First few minutes
Just happened? Do this first
- Blot the liquid with a clean, dry white cloth or paper towels. Don't rub.
- Sponge the spot with cool water, or with club soda if you have it, then blot.
- Keep heat away from the stain until it's gone, since heat sets it.
Red wine on quartz is a tannin stain, and it's usually a quick job if you catch it early. The surface handles water and mild dish soap well, but it can't take bleach, oxidizers, soaking or heat. A spill that has dried needs rewetting for several minutes before anything else happens.
A wine stain on a quartz countertop near the sink needs the same mild soap and water, and nothing stronger. On white quartz, a red wine stain shows more clearly, so check it in good light before you decide it's gone. If a red wine stain on quartz near the stove still shows, call a professional rather than trying bleach or heat, which the surface can't take.
Before you start
What quartz can take
Safe to use1
- Water
Use with care2
- Solvents (alcohol, spot removers)
- Acids (vinegar, lemon)
Avoid5
- Soaking
- Chlorine bleach
- Oxygen bleach
- Scrubbing and abrasives
- Heat, once the stain is out
6 items
What you'll need
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- Clean white cloth or white paper towelsLifts the liquid without spreading it. (opens Amazon)
- Cool water or club sodaThe first rinse for a fresh spill. (opens Amazon)
- Table saltOptional on a fresh spill to absorb some of the wine. (opens Amazon)
- Mild liquid dish soapThe cleaner for the rest of the job. (opens Amazon)
- Soft clothCleans without scratching the surface. (opens Amazon)
- Non-abrasive or no-scratch padWorks a stubborn spot with light pressure. (opens Amazon)
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7 steps
Step by step
Step 1 of 7
Blot up the wine first
Lift as much liquid as you can with a clean, dry white cloth or white paper towels. Press down rather than rubbing, because rubbing spreads the wine across the surface.
Tip. On a fresh spill, sprinkle table salt on the stain right away to absorb some of it, then blot again.
Step 2 of 7
Sponge with cool water or club soda
Dab the spot with cool water, or with club soda if you have it, and blot thoroughly. Work from the outer edge toward the middle so the wine doesn't spread.
Step 3 of 7
Keep heat away from the spot
Don't set a hot pan, a hot dish or any heat-producing appliance on the stain, and don't aim hot air at it. Heat sets the stain, so keep the spot cool until it's completely gone.
Careful. Sudden temperature change can damage the surface, so keep hot pans and heat-producing appliances off it.
Step 4 of 7
Rewet a dried spill
If the wine has already dried, wet the spot with water and leave it for several minutes before you clean. That gives the cleaner a better chance to lift the stain.
Step 5 of 7
Wash with warm water and mild soap
Wipe the area with warm water, a soft cloth and a little mild dish soap. Clean a wider area than the stain itself, rubbing in small circles so you don't leave a ring at the edge.
Tip. Test any cleaner on an inconspicuous area first.
Step 6 of 7
Work a stubborn spot gently
If the mark is still there, put a little mild dish soap on it and work it with a non-abrasive or no-scratch pad using light pressure. Keep the pressure light and let the soap do the lifting.
Careful. Scouring pads and abrasive cleansers can damage the surface.
Step 7 of 7
Rinse and dry the counter
Rinse the area with plenty of water so no soap is left behind, then dry it with a clean cloth. Check the spot in good light once it's dry before you decide it's finished.
If you'd rather buy than mix
Best products for red wine on quartz
Look for a mild liquid dish soap with no added bleach or abrasive particles, and keep a no-scratch pad for stubborn spots.
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 quartz, 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 spot is finished when it looks the same as the counter around it once dry, with no darker ring or dull patch. If a hazy film shows after drying, rinse again with plenty of water and dry it.
What changes for yours
Adjust for your quartz
Quartz and quartz countertops
The same steps work on any quartz countertop, whether it's a kitchen island, a backsplash or a bathroom vanity. What changes is the list of what the surface can't take, so the stronger cleaners stay off it even when the stain looks stubborn.
If the wine has been sitting for a while or has dried, start with the rewetting step rather than scrubbing. Wash gently, and keep the cleaning to the mild dish soap and a no-scratch pad.
