a professional.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your marble & natural stone
Marble countertop
On a countertop, the spill is usually open and easy to reach, so start the blot and sponge steps right away. Keep the detergent solution from running over the edge and under the stone.
Marble holds up well against heat, but a hot pot can still leave a mark, so use a trivet under hot pots and pans near the counter.
White marble
White marble shows faint marks that darker stone hides, so check the spot in good light after each step. Because the bleach poultice is only for light stone, white marble gets the full set of steps, and it is the one place where that last step is worth trying before you call a professional.
Rinse thoroughly between each product, since a white surface shows any leftover residue.
Marble floor
Floors take foot traffic, so blot the spill at once and cover the spot with a towel while you work, so no one walks the wine across the room. Work in small areas so the detergent solution doesn't dry on the floor before you rinse it.
Grout lines soak up color too, so keep the solution out of them; the Grout guide covers grout in more detail.
Marble table
A table top is smooth and easy to reach, so you can work the detergent solution across the spot and rinse it in a few minutes. Keep the cloth moving so the wine doesn't spread to the edge of the table.
A trivet under hot dishes and coasters under glasses keep the next spill from becoming a stain.
Old, dried or set-in stains
If the wine has been on the marble for a while, the blot and sponge steps may not finish the job. Set-in stains are usually treated with a poultice left under plastic for 24 to 48 hours.
Once the spot has dried, keep the poultice covered so it stays damp rather than drying out. Repeat it as needed, since difficult stains can take up to five applications.
Some stains won't come out completely, and a poultice may dull polished stone, so check the spot after each round. If it's still there after repeated poultices, a professional stone restorer can usually pull out most stains.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on red wine on marble & natural stone?
Several home remedies come up for red wine, but marble limits which ones you can use. Only a mild detergent in warm water and a clear rinse belong on marble, and the rest are better skipped.
Works4Helps2Skip1Avoid1
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.
Chlorine bleach + Oxygen bleach (OxiClean)
Both makers advise against combining them: OxiClean says not to mix it with chlorine bleach, and Clorox says the two bleaches cancel each other out.
Chlorine bleach + Hydrogen peroxide (3%)
Washington State's health department says bleach reacts with hydrogen peroxide, and Clorox says not to mix bleach with other household chemicals.
Ammonia + Chlorine bleach
Bleach mixed with ammonia releases toxic chloramine gas.
Chlorine bleach + Rubbing alcohol
Bleach and rubbing alcohol can form chloroform, which causes dizziness, nausea and loss of consciousness.
If they mix by accident: Stop and add nothing else; leave the area for fresh air, open windows and keep children and pets away; call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if anyone has trouble breathing.
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't put the item near heat
Heat from a dryer, iron or hot air sets the stain and can make it impossible to remove. Keep the marble away from heat until the wine is completely gone.
Don't use bar soap on the stain
Soap, including natural soap, makes tannin stains permanent or harder to remove. Stick to the liquid detergent in the first cleaning steps.
Don't use acids on marble
Vinegar, lemon and other acids etch and dull marble, so they leave a mark of their own. Stick to the detergent, peroxide and ammonia steps.
When to call a professional
Call a professional stone restorer for etched areas you can't fix, deeper scratches and nicks, deep rust or copper stains, and stains that remain after repeated poultices. Periodic professional refinishing is also worth considering for marble that gets heavy use.
Questions
Does red wine stain marble?
Yes. Red wine is a tannin stain, and marble can be stained by it, especially if the spill is left to set. Blot it up right away and work through the steps in order.
Can I get red wine out of white marble?
Often yes, if you act quickly and work through the steps in order. White marble is the only kind where the bleach poultice in the last step is used, so it has the most options. Some stains still don't come out completely.
Can I remove red wine from a marble floor?
Yes, with the same steps. Blot the spill before foot traffic spreads it, and keep the solution out of the grout lines.
What if the wine stain is old?
Old wine often needs a poultice left under plastic for 24 to 48 hours. Work through the steps first, then move to the poultice if the stain is still visible.
When should I call a professional?
Call one if the marble is etched, deeply scratched, or the stain remains after repeated poultices. Professional stone restorers handle these cases, and most stains can be pulled out during restoration.
Will a red wine stain on a marble table come out?
Usually, if you act quickly. Use the same steps, keep heat off the spot, and put a trivet under hot dishes so the next stain is easier to avoid.
Methods, care labels and related guides
Good to know
Red Wine on other materials
Other stains on marble & natural stone
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.