White quartz
A red stain shows much more clearly on white quartz, so the spot may look worse than it is while you work on it. Keep the same gentle method, and check the area once it's dry before deciding the stain is gone.
Rinse with extra care on a light surface, because any soap left behind can make it look hazy. Stick to mild dish soap and water, and skip bleach, which this surface can't take even when it's white.
Quartz around the sink
Water that sits on quartz near a sink can cause trouble, so don't let the cleaning water pool on the surface. Wipe up the wine and the rinse water as you go, and don't leave a wet cloth or sponge sitting on the stone.
If the spill ran toward the sink edge, blot it from the outside in, then dry the area fully before you move on. Keep the mild dish soap and water as the only cleaners you use here.
Quartz near the stove
Heat is the main change near a stove, because a hot pan or a heat-producing appliance can damage the surface through sudden temperature change. If the wine spilled while you were cooking, move hot pans off the area before you start cleaning.
Wait until the spot is cool and dry before judging the result, and keep heat away until the stain is completely gone. Clean with the same mild dish soap and soft cloth as the rest of the counter.
Old, dried or set-in stains
If the wine has been sitting for a long time or has dried into the surface, expect it to take more than one pass. Start with the rewetting step, then give the spot one more round of mild dish soap and a no-scratch pad with light pressure.
Rinse with plenty of water and dry it before you judge the result, since the spot can look different once the surface is dry. Work slowly and check after each pass instead of pressing harder.
If the mark is still there after that, stop rather than reaching for stronger products, because the surface can't take them. Heat that has set the stain, or a long wait, can make full removal impossible, and that is the point to call the fabricator or the manufacturer's customer care.
Vinegar, baking soda, peroxide and more
Do home remedies work on red wine on quartz?
Plenty of home remedies work on wine, but many of them are unsafe on quartz. Warm water with mild dish soap is the gentle choice on quartz, and bleach, oxygen bleach and scrubbing should stay off the surface.
Works3Skip1Avoid4
What makes it worse
Mistakes to avoid
Don't use bleach, peroxide or oxygen cleaners
Chlorine bleach, hydrogen peroxide and oxygen cleaners are all off the list for this surface, even for a stubborn wine stain. Never leave bleach on the counter, because it can affect the surface after 12 hours, and never mix bleach with ammonia, vinegar or other acids.
Don't clean with solvents
Acetone, nail polish remover and rubbing alcohol are solvents, and this surface isn't cleaned with them. Wipe off any leftover residue with water and mild dish soap instead.
Don't rub bar soap into the stain
Bar soap and natural soap make tannin stains harder to remove, so the spot can end up worse than before. Use liquid mild dish soap in warm water, and check the label if you're not sure what's in it.
When to call a professional
If the stain is still there after the steps above, contact the fabricator or studio that supplied the countertop, or the manufacturer's customer care. Impact damage and use of prohibited products can void the warranty, so check before you try anything stronger.
Questions
Does red wine stain quartz countertops?
Yes, red wine can stain quartz because it's a tannin stain colored by plant pigment. A fresh spill is usually easy to lift if you blot it and rinse it with cool water right away.
How long can wine sit before it sets?
Speed matters most. A fresh spill lifts far more easily than one that has dried, so blot it before it has time to dry.
Will the stain be permanent?
Usually not, if you act promptly and use the gentle steps. A stain that has dried, been heated or been left for a long time is harder, and a few stubborn marks may need the fabricator.
Does a red stain show more on white quartz?
Yes, a red stain stands out more on white quartz, so it can look worse than it is. Clean it the same gentle way and check it once it's dry.
Is club soda good for a wine spill?
Yes, for a fresh spill. Sponge the stain with club soda right away, then blot it dry; once the wine has dried, switch to warm water and mild dish soap.
Can I seal quartz to stop stains?
No, don't apply sealers, polishes or water repellents to this surface. Cleaning doesn't call for them, so keep them off the surface.
Methods, care labels and related guides
Good to know
Red Wine on other materials
Other stains on quartz
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.